Optimal Placement of Conservation Practices Using Genetic Algorithm with SWAT


Book Description

The effectiveness of conservation practices depends on their placement on the fields within the watershed. Cost-effective placement of these practices for maximum water quality benefits on each field requires comparing a very large number of possible land-use scenarios. To address this problem, we combine the tools of evolutionary algorithm with the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model and cost data to develop a trade-off frontier of least cost of achieving nutrient reductions and the corresponding locations of conservation practices. This approach was applied to the Raccoon River Watershed, which drains about 9,400 km2 of an intensive agriculture region in west-central Iowa. Applying genetic algorithm to the calibrated SWAT modeling setup produced multitudes of optimal solutions of achieving nutrient reductions in relation to the total cost of placing these practices. For example, a 30% reduction in nitrate (and a corresponding 53% reduction in phosphorus) at the watershed outlet can be achieved with a cost of $80 million per year. This solution frontier allows policymakers and stakeholders to explicitly see the trade-offs between cost and nutrient reductions.




Journal of Soil and Water Conservation


Book Description

Vol. 25, no. 1 contains the society's Lincoln Chapter's Resource conservation glossary.




Precision Conservation


Book Description

Precision conservation is a reality, and we are moving towards improved effectiveness of conservation practices by accounting for temporal and spatial variability within and off field. This is the first book to cover the application of the principles of precision conservation to target conservation practices across fields and watersheds. It has clearly been established that the 21st century will present enormous challenges, from increased yield demands to climate change. Without improved conservation practices it will not be possible to ensure food security and conservation effectiveness. Readers will appreciate the application of the precision conservation concept to increase conservation effectiveness in a variety of contexts, with a focus on recent advances in technology, methods, and improved results. IN PRESS! This book is being published according to the “Just Published” model, with more chapters to be published online as they are completed.







Impacts of Landscape Change on Water Resources


Book Description

Changes in land use and land cover can have many drivers, including population growth, urbanization, agriculture, demand for food, evolution of socio-economic structure, policy regulations, and climate variability. The impacts of these changes on water resources range from changes in water availability (due to changes in losses of water to evapotranspiration and recharge) to degradation of water quality (increased erosion, salinity, chemical loadings, and pathogens). The impacts are manifested through complex hydro-bio-geo-climate characteristics, which underscore the need for integrated scientific approaches to understand the impacts of landscape change on water resources. Several techniques, such as field studies, long-term monitoring, remote sensing technologies, and advanced modeling studies, have contributed to better understanding the modes and mechanisms by which landscape changes impact water resources. Such research studies can help unlock the complex interconnected influences of landscape on water resources in terms of quantity and quality at multiple spatial and temporal scales. In this Special Issue, we published a set of eight peer-reviewed articles elaborating on some of the specific topics of landscape changes and associated impacts on water resources.










The Red Soils of China


Book Description

The red soils of China are typical in their chemical, physical and mineralogical characteristics of red soils in other tropical and sub-tropical areas of the world, particularly in South America, Africa and south-east Asia. For the most part, these soils are highly weathered and inherently infertile. They are acidic, nutrient deficient, poor in organic matter and have a low water-holding and supplying capacity. They cannot sustain arable cropping systems without the most careful management and are highly susceptible to soil erosion, particularly on sloping land. It is the purpose of this book to present recent research showing how the problems associated with using the red soils in China for sustainable agricultural production can be overcome, using a variety of traditional and novel approaches. In principle, these approaches should be useful in other tropical and sub-tropical countries faced with the problem of making the best use of their fragile red soil resources. The term "in principle" is used deliberately because, of course, the different red soil countries invariably operate within dissimilar socio-economic frameworks. At the present time, China may be considered to be in the process of an "industrial revolution", rather like that that took place in Britain in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.




Remote Sensing for Natural Resources Management & Monitoring


Book Description

The book attempts to match user need to the level of technology required for management, planning and monitoring of natural resources. It provides clear guidance on the reliability, accuracy and cost of applications. Editors believe that this endeavour shall provide a valuable scientific basis to students and researchers to address the future challenges in natural resources monitoring and management. Accurate inventory, assessment and periodic monitoring of resources will enable the policy makers to keep an eye on optimal utilization of resources and development process to take timely interventions. We further hope this book will be a valuable reference and provide practical guidance for all who work towards the goal of the sustainable and judicious use of resources.




Impounded Water Bodies Modelling and Simulation


Book Description

This book enhances knowledge on Impounded Water Bodies (IWB) systems of the interested parties. They include academicians, scholars, scientist, researchers, engineers, undergraduate and postgraduate students. Specifically this book is valuable for everyone involved in water, hydrology, environment, civil engineering and other related disciplines. This book emphasized modelling and simulation of IWB particularly; Reservoir and Detention Pond, in relation to the two major hydrological problems; Flood and Water Pollution. The knowledge presented is useful for hydrological systems real phenomenon replication and prediction. This book also provides IWB general overview, in terms of the preliminary and state of the art analysis which may trigger the interest for further research and investigations. The IWB related factors were integrated to provide the quantitative framework, alternative approaches and valuable outcomes that lead to worthy policy establishment. This book covers topic related to nutrient (phosphorus) loadings estimation using the new version of Event-Based Stochastic Model in reservoir systems. The detention pond systems modelling using Analytical Probabilistic Models (APM) and the optimization of detention time using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) are elaborated. It is hoped that the book provides useful knowledge in pursuit of the IWB sustainable development. Dr Supiah Shamsudin is an Associate Professor in Water Resources and Hydrology at the Razak School of Engineering and Advanced Technology, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She obtained Bachelor of Science (Civil Engineering) from University of Miami, USA and Master of Science (Hydrology and Water resources) from University of Nebraska - Lincoln, USA. She later obtained Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Civil Engineering from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in 2003. Her main specialization is Impounded Water Bodies Engineering and Management. Her research interest include intelligent detention pond design, watershed and reservoir management under uncertain environment, environmental hydrology, reservoir eutrophication, fuzzy and risk related approaches and multicriteria decision support for water resources systems. She had extensive involvements in international peer reviewed indexed journal publications and presented at many national and international conferences. Dr Salisu Danazumi is currently a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Civil Engineering, Bayero University Kano - Nigeria. He holds a Bachelors degree (Civil Engineering) and Masters degree (Water Resources and Environmental Engineering) from Bayero University Kano - Nigeria in 1998 and 2006 respectively. He obtained a PhD degree in Hydrology from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in 2012. His research interest include: multi-objective optimization of water resource systems using particle swarm optimization, risk and uncertainty analysis and surface water quality modelling. He has authored and co-authored many papers in international peer reviewed journals and conferences.