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Track: Water Resources

Zeyuan Qiu
University of Missouri
200 Mumford Hall
University of Missouri
Columbia, MO 65211


Telephone: 573-884-8936
Fax: 573-882-3958
E-mail: agecqiu@showme.missouri.edu



Tony Prato, Chris Fulcher

The Impacts of Data Resolution on Simulation of Water Quality Using Agricultural Nonpoint Source Pollution Model and a Geographic Information System  Paper Text

Defining Issue: The Agricultural Nonpoint Source Pollution Model (AGNPS) is a most widely used biophysical model to simulate water quality impacts of agricultural practices in a watershed. The modeling efficiency can be significantly improved by incorporating a Geographic Information System (GIS), which makes it feasible to use high-resolution data sets. As the application objectives change, the data resolution for generating AGNPS input parameters may change as well. Selection of data resolution can be an important issue for AGNPS model users in light of objectives. GIS Solution: The Center for Agricultural, Resource and Environmental Systems (CARES) at University of Missouri-Columbia developed a watershed management decision support system (WAMADSS) by integrating ArcInfo GIS with AGNPS, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), and the Cost and Return Estimator (CARE) model to aid in development of water quality management plans. WAMADSS offers the capability to determine the appropriate resolution in a timely fashion because a graphic user interface streamlines the process of generating input parameters, executing the models, and viewing results. Methodology: This application is conducted in the Goodwater Creek watershed, Missouri. WAMADSS is used to automatically generate a number of input parameters from land use, soil, hydrology, and hypsography layers; run the AGNPS model; and present water quality simulation results. Four data resolutions are used: 400 by 400, 200 by 200, 100 by 100, and 50 by 50 square meters grid cells. The simulated water quality results with the different data resolutions are compared within the watershed and at the watershed outlet. The purpose of this paper is to show the differences in water quality simulation caused by data resolution and their implications for AGNPS users. Software: ArcInfo, WAMADSS, and AGNPS source code are required. WAMADSS was written using ArcInfo ARC Macro Language (AML) and C language.



Copyright 1997 Environmental Systems Research Institute