Date of Award

2013

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Agricultural and Biological Engineering

Committee Chair

Jane Frankenberger

Committee Member 1

Indrajeet Chaubey

Committee Member 2

Venkatesh Merwade

Abstract

Tile drains are an important component of agricultural production in the Midwest, and their inclusion in modeling studies is important in watersheds where they are a principal hydrologic pathway. The new tile drainage simulation method in the Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was parameterized and tile flow results were compared with reviewed literature. Streamflow, sediment, and nutrient outputs were compared to measured values and simulated crop yields were examined with respect to average county yields. Plant growth stressors were examined to account for differences between simulated and published yields. The bioenergy crop switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) was applied over the watershed in land use scenarios developed from a review of published modeling studies and scenario planning literature. Differences in water quality and quantity arising from these land use changes, simulated by SWAT, were quantified.

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