Factors affecting the placement of agricultural best management practices in the agricultural conservation planning framework (ACPF) toolbox in the mid-Atlantic region

This paper evaluates how digital elevation model (DEM) resolution and user-specified parameters influence the siting and density of agricultural best management practices (BMPs) using the Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework (ACPF) toolbox in three physiographically distinct mid-Atlantic US catchments. Results show that DEM resolution has a significant impact on the density and spatial distribution of grassed waterways, while the placement of contour buffer strips (CBS) and water and sediment control basins (WASCOBs) is more influenced by landscape type than DEM resolution. The study finds that using discrete values for the stream power index (SPI) threshold in grassed waterway siting produces output more consistent with physical landscape variation than the standard deviation-based approach recommended in the toolbox. Optimal BMP siting requires careful attention to both input data choices (especially DEM resolution, with 2-meter DEMs recommended) and parameter selection, as these factors can cause substantial differences in outputs. The authors conclude that while ACPF tools are generally robust across regions, users should understand these sensitivities and use local knowledge to inform parameterization, especially when transferring workflows beyond the Midwest.