Assessment of the SWAT model to simulate a watershed with limited available data in the Pampas region, Argentina

Martín Romagnoli; Margarita Portapila; Alfredo Rigalli; Gisela Maydana; Martín Burgués; Carlos M García

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.01.041

Assessment of the SWAT model to simulate a watershed with limited available data in the Pampas region, Argentina

Sci Total Environ. 2017 Oct 15:596-597:437-450. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.01.041. Epub 2017 Apr 26.

Authors

Martín Romagnoli¹, Margarita Portapila², Alfredo Rigalli³, Gisela Maydana², Martín Burgués², Carlos M García⁴

Affiliations

¹ French Argentine International Center for Information and Systems Sciences, National Scientific and Technical Research Council of Argentina, Rosario National University, Ocampo and Esmeralda, Rosario S2000, Argentina. Electronic address: romagnoli@cifasis-conicet.gov.ar.
² French Argentine International Center for Information and Systems Sciences, National Scientific and Technical Research Council of Argentina, Rosario National University, Ocampo and Esmeralda, Rosario S2000, Argentina.
³ Bone Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Rosario National University, Santa Fe and Francia, Rosario S2002, Argentina.
⁴ Center for Studies in Water Technology, Córdoba National University, Bv. Dr Juan Filloy s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Córdoba 5000, Argentina.

PMID: 28454067
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.01.041

Abstract

Argentina has been among the world leaders in the production and export of agricultural products since the 1990s. The Carcarañá River Lower Basin (CRLB), a cropland of the Pampas region supplied by extensive rainfall, is located in an area with few streamgauging and other hydrologic/water-quality stations. Therefore, limited hydrologic data are available resulting in limited water-resources assessment. This work explores the application of Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model to the CRLB in the Santa Fe province of the Pampas region. The analysis of field and remote-sensing data characterizing hydrology, water quality, soil types, land use/land cover, management practices, and crop yield, guarantee a comprehensive SWAT modeling approach. A combined manual and automated calibration and validation process incorporating sensitivity and uncertainty analysis is performed using information concerning interior watershed processes. Eleven N/P fertilizer rates are selected to simulate the impact of N fertilizer on crop yield, plant uptake, as well as runoff and leaching losses. Different indices (partial factor productivity, agronomic efficiency, apparent crop recovery efficiency of applied nutrient, internal utilization efficiency, and physiological efficiency) are considered to assess nitrogen-use efficiency. The overall quality of the fit is satisfactory considering the input data limitations. This work provides, for the first time in Argentina, a reliable tool to simulate yield response to soil quality and water availability capable to meet defined environmental targets to support decision making on planning public policies and private activities on the Pampas region.

Keywords: Crop yield calibration; Fertilizers; Nitrogen use efficiency; Pampas region; SWAT; Ungauged basin.