Comparing ACPF practice placements for runoff mitigation and controlled drainage among 32 watersheds representing Iowa landscapes

URL https://doi.org/10.2489/jswc.2020.00001

This paper evaluates the Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework (ACPF) tool by analyzing the placement of conservation practices across 32 Iowa watersheds, considering both Major Land Resource Areas (MLRAs) and Agro-Hydrologic Landscapes (AHLs). The study quantifies spatial opportunities for four practices: controlled drainage, contour buffer strips, water and sediment control basins, and grassed waterways, demonstrating that siting frequencies differ significantly by landscape class and region. Results show that both MLRA and AHL classifications are helpful in distinguishing regional conservation opportunities, but that local planner judgment is still essential to adapt strategies to specific landscapes. Overall, integrating these landscape frameworks can enhance precision conservation planning and inform the development of effective regional conservation strategies.

_{ACPF HUB is supported through Cooperative Agreement # NR213A750008C007 with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Funding for the development of new tools and capabilities for the ACPF is provided, in part, by the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Conservation Effects Assessment Project- Watershed Assessment Studies under the ACPF Enhancement Project, NRCS Interagency Agreement # NRC21IRA0010883 with USDA ARS.}