Riparian catchments: A landscape approach to link uplands with riparian zones for agricultural and ecosystem conservation

Tomer, Mark D.; Porter, Sarah; James, David; Horn, J.D. Van

doi:10.2489/jswc.2020.1220a

Cited by 8 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Headwater catchments present limited opportunities for riparian buffers to reduce delivery of agricultural pollutants to streams. See Porter et al (2018) and Tomer et al (2020) for further details on delineation of riparian catchments.…”

Section: Discretizing Riparian Catchmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The riparian analysis in version 3 of the ACPF uses a watershed discretization routine called "riparian catchments" (Porter et al, 2018;Tomer et al, 2020). The discretization involves dividing each stream reach into (nominally) uniform length segments, delineating the runoff-contributing area to each stream segment, then dividing the contributing area by the stream to provide a separate "riparian catchment" along each side of each stream segment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Comparing riparian buffer design classification data among watersheds representing Iowa landscapes

Tomer

Porter²,

James

et al. 2021

Agrosystems Geosci & Env

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Riparian buffers can improve water quality, but watershed-scale evaluations of riparian buffering opportunities are rare. A landscape discretization tool called riparian catchments, part of the Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework (ACPF) version 3, was applied to evaluate functional riparian settings for 32 headwater watersheds representing three major land resource areas (MLRAs) in Iowa. Riparian settings of 250-m length were classified based on height above channel and upslope contributing area to show where to place buffers primarily designed to intercept runoff, treat nitrate in shallow groundwater, and/or protect streambanks. Riparian zones found below small riparian catchments were common, typically occupying >50% of streambank lengths in MLRA 103 (northern Iowa) and MLRA 108 (southeast Iowa). In these settings, narrow (6-10 m wide) buffers provide a buffer/contributing area ratio of >0.02 to filter surface runoff, while providing streambank protection. This similarity occurred despite these two MLRAs having contrasting landscapes.Whereas the narrow buffers suggested are associated with ditches and flat terrain in MLRA 103, they occur below short slopes along streams that have well dissected the watersheds in MLRA 108. In MLRA 104 of east-central Iowa, headwater alluvial streams often had broad low-lying riparian zones, where wide buffers (>25 m) may be placed to help mitigate nitrate transport in shallow groundwater. The ACPF riparian catchments approach enabled cross-watershed analyses of riparian settings, while providing spatial data to inform watershed-scale riparian planning efforts.

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Section: Discretizing Riparian Catchmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparing riparian buffer design classification data among watersheds representing Iowa landscapes

Tomer

Porter²,

James

et al. 2021

Agrosystems Geosci & Env

Self Cite

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“…Headwater catchments that contribute to stream initiation points are also delineated. Porter et al (2018) and Tomer et al (2020a) provide further details.…”

Section: Watershed Selection and Discretizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential for saturated riparian buffers to treat tile drainage among 32 watersheds representing Iowa landscapes

Tomer¹,

Porter²,

James³

et al. 2020

Journal of Soil and Water Conservation

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is formerly a physical science technician with USDA ARS, National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment, currently a senior geographic information systems (GIS) analyst with Environmental Working Group, Minneapolis, Minnesota. David. E. James is a geographic information specialist for USDA ARS, National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment, Ames, Iowa. Jessica D. Van Horn (Beasley) is formerly a physical science technician with USDA ARS, currently senior GIS analyst, Geographic Technologies Group, Goldsboro, North Carolina.

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“…The hope is to enable whole-watershed riparian analyses and clearer identification of conservation priorities for implementing new practices in uplands and riparian zones. Single watershed and cross-watershed analyses using riparian catchments are demonstrated in these two articles (Tomer et al 2020a(Tomer et al , 2020b.…”

Section: Future Development and Expansionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The ACPF ArcGIS toolbox facilitates hydromodification of DEMs, definition of flow networks, digital terrain analysis, characterization of farm fields, identification of potential sites for about 10 common conservation practices, and characterization of riparian corridors (Tomer et al 2015a(Tomer et al , 2015b. The riparian analyses tools, as revised in version 3, delineate the land area contributing to each stream segment (Tomer et al 2020a). The processes are not deterministic, and the outputs are not prescriptive.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework: Watershed applications, research opportunities, and training resources

Lewandowski¹,

Tomer²,

Buchanan³

et al. 2020

Journal of Soil and Water Conservation

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The Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework (ACPF) is an approach to precision conservation for agricultural watershed planning, which is supported by high-resolution watershed data providing spatial detail on land use, soil survey, and topography, which, in turn, are analyzed using an ArcGIS toolbox to identify conservation practice placement options for water quality improvement. A variety of conservation practice placements are identified by the software and can be presented as planning options to engage farmers and watershed stakeholders in local conservation efforts. This special section comprises three research articles, two features, a research editorial, and this overview article. These papers describe new features in ACPF version 3, released in late 2018, describe research from multiwatershed ACPF analyses, discuss watershed planning approaches that have utilized the ACPF, and evaluate farmer perceptions of ACPF results for their farms. This overview article describes the history and development of the ACPF, its role in a watershed approach to agricultural conservation, training and support for the ACPF, and future challenges anticipated as the ACPF is trialed outside the upper Midwest. Several watershed case studies are presented that were part of a symposium during the Soil and Water Conservation Society Annual Conference in 2017. The ACPF was developed by the USDA Agricultural Research Service with support from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, is in the public domain, and is available, along with support and training resources, through https://acpf4watersheds.org. Broader adaptation in using the ACPF as a platform for watershed planning, modeling, and research is encouraged.

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Riparian catchments: A landscape approach to link uplands with riparian zones for agricultural and ecosystem conservation

Cited by 8 publications

References 15 publications

Comparing riparian buffer design classification data among watersheds representing Iowa landscapes

Comparing riparian buffer design classification data among watersheds representing Iowa landscapes

Potential for saturated riparian buffers to treat tile drainage among 32 watersheds representing Iowa landscapes

Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework: Watershed applications, research opportunities, and training resources

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