The ACPF National Hub is excited to release ACPF version 7 toolbox and the ACPF 2025 spatial data framework! At this release, we are adding a suite of new tools and tool modifications to identify opportunities for phosphorus removal structures, or P-Traps, that address dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) in agricultural landscapes. Our tools are based on long-term research of Dr. Chad Penn, USDA ARS National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory supported in part by the USDA NRCS Conservation Effects Assessment project (CEAP) and the USDA ARS Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) network. Dr. Penn’s research has resulted in the recent addition of the NRCS national conservation practice standard 624 – Phosphorus Removal System. A system ‘to remove dissolved phosphorus from surface runoff, subsurface drain, or ditch flows using a phosphorus sorption media within a containment structure.’
Also in version 7, the ACPF National Hub is supporting a near-national scale of ACPF use. To accomplish this, a national field boundary collection has been assembled and made available through a web feature service. You no longer download existing data from our website, just choose a HUC12 and use the Utilities in the toolbox.
If you know your HUC12 ID, open the Utilities drawer in the toolbox and paste the ID into the u1. Initialize ACPF Core data and you’re on your way! Or use this page to find your HUC12.
These services allow a user to access the field boundary collection on a HUC12 basis and begin the creation of an ACPF file geodatabase (FileGDB). By using the Utilities tools u1–u4, the user can create an ACPF core database in file geodatabase format for one of over 50,000 agricultural HUC12 watersheds in the US.
We recognize that by expanding the spatial extent of ACPF data, we will be entering agricultural landscapes where we have had limited opportunities to work. While challenging, we view this as an opportunity to collaborate with new users, conservation specialists, and scientists to explore innovative solutions to address their resource concerns. The ACPF National Hub staff is eager to open conversations with you to support your agricultural conservation planning efforts.
Also in ACPF Version 7, three new tools, a tool modification, and several minor modifications have been made. View the release notes for more details on all the new tools and modifications and for step-by-step instructions for creating an ACPF file geodatabase.
WHO CAN USE THE ACPF
Conservation Planners
Conservation planners who work with communities to develop watershed plans and proposals, as well as work with producers one-on-one can use this tool within the 9-Step Conservation Planning Process. ACPF results can be provided for conservation planners to use to work with producers within a watershed on a field-by-field basis to tackle larger watershed goals. Watershed output training [hyperlink] is available for planners to use the ACPF in professional application.
GIS Specialists
Intermediate to advanced GIS users who are familiar with Esri’s ArcGIS platform can run the ACPF tool. GIS Users users should be comfortable with geodatabase naming and storage, editing procedures, geoprocessing tools, multiple data formats, and basic spatial troubleshooting. In addition, anticipate roughly two days of practice and training to become an effective user. To run ACPF, you’ll need ArcGIS software, the ACPF toolbox, ACPF core data, and elevation data. Technical training is available for GIS users.
With support from NRCS Headquarters, the National Hub for the Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework is now offering ACPF particularly to State NRCS offices across the US.
There are also a number of partners that are available for hire to run the ACPF and provide technical consulting services. While The ACPF National Hub does not endorse these organizations, we have compiled a list of consultants and their contact information for your convenience.
SOFTWARE
ACPF Version 7 is now available and compatible with Esri’s ArcGIS versions. ArcGIS Pro 3.x. Changes to the toolbox structure by ESRI at Pro 3.0 make it necessary to constrain the new ACPF Toolbox to Pro 3.0. It is important to note that users of the ACPF Toolbox should have advanced GIS skills to deploy these tools effectively. The authors strongly recommend that these tools be used as part of a collaborative planning effort that includes local landowners and be applied by conservation planning staff with knowledge of and access to the subject watershed. To run ACPF, an advanced version of ArcGIS with the Spatial Analyst Extension is required.
Find out more about ArcGIS on their website.
TauDEM is no longer needed with ACPF Version 7, however this is still a very useful
geo-spatial toolset. The ACPF is compatible with TauDEM 5.3.7.
ACPF TOOLBOX
The GIS toolbox analyzes high-resolution land use, soil and terrain data and generates results that identity a menu of possible locations for a variety of conservation practices within fields, below fields and riparian zones. Included in the toolbox are practice placement tools that can be tailored to the setting of your individual watershed. Save the download zip file to a local file location on your computer and read the “installation instructions” text file that is included.
The various toolsets allow users to:
The ACPF toolsets identify placement opportunities for controlled drainage (drainage water management), surface intake filters or restored wetlands for topographic depressions, grassed waterways, contour buffer strips, water and sediment control basins, nutrient removal wetlands, edge of field bioreactors, and saturated riparian buffers. The ACPF toolbox also includes a User’s Manual with detailed explanations of the basis for each tool and how to adjust the parameters for your landscapes.
ACPF CORE DATA
The ACPF National Hub has a national field boundary collection that has been assembled and made available through a web feature service. These services allow a user to access the field boundary collection on a HUC12 basis and begin the creation of an ACPF file-geodatabase (FileGDB).
The core database includes:
- Agricultural field boundaries
- Land use and field-specific crop rotations, based on the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Cropland Data Layer
- Soils data extracted from the NRCS gSSURGO soils database
By using the Utilities tools u1–u4, the user can create an ACPF core database in file-geodatabase format for one of over 50,000 agricultural HUC12 watersheds in the US. The process is as follows:
- u1. Initialize ACPF Core data – Creates a new ACPF Filegdb, adds the HUC12 boundary (bnd), downloads the field boundaries (FB), and buffers their Union by 1,000m to create the buffered boundary (buf).
- u2. Get ACPF Soils data – Using the buffered boundary feature class, extract the ACPF soils raster and attribute tables to the Filegdb.
- u3. Get NASS CDL by Year(s) – Using the buffered boundary feature class, extract NASS Cropland Data Layer rasters for multiple years to the Filegdb.
- u4. Update Edited Field Boundaries – The u1 tool will deliver the field boundary feature class with an ‘_edit’ extension. The user should carefully examine and edit this feature class (_edit) to ensure the data are as good as necessary for their intended use, and then run this tool.
ELEVATION DATA
A key data requirement for many of the ArcGIS tools is a high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM), typically derived from light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor surveys. The horizontal map unit of the DEM must be in meters, although any horizontal or vertical resolution is accepted. A horizontal resolution of 2 or 3 meters has been found to be effective, as higher resolution does not improve output quality and substantially increases processing time. The ACPF toolbox also requires that all input layers be in the same projection. The ACPF core data is maintained in a Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) projection, with UTM zones being determined by the centroid location of the watershed boundary of each HUC12. The DEM should extend beyond the watershed boundary enough (e.g. 1,000 meters) to ensure coverage of all fields that may lie only partly within the watershed.
DEM data for many states is available through state agencies or universities. For example, Iowa DEM data is available through the Iowa State University GIS Facility and Minnesota DEM data is available through the Minnesota DNR.
Not sure where to find your state’s DEM data? Ask the ACPF Forum. The ACPF Forum is a Google Group of ACPF users from around the region where you can share results, ask questions, and report issues. This is also a great way to find out about ACPF updates. You can also find out about ACPF updates through the ACPF mailing list where we email out the latest ACPF news and events. Subscribe to our mailing list.