Effectiveness of Soil and Water Conservation Practices for Pollution Control

摘要

The potential water quality effects and economic implications of soil and water conservation practices (SWCPs) are identified. Method for estimating the effects of SWCPs on pollutant losses from croplands are presented. Mathematical simulation and linear programming models were used to estimate the effects of SWCPs on edge-of-field losses of sediment, nutrients, and pesticides and to evaluate the impacts on farm income of implementing SWCPs for pollution control. The models were applied to hypothetical farms and fields in New York, Iowa, Texas, and Georgia. The major environmental benefit of SWCPs was determined to be their usefulness in controlling edge-of-field losses of sediment and total phosphorus from croplands. Conservation tillage is often a cost-effective method of reducing losses of sediment, nutrients, and pesticides because it can be implemented with little or no decrease in crop yields.