Cost-Effective Targeting for Reducing Soil Erosion in a Large Agricultural Watershed. (November 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Smith, Craig M.; Williams, Jeffrey R.; Nejadhashemi, Amirpouyan; Woznicki, Sean A.; Leatherman, John C.
• Is Part Of: Journal of agricultural and applied economics. Volume 46:Number 4(2014)
• Page Start: 509
• Page End: 526
• Publication Date: 2014-11
• Subjects: cost-effective targeting, -- cropland best management practices, -- reservoir sedimentation, -- watershed model; Q15, -- Q25, -- Q53; Agriculture -- economics; Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- Periodicals; Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- Southern States -- Periodicals; Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- United States -- Periodicals; Agriculture -- Aspect économique -- Périodiques; Agriculture -- Aspect économique -- États-Unis -- Périodiques; Agrarökonomik; Agrarmarkt; USA; Welt; Agriculture -- Economic aspects; United States; Periodicals; 338.10975
• DOI: 10.1017/S1074070800029072
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1074-0708

Abstract

Abstract : Erosion of agricultural croplands is a significant contributor of sedimentation to reservoirs. Here, physiographic and economic models for a large agricultural watershed (2377 square miles with 27 subwatersheds) are integrated for the reduction of sedimentation of one Midwestern reservoir. Sediment reduction and the cost-effectiveness of three agricultural best management practices (no-till, filter strip, and permanent vegetation) implementation were considered under three modeling scenarios: random assignment; the globally most cost-effective approach; and a cost-effective targeting approach. This study demonstrates how physiographic and economic data can be harnessed to yield readily comprehendible cost-effective targeting maps. Cost-effective targeting may be preferable to watershed managers for its "user-friendliness" without too great a sacrifice of the globally most cost-efficient solution.