Resources

Explore the recently created ArcGIS Online StoryMap by researchers at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada! Their StoryMap documents their project that applied the Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework (ACPF) to the Medway Creek watershed in southwestern Ontario. The watershed features intensive farming in the upper parts, with approximately 90% of the fields tile-drained, while downstream areas are urban. Their research used ACPF Version 7 to analyze 45 catchments and 627 agricultural parcels, selecting 140 priority fields for investigation based on recommended Best Management Practices (BMPs). Their project aims to connect proven U.S. conservation methods with Ontario’s agricultural landscape to support both farm productivity and downstream water quality goals. We at the ACPF Hub see this project as an ideal model for innovative ACPF investigations and applications! 

This paper presents a GIS-based framework for classifying and mapping riparian buffer opportunities in Midwestern headwater watersheds using high-resolution lidar-derived digital elevation models (DEMs). The approach identifies where riparian vegetation can most effectively intercept surface runoff, interact with shallow groundwater, and stabilize streambanks, assigning buffer design types based on site-specific landscape and hydrologic attributes. Applying this classification to six Iowa and Illinois watersheds showed that well-designed riparian buffers occupying as little as 2.5% of watershed area could potentially intercept runoff from 81–94% of upland contributing areas, with significant variation in buffer width needs and function among different glacial landform regions. The results support precision conservation planning by enabling targeted placement of riparian buffers to achieve water quality benefits, and the methodology is implemented as part of the ACPF ArcGIS toolbox.

Connected Papers is a visual tool that helps researchers discover and explore academic papers by generating interactive graphs showing relationships based on content similarity, not just citations. Users input a specific paper, keyword, or DOI, and receive a network map where nodes represent papers and edges display their degree of relatedness, measured by overlapping citations and references. The platform streamlines literature review by highlighting both foundational works and emerging research and integrates with scholarly databases like arXiv, PubMed, and Semantic Scholar. Connected Papers offers both free and premium plans, enabling an efficient overview, exploration, and organization of research in any academic field.

Enter the following citation and explore the array of academic papers connected to the Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework:

Tomer, M. D., Porter, S. A., James, D. E., Boomer, K. M., Kostel, J. A., & McLellan, E. (2013). Combining precision conservation technologies into a flexible framework to facilitate agricultural watershed planning. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 68(5), 113A-120A. 

The Southfork Watershed Alliance is a group of individuals who are working together to improve their understanding, and implementation of, conservation practices that can be used to improve water quality and soil health. The ACPF team created a story map was created to help the Southfork Watershed Alliance interpret APCF output maps of the South Fork watershed and determine how the solutions identified fit into their conservation goals.

The paper compares actual implementation and potential placement of agricultural conservation practices (e.g., grassed waterways, ponds/wetlands, and water and sediment control basins (WASCOBs) in three Iowa HUC-12 watersheds using two GIS-based tools: the Iowa Best Management Practices Mapping Project (IBMP) and the Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework (ACPF). It finds that grassed waterways are widely implemented (at least 78% of the potential) across all three watersheds. At the same time, existing ponds are generally much smaller than the nutrient reduction wetlands sited by ACPF, reflecting a shift from field-scale to watershed-scale water quality solutions. WASCOB implementation was significant only in one watershed, driven by local preferences and funding, while ACPF analysis shows a high potential for greater adoption in all study areas. Overall, coupling the IBMP and ACPF provides a stronger basis for watershed planning by highlighting where current practices align with or diverge from modeled potential, supporting more precise and effective conservation investments.

This paper evaluates riparian buffer design classification across 32 Iowa headwater watersheds using the Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework (ACPF), focusing on three major land resource areas (MLRAs) and their landscape features. The study classifies riparian settings by elevation above stream and upslope contributing area to optimize buffer placement for intercepting runoff, treating nitrate in shallow groundwater, and protecting streambanks. Results show significant differences in riparian buffer opportunities among MLRA regions, with narrow buffers most common in MLRA 103 and 108C, and broader buffers effective for nitrate mitigation in MLRA 104, where low-lying riparian zones prevail. The approach demonstrates that multi-watershed spatial analysis can inform regional conservation planning by matching buffer designs to landscape-specific water quality improvement opportunities.

The paper explores farmer engagement in watershed-scale conservation planning using the Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework (ACPF). Through in-depth interviews with 15 farmers across four Midwestern US watersheds, the study finds that most farmers are receptive to site-specific conservation targeting, especially when they maintain autonomy in decision-making and perceive tangible benefits, such as validation of local concerns and encouragement of watershed-level thinking. The research highlights that personalized maps and one-on-one engagement foster greater adoption of conservation practices, with maps valued as both visualization tools and catalysts for communication. Key recommendations include making conservation maps more interactive, focusing on clear and relevant information, providing flexibility in practice adoption, and prioritizing direct, relationship-based engagement with farmers.

This paper presents an integrated decision support framework (DSF) for field-scale placement of conservation practices in agricultural watersheds, demonstrated in the Plum Creek watershed, Minnesota. The DSF combines three GIS-based models: Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework (ACPF), Prioritize Target Measure Application (PTMApp), and Hydrological Simulation Program FORTRAN-Scenario Application Manager (HSPF-SAM). Used to optimize conservation practice siting by factoring in terrain, hydrology, cost-effectiveness, and farmer willingness. The approach leverages high-resolution lidar hydrologic data, advanced terrain and flow analysis, and incorporates farmer preferences using fuzzy logic, resulting in realistic and actionable conservation scenarios. Application of this framework resulted in the identification of 537 cost-effective practices, leading to an 8.5% total nitrogen reduction within a $250,000 budget. It demonstrated enhanced planning efficiency and stakeholder engagement at the field scale.

This study evaluates the potential of saturated riparian buffers (SRBs) to treat nitrate-laden tile drainage in 32 Iowa watersheds using the Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework (ACPF). The results show that suitable SRB sites are common, with 30% to 70% of streambank lengths and 15% to 40% of watershed areas above suitable sites capable of diverting tile drainage for nitrate removal. There was no significant difference in SRB suitability among different Iowa landform regions, but SRBs are less applicable for headwater catchments, especially in the extensively tile-drained MLRA 103. The study concludes that SRBs have a substantial potential role in reducing nitrate losses from many tile-drained Midwestern watersheds, though alternative practices are needed to address headwater areas.

This paper evaluates the applicability of the Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework (ACPF) for conservation planning in two Southern Piedmont (North Carolina) watersheds. The study compared ACPF-identified conservation practices to those recommended by local experts, finding that while ACPF primarily suggests practices designed for row crop landscapes (like contour buffer strips and grassed waterways), local experts emphasize soil health and pasture-related practices, the majority of which fall outside ACPF’s standard outputs. The results indicate that ACPF outputs do not fully align with local conservation priorities due to regional differences in land use, landscape structure, and management objectives; over 80% of the experts’ recommended practices were not included in ACPF’s scope. The authors suggest that adapting ACPF outputs through interpretation or “proxy” approaches can improve its relevance in non-Midwestern, pasture-dominated regions, although this requires significant local knowledge and additional geospatial data processing effort.

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.

An online illustration of the ACPF results of the Upper Iowa River watershed in Northeast Iowa. Click on the different layers of the map to see the different conservation opportunities as a water the the watershed resiliency plan.

This paper describes how the Iowa Soybean Association integrates farmer input with Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework (ACPF) results to create watershed plans that advance the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy. The process involves gathering local farmers' priorities through community sessions, using simple water quality modeling to set quantitative objectives, and leveraging ACPF tools to identify suitable locations for implementing conservation practices. A case study from the Headwaters Cedar Creek watershed illustrates how this approach leads to well-supported conceptual plans that blend local knowledge with spatial analysis to target critical conservation actions. The authors emphasize that involving farmers throughout planning, coupled with technical modeling and mapping, accelerates implementation, secures funding, and enhances long-term water quality improvements in Iowa.

This paper examines how the Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework (ACPF), a GIS-based decision support tool, aids conservation professionals in precision placement of conservation practices across six watersheds in the US Midwest. Through in-depth interviews with 21 conservation professionals, the authors find that the ACPF promotes watershed-scale thinking, supports targeted conservation planning, and streamlines stakeholder engagement. The study identifies a set of strategies that enable successful producer engagement, such as pre-planning (“armchair conservation”), field validation, coordination, and the use of local influencers. The authors conclude that while decision support tools like ACPF are valuable for precision conservation, effective outcomes also depend on trust-building, local adaptation, and expediting the conservation delivery process.

The paper by Tomer and Nelson (2020) demonstrates how measuring the landscape's capacity for water detention and wetland restoration can inform watershed planning goals and implementation strategies in agricultural regions. Using the Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework (ACPF), the authors identified and evaluated potential sites for water detention practices (like WASCOBs and wetlands) in three contrasting watersheds of the Yellow Medicine River basin in Minnesota, quantifying the storage potential and wetland creation opportunities. The study found that distributed, small-scale detention practices offer significant opportunities for flood mitigation and habitat creation, but the effectiveness and feasibility of implementation depend greatly on local landscape characteristics and the strategy for practice recruitment (targeted vs. open enrollment). The authors argue that precision siting data from tools like the ACPF can guide realistic watershed goals and support adaptive, locally-informed conservation planning at landscape scales.