# Publications | Conservation Effects Assessment Project

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USDA’s Conservation Effects Assessment Project, CEAP, provides a suite of publications highlighting the effects of voluntary conservation across the nation’s working lands. 

Click below to access publications including reports and articles, bibliographies, fact sheets, webinars and other videos, blogs, survey documents, and modeling documents. Publications are organized by CEAP assessment focus area. 

Visit the Conservation Assessment and Tools webpage to access CEAP-supported tools that may strengthen conservation assessment and planning efforts for your geographic area, land use, and management goals of interest. 

##   CEAP Cropland Assessments

        Articles and Reports    

###                     Articles and Reports                

The below publications provide data and associated insights on the effects of voluntary conservation across croplands at both national and regional scales. Categories including national reports, regional reports, and other articles. Publications within each category are organized in descending chronological order.

### National Reports

                                  - Conservation Practices on Cultivated Cropland: A Comparison of CEAP I and CEAP II Survey Data and Modeling, 2022  (26.9 MB)                                     - Summary of Findings: Conservation Practices on Cultivated Cropland: A Comparison of CEAP I and CEAP II Survey Data and Modeling, 2022  (1.8 MB)
                                  - Effects of Conservation Practices on Water Erosion and Loss of Sediment at the Edge of the Field, 2017  (3.8 MB)
                                  - Effects of Conservation Practices on Mitigation of Pesticide Loss and Environmental Risk, 2017  (3.2 MB)
                                  - Effects of Conservation Practices on Phosphorus Loss from Farm Fields, 2017  (3.4 MB)
                                  - Effects of Conservation Practices on Nitrogen Loss from Farm Fields, 2017  (4.4 MB)
                                  - Model Simulation of Soil Loss, Nutrient Loss and Soil Organic Carbon Associated with Crop Production, 2006

### Regional Reports

                                  - Western Lake Erie Basin Special Study , 2017 (2.3 MB)
                                  - Western Lake Erie Basin Special Study , 2016 (2.0 MB)
                                  - Texas Gulf Basin, 2015  (7.6 MB)
                                  - Pacific Northwest Basin, 2014  (5.7 MB)
                                  - Souris-Red-Rainy Basin, 2014  (6.1 MB)
                                  - South Atlantic Gulf Basin, 2014  (5.8 MB)
                                  - Delaware River Basin, 2014  (6.0 MB)
                                  - Arkansas-White-Red Basin, 2013  (12.3 MB)
                                  - Lower Mississippi River Basin, 2013  (7.8 MB)
                                  - Missouri River Basin, 2012  (7.1 MB)
                                  - Ohio-Tennessee River Basin, 2012  (10.9 MB)
                                  - Great Lakes Region, 2011  (9.7 MB)
                                  - Chesapeake Bay, 2011  (10.2 MB)                                      - Chesapeake Bay Special Study, 2013  (6.1 MB)
                                  - Upper Mississippi River Basin, 2010  (5.3 MB)

### Other Articles

                                  - Plant Parameterization and APEXgraze Model Calibration and Validation for US Land Resource Region H Grazing Lands, 2023 , Agricultural Systems (6.8 MB)
                                  - Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia in the United States: A Report on Interagency Progress and Implementation, 2018 , NOAA
                                  - Are Harmful Algal Blooms Becoming the Greatest Inland Water Quality Threat to Public Health and Aquatic Ecosystems, 2016 , Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

        Fact Sheets: Conservation Insights     

###                     Fact Sheets: Conservation Insights                 

The below includes Conservation Insight fact sheets on the effects of voluntary conservation across the nation's cropland. 

### Conservation Insights

                                  - Reduction in Annual Fuel Use from Conservation Tillage, 2022  (2.9 MB)
                                  - Reduction in Annual Fuel Use from Conservation Tillage, 2016  (2.5 MB)

        Webinars and Blogs    

###                     Webinars and Blogs                

The below Conservation Outcomes Webinar recordings feature scientists and other subject matter experts speaking on the effects of voluntary conservation across the nation's croplands. Blogs related to CEAP cropland assessments are also included. Both webinars and blogs are organized in descending chronological order. Visit the Conservation Outcomes Webinar Series webpage to access information on upcoming webinars.

### Conservation Outcomes Webinars

                                  - July 20, 2023 – Research on the Use of Precision Ag Technologies for Cropland Phosphorus Management:  Webinar Recording (Captions Available) ,  Presentation Slides , and  Additional Resources One-Pager
                                  - August 25, 2022 – Impact of Cover Crops on Nitrogen and Phosphorus Dynamics: Webinar Recording, Presentation Slides, and Transcript
                                  - April 28, 2022 – Conservation Practices on Cultivated Cropland: A Comparison of CEAP I and CEAP II Survey Data and Modeling: Webinar Recording and Presentation Slides
                                  - April 29, 2021 – NRCS Conservation Practices Delivering Voluntary Greenhouse Gas Mitigation and Carbon Sequestration Benefits: Webinar Recording
                                  - June 25, 2020 – Tillage Management and Structural Conservation Practices: CEAP II Report on Changes in Adoption Rates: Webinar Recording

### Blogs

                                  - Save Money on Fuel with No-Till Farming
                                  - Ask the Expert: A Q&A on Measuring Voluntary Conservation Outcomes Across the Nation’s Croplands with Evelyn Steglich
                                  - Saving Money, Time and Soil: The Economics of No-Till Farming

        Farmer Survey Documents    

###                     Farmer Survey Documents                

The below documents provide farmer questionnaires and respondent booklets, in descending chronological order, for farmer surveys conducted by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service in support of CEAP cropland assessments.

                                  - 2016 Farmer questionnaire (2.4 MB)
                                  - 2016 Respondent booklet (3.3 MB)
                                  - 2015 Farmer questionnaire (0.9 MB)
                                  - 2015 Respondent booklet (3.3 MB)
                                  - 2014 Farmer questionnaire (0.9 MB)
                                  - 2014 Respondent booklet (0.3 MB)
                                  - 2013 Farmer questionnaire (2.1 MB)
                                  - 2013 Respondent booklet (2.3 MB)
                                  - 2012 Farmer questionnaire (1.1 MB)
                                  - 2012 Respondent booklet (0.8 MB)
                                  - 2011 Farmer questionnaire (0.5 MB)
                                  - 2011 Respondent booklet (0.2 MB)
                                  - 2006 Farmer questionnaire (0.3 MB)
                                  - 2006 Respondent booklet (0.1 MB)
                                  - 2005 Farmer questionnaire (0.7 MB)
                                  - 2005 Respondent booklet (0.1 MB)
                                  - 2004 Farmer questionnaire (0.8 MB)
                                  - 2004 Respondent booklet (0.1 MB)
                                  - 2003 Farmer questionnaire (0.1 MB)
                                  - 2003 Respondent booklet (0.1 MB)

        Croplands Modeling Documentation    

###                     Croplands Modeling Documentation                

The below publications provide documentation of Agricultural Policy Extender (APEX) model calibration and validation, as well as processes for preparing data for modeling and criteria for determining thresholds used in reporting for CEAP cropland assessments.

### CEAP Cropland Survey Data

                                  - Statistical Methodology for the CEAP Cropland Farmer National Surveys, 2021  (5.4 MB)
                                  - Transforming Survey Data to APEX Model Input Files, 2009	                                     - Text  (0.4 MB)
                                    - Tables  (0.2 MB)

### APEX Model Use and Improvements

                                  - About APEX
                                  - APEX User Manual, 2019  (4.4 MB)
                                  - APEX Model Upgrades, Data Inputs, and Parameter Settings for Use in CEAP Cropland Modeling, 2011  (0.7 MB)
                                  - Modeling Structural Conservation Practices, 2011  (0.2 MB)
                                  - Assumptions and Procedures for Simulating the Natural Vegetation Background Scenario for the CEAP National Cropland Assessment, 2010  (0.5 MB)
                                  - Integrating APEX Output for Cultivated Cropland with SWAT Simulation for Regional Modeling, 2011 , Transactions of the ASABE
                                  - Adjustment of CEAP Cropland Survey Nutrient Application Rates for APEX Modeling, 2014  (1.1 MB)

### APEX Model Calibration and Validation

                                  - APEX Model Validation for CEAP, 2010  (0.6 MB)
                                  - I_APEX Calibration and Validation Using Research Plots in Tifton, Georgia, 2009  (0.1 MB)
                                  - APEX Calibration/Validation of Water Runoff and Percolation and Herbicide Losses for a Loamy-Sand Coastal Plain Soil, 2013 , Transactions of the ASABE

### SWAT and HUMUS Model Development, Use, Calibration, and Validation

                                  - The Soil and Water Assessment Tool: Historical Development, Applications, and Future Research Directions, 2007 , Transactions of the ASABE
                                  - The HUMUS/SWAT National Water Quality Modeling System and Databases, 2010  (11.6 MB)
                                  - Calibration and Validation of CEAP-HUMUS, 2012  (4.9 MB)
                                  - Manure Loadings Used to Simulate Pastureland and Hay Land in CEAP HUMUS/SWAT Modeling, 2011  (0.5 MB)
                                  - Documentation on Delivery Ratio used for CEAP Crop Modeling for Various River Basins in the United States, 2010  (3.6 MB)

### Historical Model Development

                                  - The Agricultural Policy Environmental EXtender (APEX) Model: An Emerging Tool for Landscape and Watershed Environmental Analyses	                                     - Journal Article, 2010 , Transactions of the ASABE
                                    - Technical Report, 2009  (2.6 MB)
                                  - Historical Development and Applications of the EPIC and APEX Models, 2005

### Pest Management and Pesticides

                                  - Pesticide Risk Indicators Used in CEAP Cropland Modeling, 2011  (0.5 MB)
                                  - Pesticide Toxicity Thresholds Derivation and Use in CEAP Cropland Modeling, 2021  (0.3 MB)
                                  - CEAP Pesticide Properties Database, 2021  (0.1 MB)
                                  - CEAP Human and Aquatic Toxicity Database, 2021  (0.5 MB)

### Select APEX Related Publications

                                  - Test of APEX for Nine Forested Watersheds in East Texas, 2007 , Journal of Environmental Quality
                                  - APEX Feedlot Water Quality Simulation, 2006 , Transactions of the ASABE
                                  - Application of APEX For Forestry, 2004 , Transactions of the ASABE
                                  - Evaluation of EPIC for Assessing Crop Yield, Runoff, Sediment And Nutrient Losses From Watersheds With Poultry Litter Fertilization, 2005 , Transactions of the ASABE
                                  - Reducing Atrazine Losses: Water Quality Implications of Alternative Runoff Control Practices, 2004 , Journal of Environmental Quality
                                  - Predicting Soil Erosion for Alternative Land Uses, 2006 , Journal of Environmental Quality
                                  - Development of a continuous soil moisture accounting procedure for curve number methodology and its behavior with different evapotranspiration methods, 2007 , Hydrological Processes
                                  - Sensitivity Analysis of APEX for National Assessment, 2006 , Transactions of the ASABE
                                  - Sensitivity and Uncertainty Analyses of Crop Yields and Soil Organic Carbon Simulated with EPIC, 2005 , Transactions of the ASABE
                                  - Modeling the impacts of soil management practices on runoff, sediment yield, maize productivity, and soil organic carbon using APEX, 2008 , Soil and Tillage Research
                                  - Impacts of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative Landscape Level Measures on Hydrological Processes, 2004 , Water Resources Management

### Select HUMUS Related Publications

                                  - Spatial Calibration and Temporal Validation of Flow for Regional Scale Hydrologic Modeling, 2008 , Journal of the American Water Resources Association
                                  - Development of an automated procedure for estimation of the spatial variation of runoff in large river basins, 2008 , Journal of Hydrology
                                  - Development of a continuous soil moisture accounting procedure for curve number methodology and its behavior with different evapotranspiration methods, 2007 , Hydrological Processes
                                  - Hydrologic Evaluation of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool for a Large Tile-Drained Watershed in Iowa, 2006 , Transactions of the ASABE
                                  - An Approach for Estimating Water Quality Benefits of Conservation Practices at the National Level, 2005  (0.4 MB)
                                  - Constructing Retrospective Gridded Daily Precipitation and Temperature Datasets for the Conterminous United States, 2008 , Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology
                                  - Regional estimation of base flow for the conterminous United States by hydrologic landscape regions, 2008 , Journal of Hydrology
                                  - Spatial agreement between two land-cover data sets stratified by agricultural eco-regions, 2006 , International Journal of Remote Sensing
                                  - Spatial Assessment of Two Widely Used Land-Cover Datasets Over the Continental U.S., 2005 , IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing

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##   CEAP Grazing Land Assessments

        Bibliographies, Articles, and Reports    

###                     Bibliographies, Articles, and Reports                

The below publications provide data and associated insights on the effects of voluntary conservation across the nation's grazing land. Categories include bibliographies and reports and articles. Publications within each category and subheading are organized in descending chronological order.

### Bibliographies

                                  - Conservation Outcomes for Pastureland and Hayland Practices: Assessment, Recommendations, and Knowledge Gaps, 2012  (40.9 MB)
                                  - Conservation Benefits of Rangeland Practices: Assessment, Recommendations, and Knowledge Gaps, 2011  (25 MB)

### Articles and Reports

**Range**
                                  - Insights from the USDA Grazing Land National Resources Inventory and field studies, 2024 , Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. 
                                  - Accounting for Nature’s Value with Rangeland Conservation Practices in the Western Range and Irrigated Region, 2024 , Earth Economics
                                  - Establishing quantitative benchmarks for soil erosion and ecological monitoring, assessment, and management, 2024 , Ecological Indicators
                                  - An artificial neural network to estimate the foliar and ground cover input variables of the Rangeland Hydrology and Erosion Model, 2024 , Journal of Hydrology
                                  - Rangeland Brush Estimation Tool (RaBET): An Operational Remote Sensing-Based Application for Quantifying Woody Cover on Western Rangelands, 2023,  Remote Sensing
                                  - The Landscape Data Commons: A system for standardizing, accessing, and applying large environmental datasets for agroecosystem research and management, 2023 , Agricultural & Environmental Letters
                                  - An artificial neural network emulator of the rangeland hydrology and erosion model, 2023 , International Soil and Water Conservation Research
                                  - Financial barriers and opportunities for conservation adoption on US rangelands: A region-wide, ranch-level economic assessment of NRCS-sponsored Greater Sage-grouse habitat conservation programs, 2023 , Journal of Environmental Management
                                  - A framework and toolset for standardizing agroecosystem indicators - ScienceDirect (2022 ) Ecological Indicators
                                  - Multi-Temporal LiDAR and Hyperspectral Data Fusion for Classification of Semi-Arid Woody Cover Species, 2022 , Remote Sensing
                                  - Ten practical questions to improve data quality, 2022 , ScienceDirect  
                                  - Parameterizing an aeolian erosion model for rangelands, 2022 , ScienceDirect, 
                                  - Wind Erosion in Anthropogenic Environments, 2022 , ScienceDirect, Treatise on Geomorphology (2nd Edition)
                                  - Vegetation Canopy Gap Size and Height: Critical Indicators for Wind Erosion Monitoring and Management - ScienceDirect, 2021 , Rangeland Ecology and Management
                                  - Provoking a Cultural Shift in Data Quality, 2021 , BioScience  
                                  - Size Distribution of Mineral Dust Emissions From Sparsely Vegetated and Supply‐Limited Dryland Soils, 2021 , Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 
                                  - Indicators and benchmarks for wind erosion monitoring, assessment and management ,2020,  ScienceDirect 
                                  - Accounting for Nature's Value with USDA-NRCS Conservation Practices in the Central Great Plains, 2020  (26.8 MB)
                                  - Reducing Sampling Uncertainty in Aeolian Research to Improve Change Detection, 2019 , Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface 
                                  - Climate change impacts on wind and water erosion on US rangelands, 2019 , Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
                                  - Grazing Lands: Progress & Impacts of Efforts Toward a Grazing Lands National Assessment, 2019 , Rangelands                                     - An Effects Assessment Framework for Dry Forest Conservation, 2019
                                    - Assessing Conservation Practice Effects on Grazing Lands, 2019
                                    - CEAP Quantifies Conservation Outcomes for Wildlife and People on Western Grazing Lands, 2019
                                    - Collaborative Approaches to Strengthen the Role of Science in Rangeland Conservation, 2019
                                  - Exploring dust emission responses to land cover change using an ecological land classification, 2018,  ScienceDirect
                                  - Quantifying Anthropogenic Dust Emissions, 2018,  Earth's Future 
                                  - Evaluation of Ecological Site Classes and Community Classes for Regional Scale Modeling of Conservation Effects on Grazing Lands:                                     - MLRA 53B, 2018  (0.8 MB)
                                    - MLRA 54, 2018  (0.9 MB)
                                    - MLRA 60A, 2018  (0.8 MB)
                                    - MLRA 67B, 2017  (2.1 MB)
                                    - MLRA 69, 2017  (1.8 MB)
                                    - MLRA 74, 2016  (0.7 MB)
                                    - MLRA 77C, 2016  (1.3 MB)
                                    - MLRA 77E, 2017  (1.4 MB)
                                  - Process-based Simulation of Prairie Growth, 2017 , Ecological Modelling
                                  - Enhancing Wind Erosion Monitoring and Assessment for U.S. Rangelands, 2017 , ScienceDirect
                                  - Incorporating Hydrologic Data and Ecohydrologic Relationships into Ecological Site Descriptions, 2016 , Rangeland Ecology & Management
                                  - The National Wind Erosion Research Network: Building a Standardized Long-term Data Resource for Aeolian Research, Modeling and Land Management, 2016 , Aeolian Research
                                  - Development of an Integrated Multiplatform Approach for Assessing Brush Management Conservation Efforts in Semiarid Rangelands, 2015,  Journal of Applied Remote Sensing
                                  - Ecological site‐based assessments of wind and water erosion: informing accelerated soil erosion management in rangelands, 2014,  Ecological Applications
                                  - Rangeland CEAP: An Assessment of Natural Resources Conservation Service Practices, 2013 , Rangelands
                                  - Rangeland and pasture monitoring: an approach to interpretation of high-resolution imagery focused on observer calibration for repeatability, 2011 , Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 
                                  - A Rangeland Hydrology and Erosion Model, 2011,  Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
                                  - AGWA: The Automated Geospatial Watershed Assessment Tool to Inform Rangeland Management, 2011 , Society for Range Management
                                  - Techniques for Assessing the Environmental Outcomes of Conservation Practices Applied to Rangeland Watersheds, 2011,  Journal of soil and Water Conservation
                                  - National Ecosystem Assessments Supported by Scientific and Local Knowledge, 2010 , Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
                                  - A New Splash and Sheet Erosion Equation for Rangeland, 2009 , Soil Science Society of America Journal
                                  - Assessing the Benefits of Grazing Land Conservation Practices, 2008 , Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
                                  - Responses of Plant Communities to Grazing in the Southwestern United States, 2006  (1.7 MB)

**Pasture**
                                  - Agronomic and forage nutritive responses of Kentucky bluegrass dominated pastures in the northern Great Plains, 2023,  Grass and Forage Science
                                  - Topographic variables improve climate models of forage species abundance in the northeastern United States, 2017  Applied Vegetation Science
                                  - An ecologically based landscape classification system for monitoring and assessment of pastures, 2014,  Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
                                  - Topographic placement of management practices to reduce water quality impacts from pastures, 2012 , Landscape Ecology
                                  - Pastureland Conservation Effects Assessment Project: Status and Expected Outcomes, 2011 , Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
                                  - Rangeland and pasture monitoring: an approach to interpretation of high-resolution imagery focused on observer calibration for repeatability, 2011 , Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
                                  - Pasture Monitoring at a Farm Scale with the USDA NRCS Pasture Condition Score System, 2009 , Journal of Soil and Water Conservation

**Forest**
                                  - Impacts of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) on long-term hydrology at the watershed scale, 2023 , Science of the Total Environment
                                  - Quantifying Watershed Scale Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris) Evapotranspiration Effects on Streamflow Using the Long-term Water Balance, 2021  (6.4 MB)
                                  - Simulating Spatial Complexity in Dry Conifer Forest Restoration: Implications for Conservation Prioritization and Scenario Evaluation, 2020 , Landscape Ecology
                                  - An Effects Assessment Framework for Dry Forest Conservation, 2019

        Fact Sheets: Conservation Insights and Science Notes    

###                     Fact Sheets: Conservation Insights and Science Notes                

The below fact sheets include Conservation Insights and Science Notes on the effects of voluntary conservation on grazing land. Fact sheets within each category are organized in descending chronological order.

### Conservation Insights

                                  - Rotational vs. Continuous Stocking Comparisons: Environmental and Wildlife Responses, 2015, (0.5 MB)
                                  - Modern Sustainable Production Needs for Pasture and Forage Systems, 2014, (0.6 MB)
                                  - National Trends and Resource Concerns in Managing Grazing Land Ecosystem Services, 2014, (0.1 MB)

### Science Notes

                                  - Livestock Concentration Areas on Intensively Managed Pastures, 2014, (0.2 MB) 
                                  - Water Quality Effects and Placement of Pasture Best Management Practices in the Spring Creek Watershed (Centre County, PA), 2014, (0.3 MB) 
                                  - Simulating the Effects of Brush Management on Runoff and Erosion on the ARS Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed, 2012, (0.4 MB) 
                                  - Simulating the Effects of Fire on the ARS Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed, 2012, (0.3 MB)

        Webinars and Blogs    

###                     Webinars and Blogs                

The below Conservation Outcomes Webinar recordings feature scientists and other subject matter experts speaking on the effects of voluntary conservation across the nation's grazing land. Blogs related to CEAP grazing land assessments are also included. Webinar recordings are organized in descending chronological order. Visit the Conservation Outcomes Webinar Series webpage to access information on upcoming webinars.

### Conservation Outcomes Webinars

                                  - February 21, 2024 - Accounting for the Value of Ecosystem Services of Western Range Conservation Practices:  Webinar Recording (Captions Available ),  Presentation Slides  and  Additional Resources One-Pager
                                  - February 23, 2023 – Sustaining Southeastern Forests: The Economic and Water Use Impacts of Privately-Owned Pine Woodlands and Restored Longleaf Pine Forests:  Webinar Recording (Captions Available) ,  Presentation Slides , and  Additional Resources One-Pager
                                  - December 8, 2022 – Reducing Woody Encroachment to Conserve Rangeland Production in the Great Plains:  Webinar Recording (Captions Available) ,  Presentation Slides , and  Additional Resources One-Pager
                                  - February 25, 2021 – Rangeland Analysis Platform: Integrating Production and Economics into Area-Wide Planning:  Webinar Recording
                                  - November 12, 2020 – Linking Ecosystem Service Values to Rangeland Practices in the Central Great Plains:  Webinar Recording
                                  - July 23, 2020 – Quantifying Restoration Outcomes in Frequent-Fire Forests:  Webinar Recording
                                  - April 23, 2020 – Conservation Outcomes on America’s Western Grazing Lands with NRCS’s Working Lands for Wildlife:  Webinar Recording

### Blogs

                                  - Ask the Expert: A Q&A on Resources to Support Grazing Land Conservation with Carrie-Ann Houdeshell

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##   CEAP Wetland Assessments

        Articles, Reports, and Bibliographies     

###                     Articles, Reports, and Bibliographies                 

The below publications provide data and associated insights on the effects of voluntary conservation across the nation's wetlands. Categories include articles and reports and bibliographies. Publications within each category are organized in descending chronological order.

### Articles and Reports

                                  - Assessing the Effectiveness of Riparian Buffers for Reducing Organic Nitrogen Loads in the Coastal Plain of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed using a Watershed Model, 2020, Journal of Hydrology
                                  - Assessment and Combination of SMAP and Sentinel-1A/B-Derived Soil Moisture Estimates With Land Surface Model Outputs in the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain, 2020, IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing
                                  - Ecosystems Services Estimation for Depressional Wetlands in the High Plains Region: Sampling Manual for the Integrated Landscape Modeling Partnership, 2020 (7.54 MB)
                                  - Modeling the Supporting Ecosystem Services of Depressional Wetlands in Agricultural Landscapes, 2020, Wetlands
                                  - Use of Topographic Models for Mapping Soil Properties and Processes, 2020, Soil Systems
                                  - Effects of Land Use on Greenhouse Gas Flux in Playa Wetlands and Associated Watersheds in the High Plains, 2019, Agricultural Sciences
                                  - Modeling Effects of Crop Production, Energy Development and Conservation-Grassland Loss on Avian Habitat, 2019, PLOS ONE
                                  - The Pothole Hydrology-Linked Systems Simulator [PHyLiSS]-Development and Application of a Systems Model for Prairie-Pothole Wetlands, 2018, U.S. Geological Survey Report
                                  - The Integrated Landscape Modeling Partnership-Current Status and Future Directions, 2017 (6.33 MB)
                                  - Assessing the Effects of USDA Conservation Programs on Ecosystem Services Provided by Wetlands, 2015, National Wetlands Newsletter
                                  - Effects and Effectiveness of USDA Wetland Conservation Practices in the Mid-Atlantic Region: A Report on the CEAP Mid-Atlantic Regional Wetland Assessment 2008 – 2015 Summary, 2015, (195 KB) 
                                  - Effects and Effectiveness of USDA Wetland Conservation Practices in the Mid-Atlantic Region: A Report on the CEAP Mid-Atlantic Regional Wetland Assessment 2008 – 2015 Full Report, 2015, (9.05 MB)
                                  - Land Use and Conservation Reserve Program Effects on the Persistence of Playa Wetlands in the High Plains, 2014, Environmental Science & Technology
                                  - Modeling Effects of Conservation Grassland Losses on Amphibian Habitat, 2014, Biological Conservation
                                  - Multiple Factors Influence the Vegetation Composition of Southeast U.S. Wetlands Restored in the Wetlands Reserve Program, 2013, Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society
                                  - Regional Classification of the Effectiveness of Depressional Wetlands at Mitigating Nitrogen Transport to Surface Waters in the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain, 2013, U.S. Geological Survey Report
                                  - Assessing Wetland Restoration Practices On Southern Agricultural Lands: The Wetlands Reserve Program In The Southeastern Coastal Plain Summary, 2012 (193 KB)
                                  - Assessing Wetland Restoration Practices On Southern Agricultural Lands: The Wetlands Reserve Program In The Southeastern Coastal Plain Full Report, 2012 (2.99 MB)
                                  - Influence of USDA Programs and Conservation Practices on Ecological Services Provided by Playa Wetlands in the High Plains, 2012 (916 KB)
                                  - Quantifying Ecosystem Services Derived from Wetland Conservation Practices in the Glaciated Interior Plains Summary, 2012 (172 KB)
                                  - Quantifying Ecosystem Services Derived from Wetland Conservation Practices in the Glaciated Interior Plains Full Report, 2012 (624 KB)
                                  - Wetlands Assessment in California's Central Valley and the Klamath River Basin [CEAP] Summary, 2011 (180 KB)
                                  - Wetlands Assessment in California's Central Valley and the Klamath River Basin [CEAP] Full Report, 2011 (3.58 MB)
                                  - Forested Wetlands in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, 2010, Agricultural Research
                                  - Regional Estimates of Ecological Services Derived from U.S. Department of Agriculture Conservation Programs in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley Summary, 2010 (254 KB)
                                  - Regional Estimates of Ecological Services Derived from U.S. Department of Agriculture Conservation Programs in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley Full Report, 2010 (2.05 MB)
                                  - Wetlands Assessment in California's Central Valley and the Klamath River Basin: Progress Report [CEAP], 2010 (1.34 MB)
                                  - Assessing Wetland Restoration and Creation Practices Implemented under U.S. Department of Agriculture Conservation Programs in the Southeastern Coastal Plain, 2009 (147 KB)
                                  - Wetlands Assessment in California's Central Valley: Progress Report [CEAP], 2009 (441 KB)
                                  - Assessing the Effects of USDA Conservation Practices on Wetland Ecosystem Services in California's Central Valley, 2008 (36.2 KB)
                                  - Assessment of Ecological Services Derived from USDA Conservation Programs in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, 2008 (37.2 KB)
                                  - Assessment of Ecological Services Derived from USDA Conservation Programs in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley: Regional Estimates and Functional Condition Indicator Models, 2008 (1.13 MB)
                                  - Choptank Watershed Wetland Study, 2008 (34 KB)
                                  - Ecosystem Services Derived from Wetland Conservation Practices in the United States Prairie Pothole Region, 2008, U.S. Geological Survey Report
                                  - Integrated Landscape Monitoring - Prairie Potholes Pilot: Tier II Study Plan, 2008 (1.18 MB)
                                  - Mid-Atlantic Regional Assessment, 2008 (28.3 KB)
                                  - Prairie Pothole Regional Studies, 2008 (46.6 KB)
                                  - Quantifying the Ecosystem Services Derived from Wetland Conservation Practice in the Glaciated Interior Plains: The Provision of Water Quality Benefits, 2008 (35 KB)
                                  - Southeastern Coastal Plain Foundation Study: Assessing Wetland Restoration/Creation Practices on Southern Agricultural Lands, 2008 (35 KB)
                                  - The High Plains Regional Assessment, 2008 (26.9 KB)
                                  - Wetlands Work Plan [CEAP], 2008 (525 KB)
                                  - Effects of Conservation Programs on Amphibians in Seasonal Wetlands of the Prairie Pothole Region's Glaciated Plain: FY 2006 Progress Report, 2007 (907 KB)
                                  - Effects of Conservation Programs on Amphibians in Seasonal Wetlands of the Prairie Pothole Region's Glaciated Plain: FY 2005 Progress Report, 2006 (0.98 MB)
                                  - Wetlands Conceptual Framework [CEAP], 2006 (240 KB)
                                  - Effects of Conservation Programs on Amphibians in Seasonal Wetlands of the Prairie Pothole Region's Glaciated Plain – proposal, 2005 (638 KB)
                                  - Wetlands Peer Review Panel, 2005 (41.7 KB)
                                  - Impact of U.S. Department of Interior and U.S. Department of Agriculture Programs on Ecological Services Derived from Restored Prairie Wetlands and Adjacent Grasslands, 2004 (993 KB)

### Bibliographies

                                  - Conservation of Wetlands in Agricultural Landscapes of the United States, 2011, Ecological Applications, Ecological Society of America

        Fact Sheets: Conservation Insights and Science Notes    

###                     Fact Sheets: Conservation Insights and Science Notes                

The below fact sheets include Conservation Insights and Science Notes on the effects of voluntary conservation on wetlands. Fact sheets within each category are organized in descending chronological order.

### Conservation Insights

                                  - Maximizing the Water Quality Benefits of Wetlands in Croplands, 2023  (2.43 MB)
                                  - Soil Influences on Water Balance in Wetlands May Impact Wetland Effectiveness in Achieving Different Restoration Objectives, 2020  (1.63 MB)
                                  - USDA Conservation Programs and Pesticides in Great Plains Depressional Wetlands-Texas to North Dakota, 2017  (586 KB)

### Science Notes

                                  - Effects of Wetland Habitat Quality and Drought on Breeding Waterfowl, 2022  (966 KB)
                                  - Functional Assessment of Depressional Wetlands Using Remote Sensing, 2021  (2.97 MB)
                                  - Headwater Wetlands Buffer Variability in Water Levels and Ecosystem Services at the Catchment Scale, 2021  (1.04 MB)
                                  - A Novel Geospatial Modeling Tool Can Infer Wetland Function, 2020  (1.55 MB)
                                  - Assessing Cumulative Impacts of Wetlands on Watershed Hydrology Using an Improved Hydrologic Modeling Approach, 2019  (2.1 MB)
                                  - Depressional Wetland Water Storage Volume on the Delmarva Peninsula, 2019  (1.18 MB)
                                  - Estimating the Effects of Wetland Conservation Practices in Croplands: Approaches for Modeling in the CEAP-Cropland Assessment, 2018  (465 KB)
                                  - Role of Prior Converted Croplands on Nitrate Processing in Mid-Atlantic Agricultural Landscapes, 2017  (1.6 MB)
                                  - Greenhouse Gas Fluxes and Carbon Storage Dynamics in Playa Wetlands: Restoration Potential to Mitigate Climate Change, 2016  (366 KB)
                                  - Assessing the Effects of Wetland Practices in Agricultural Landscapes: A Conceptual Model for Wetland Plant Diversity, 2015  (768 KB)
                                  - Assessing Wetland Morphometrics and Ecosystem Functions in Agricultural Landscapes of the Atlantic Coastal Plain Using Fine Scale Topographic Information, 2015  (320 KB)
                                  - Conserving Prairie Pothole Wetlands and Surrounding Grasslands: Evaluating Effects on Amphibians, 2014  (1.52 MB)
                                  - Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) for Improved Mapping of Wetland Resources and Assessment of Wetland Conservation Practices, 2014  (3.08 MB)
                                  - Conserving Prairie Pothole Wetlands: Evaluating Their Effects on Carbon Sequestration in Soils and Vegetation, 2012  (772 KB)

        Webinars and Blogs    

###                     Webinars and Blogs                

The below Conservation Outcomes Webinar recordings feature scientists and other subject matter experts speaking on the effects of voluntary conservation across the nation's wetlands. Blogs related to CEAP wetland assessments are also included. Webinar recordings are organized in descending chronological order. Visit the Conservation Outcomes Webinar Series webpage to access information on upcoming webinars.

### Conservation Outcomes Webinars

                                  - May 11, 2023 – Forest Management and Water Yield: Tool Development and Synthesis of Outcomes for Embedded Wetlands:  Webinar Recording (Captions Available) ,  Presentation Slides , and  Additional Resources One-Pager
                                  - March 25, 2021 – Quantifying Ecosystem Functions to Facilitate Wetland Monitoring and Assessment: Webinar Recording
                                  - October 22, 2020 – Quantifying Conservation Effects on Multiple Wetland Ecosystem Services: Understanding Tradeoffs is the Name of the Game: Webinar Recording

### Blogs

                                  - Ask the Expert: A Q&A on Agricultural Wetlands and Water Quality with Dr. Joseph Prenger

----

##   CEAP Wildlife Assessments

        Articles, Reports, and Bibliographies    

###                     Articles, Reports, and Bibliographies                

The below publications provide data and associated insights on the effects of voluntary conservation on wildlife. Categories include articles and reports and, separately, bibliographies. As applicable, publications within each category are organized by land use or conservation focus. Publications within a given category are organized in descending chronological order.

### Articles and Reports

#### **Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)**

                                  - Evaluating CRP-SAFE for Wildlife in Idaho, 2017  (0.7 MB)
                                  - Effects of Haying on Breeding Birds in CRP Grasslands, 2016  (2.0 MB)
                                  - Regional Assessment of the Effects of Conservation Practices on Priority Birds in the Shortgrass Prairie Bird Conservation Region, 2012  (0.7 MB)
                                  - Evaluating the Potential of the Conservation Reserve Program to Offset Projected Impacts of Climate Change on the Lesser Prairie-Chicken, 2011  (4.7 MB)
                                  - Bird Response to Conservation Reserve Program Land and Landscape Attributes in Maryland and Delaware, 2010  (0.2 MB)
                                  - Effects of the Conservation Reserve Program on Priority Shortgrass Prairie Birds, 2009  (5.3 MB)
                                  - Estimated CRP Benefits to Priority Shortgrass Prairie Birds, 2009  (1.1 MB)
                                  - Estimated CRP Benefits to Mixed-Grass Prairie Birds, 2008  (0.5 MB)
                                  - Effects of the Conservation Reserve Program on Priority Mixed-grass Prairie Birds, 2007  (1.5 MB)
                                  - Benefits of the Conservation Reserve Program to Grassland Bird Populations in the Prairie Pothole Region of North Dakota and South Dakota, 2007  (1.6 MB)
                                  - Waterfowl Response to the Conservation Reserve Program and Swampbuster Provision in the Prairie Pothole Region, 1992-2004, 2007  (0.2 MB)
                                  - Estimating Response of Ring-necked Pheasant to the Conservation Reserve Program, 2006  (691 KB)
                                  - Estimating Wildlife Response to the Conservation Reserve Program: Bobwhite and Grassland Birds, 2006  (0.5 MB)
                                  - Use of CRP Fields by Greater Sage-grouse and other Shrubsteppe Associated Wildlife in Washington, 2006  (4.0 MB)

#### **Croplands**

                                  - Best Management Practices for Pollinator Habitat in the Southeast U.S., 2021  (3.2 MB)
                                  - An Evaluation of Bird Conservation and Ecosystem Services on Northeastern Farms, 2020  (0.8 MB)
                                  - Regional Assessment of the Relationships of Conservation Practices to Northern Bobwhite and Other Priority Grassland Bird Breeding Populations, 2014  (1.6 MB)

#### **Forests, Eastern**

                                  - Assessing Eastern Whip-poor-will and Monarch Butterfly Responses to NRCS Conservation Programs Targeting Early-successional Habitats in the Eastern Forests, 2022  (2.6 MB)
                                  - Assessing Wildlife Response to NRCS Conservation Programs Targeting Eastern Deciduous Forests: 2017-2021, 2022  (0.8 MB)
                                  - Optimization Model for Forest and Shrubland Birds, 2021  (2.4 MB)
                                  - A New Tool for Evaluating Outcomes of New England Cottontail Conservation Efforts, 2019  (2.3 MB)
                                  - Assessing Wildlife Response to NRCS Conservation Programs Targeting Eastern Deciduous Forests: 2019 Annual Report, 2019  (3.8 MB)
                                  - Habitat Ecology of Native Pollinators and Imperiled Migratory Songbirds within Early-successional Deciduous Forests, 2019  (1.9 MB)
                                  - Assessing Avian Response to NRCS Conservation Programs Targeting Early-successional Habitats in the Appalachian Mountains and Western Great Lakes Regions, 2018  (4.6 MB)
                                  - Habitat Evaluation and Monitoring of Working Lands for Wildlife: Assessment of Habitats Managed for New England Cottontails, 2018  (9.5 MB)
                                  - Site-Specific and Landscape Features Associated with Shrubland Bird Occurrence in Anthropogenic Shrublands in the Northeastern United States, 2018  (0.8 MB)
                                  - Assessing Wildlife Response to NRCS Conservation Programs Targeting Early Succession Habitats - 2016 Annual Report, 2017  (2.8 MB)
                                  - Conservation Practices Benefit Golden-winged Warblers in Appalachia, 2016  (4.0 MB)
                                  - Developing Guidelines for Promoting Pollinator Services and Shrubland Birds in the Northeast, 2016  (0.7 MB)
                                  - Habitat Monitoring and Evaluation of Working Lands for Wildlife: New England Cottontails, 2016  (1.8 MB)
                                  - Monitoring and Evaluating Golden-winged Warbler Use of Breeding Habitat Created by the Natural Resources Conservation Service Practices, 2015  (3.6 MB)
                                  - Ecology and Management of Scrub-shrub Birds in New England: A Comprehensive Review, 2007  (4.5 MB)

#### **Forests, Western**

                                  - A Map Package and Framework to Inform Multi-objective Management of Dry Conifer Forests Along the Colorado Front Range, 2022  (2.4 MB)

#### **Grasslands, Great Plains**

                                  - Grazing Management and Prescribed Fire for Conservation of Lesser Prairie-Chickens, 2021  (12.7 MB)
                                  - Influence of Human Policies on Lesser Prairie-chicken Ecology in a Fragmented Landscape, 2020  (3.2 MB)
                                  - Effects of Working Grassland Management on Lesser Prairie-Chicken Resource Selection Within Home Ranges and During Dispersal Events, 2019  (2.9 MB)
                                  - Lesser Prairie-Chicken Avoidance of Trees in a Grassland Landscape, 2017 ,  Rangeland Ecology and Management
                                  - Vegetation Characteristics and Lesser Prairie-Chicken Responses to Land Cover Types and Grazing Management in Western Kansas, 2017  (2.7 MB)
                                  - Evaluation of Farm Bill Programs to Benefit Lesser Prairie-Chicken, 2013  (0.7 MB)

#### **Pasturelands, Eastern**

                                  - Wildlife Use of Livestock Troughs and Wildlife Escape Structure Study, 2018  (0.7 MB)
                                  - Pilot Study to Investigate the Impacts of Emerging Warm-Season Grass Management Systems on Wildlife Habitat Components, 2010  (4.7 MB)

#### **Rangelands, Sagebrush**

                                  - A Decade of Science Support in the Sagebrush Biome, 2021
                                  - Reversing Tree Expansion in Sagebrush Steppe Yields Population-level Benefit for Imperiled Grouse, 2021 ,  Ecosphere
                                  - Sage Grouse Initiative Final Report, 2016  (0.8 MB)
                                  - Evaluating Sage-Grouse and Habitat Responses to Sage-Grouse Friendly Livestock Grazing Strategies, 2014  (2.7 MB)
                                  - Assessing the Effects of Conservation Practices on Priority Birds throughout the Intermountain West, 2013  (6.4 MB)

#### **Rangelands, Southwestern**

                                  - New Mexico Meadow Jumping Mouse Project Report for 2018-2021, 2022  (2.9 MB)
                                  - Thermal Ecology and Multi-scale Nest Site Selection of the Scaled Quail, 2020  (1.5 MB)
                                  - Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Guides, 2020                                     - Yellow-billed Cuckoo  (0.7 MB)
                                    - Southwestern Willow Flycatcher  (4.1 MB)
                                    - Northern Mexican Gartersnake  (2.0 MB)
                                    - Arizona Bell's Vireo  (1.2 MB)
                                  - Southwestern Willow Flycatchers: Habitat Features and Effects of Livestock Grazing on their Habitat, 2019  (0.2 MB)
                                  - New Mexico Meadow Jumping Mouse Project Report for 2015-2017, 2018  (4.3 MB)
                                  - Identifying Key Habitat Features for Managing Breeding Southwestern Willow Flycatchers, 2017  (0.8 MB)
                                  - Methods for Determining Biodiversity Metrics, Focal Species, and Conservation Practices for Multi-scale Analysis in Support of the Conservation Effects Assessment Project, 2016  (2.8 MB)

#### **Stream Biota**

                                  - Quantifying the Potential Water Quality Benefits of Agricultural Conservation Practices for Stream Conservation in the Western Lake Erie Basin, 2016  (12.9 MB)
                                  - Great Lakes Phase 2 Final Report: Assessing the Costs and Benefits of Conservation Practices to Restoring Biological Integrity in Agricultural Watersheds, 2013  (3.8 MB)
                                  - Great Lakes Phase 1 Final Report: Assessing Benefits of Conservation Practices to the Biological Integrity of Agricultural Streams in Michigan and Wisconsin, 2012  (6.7 MB)
                                  - Remediating Effects of Human Threats on Lotic Fish Assemblages Within the Missouri River Basin: How Effective are Conservation Practices, 2012  (7.3 MB)
                                  - Establishing the Geomorphic Context for Wetland and Riverine Restoration of the San Rafael River, 2011  (7.6 MB)
                                  - Evaluating Biological Effects of Dam Removals in Pennsylvania, 2011  (0.2 MB)
                                  - Effects of Historic and Current Land Covers on Water Budget and Water Quality in Agricultural Regions of Michigan and Wisconsin, 2010                                     - SWAT Model Report 070900 (Rock River)  (1.3 MB)
                                    - SWAT Model Report 070700 (Wisconsin River)  (1.5 MB)
                                    - SWAT Model Report 040900 (Detroit Basin)  (1.2 MB)
                                    - SWAT Model Report 040802 (Saginaw Bay)  (1.9 MB)
                                    - SWAT Model Report 040801 (Lake Huron)  (1.5 MB)
                                    - SWAT Model Report 040500 (Grand Basin)  (2.3 MB)
                                    - SWAT Model Report 040303 (Lake Michigan)  (1.2 MB)
                                    - SWAT Model Report 040302 (Wolf/Fox Rivers)  (1.6 MB)
                                  - Wood River Valley Aquatic Habitat Study, 2010  (2.8 MB)
                                  - Using NatureServe Information to Assess Farm Bill Practice Effects on At-risk Species and Habitats, Missouri Pilot Final Report, 2007  (3.2 MB)

#### **Wetlands**

                                  - Agent-based Modeling of Movements and Habitat Selection by Mid-continent Mallards, 2022
                                  - Avian Use of Wetland Reserve Easement Program Sites in Missouri, 2022  (3.6 MB)
                                  - University of New Hampshire Final Report on Northeastern Turtles, 2019  (0.5 MB)
                                  - Habitat Selection, Movements, and Home Range of Bog Turtles in Southeastern PA and Investigation of Grazing as a Management Tool, 2018  (2.1 MB)
                                  - Winter Ecology of Radiomarked Female Mallards in Mississippi’s Alluvial Valley, 2018  (1.5 MB)
                                  - Estimates of Waste Rice, Natural Seeds, and Wetland Birds in Gulf Coast Prairie Ricelands During Fall–Winter, 2017  (2.9 MB)
                                  - Fall Migrant Waterbird Community Structure and Stable Isotope Ecology in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley and Northern Gulf of Mexico: Use of Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative Sites and Other Wetlands, 2016  (9.1 MB)
                                  - An Assessment of Landscape Carrying Capacity for Waterfowl and Shorebirds in Nebraska's Rainwater Basin, 2015  (1.4 MB)
                                  - USDA Programs Help Meet Migrating Waterfowl and Shorebird Feed Energy Needs on Rainwater Basin Wetlands in Nebraska, 2015  (2.7 MB)
                                  - Application of Ground-truth for Classification and Quantification of Bird Movements on Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative Sites in Southwest Louisiana, 2014  (3.4 MB)
                                  - Assessment of Bird Response to the NRCS Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative using Weather Surveillance Radar: Final Report, 2013  (1.5 MB)
                                  - Amphibians as Wetland Restoration Indicators on Wetlands Reserve Program Sites in Lower Grand River Basin, Missouri, 2010  (3.1 MB)
                                  - An Assessment of Wintering Waterfowl Use of Wetland Reserve Program Restored Wetlands in California Using NEXRAD Weather Radar, 2010  (3.4 MB)
                                  - Effects of the Wetlands Reserve Program on Waterfowl Carrying Capacity in the Rainwater Basin Region of South-Central Nebraska, 2008  (1.2 MB)

### Bibliographies

                                  - Fish and Wildlife Response to Farm Bill Conservation Practices, 2007  (2.3 MB)
                                  - Fish and Wildlife Benefits of Farm Bill Conservation Programs, 2005  (30.2 MB)

        Fact Sheets: Conservation Insights and Science Notes    

###                     Fact Sheets: Conservation Insights and Science Notes                

The below fact sheets include Conservation Insights and a Science Note on the effects of voluntary conservation on select wildlife species. Conservation Insights are organized by land use or conservation focus. As applicable, fact sheets within a given category are organized in descending chronological order.

### Conservation Insights

#### **Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)**

                                  - Conservation Reserve Program Benefits Lesser Prairie-Chickens, 2020  (1.2 MB)
                                  - National Evaluation of Wildlife Benefits of CRP practice CP33, Habitat Buffers for Upland Birds, 2009  (3.2 MB)
                                  - The CRP Enhances Landscape-level Grassland Bird Species Richness, 2009  (0.2 MB)

#### **Croplands**

                                  - Small, Diversified Farms in New England Provide Conservation Opportunities for Shrubland Birds, 2021
                                  - Landscape Context Affects Bird Use of Conservation Practices in Delmarva, 2011  (1.5 MB)
                                  - Bobwhite and Upland Songbird response to CCRP Practice CP33, Habitat Buffers for Upland Birds, 2009  (0.5 MB)

#### **Forests, Eastern**

                                  - Private Landowner Response to NRCS Young Forest Programs, 2018  (1.6 MB)
                                  - Small Forest Openings Support Shrubland Birds and Native Bees in the Northeast, 2017  (2.5 MB)
                                  - Conservation Practices Benefit Shrubland Birds in New England, 2012  (0.5 MB)

#### **Grasslands, Great Plains**

                                  - LPCI Practices Benefit Lesser Prairie-Chickens and Ranchers, 2019  (5.2 MB)
                                  - Relationship of Lesser Prairie-Chicken Lek Presence and Density to Grassland Conservation Programs, 2014  (0.8 MB)
                                  - USDA Conservation Program Contributions to Lesser Prairie-Chicken Conservation in the Context of Projected Climate Change, 2012  (1.1 MB)

#### **Rangelands, Sagebrush**

                                  - Quantifying Outcomes of Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW) for the Benefit of Landowners and At-Risk Wildlife, 2020  (1.5 MB)
                                  - Conifer Removal Benefits Sage-Grouse, Other Sagebrush Birds, and Rangeland Productivity, 2019  (3.8 MB)
                                  - Conservation Practices Benefit Priority Birds in the Intermountain West, 2017  (2.6 MB)
                                  - Targeted Conifer Removal: A Proactive Solution to Conserving Sage-Grouse, 2014  (1.3 MB)
                                  - Wetlands Provide Vital Sage-Grouse Summer Habitats on Private Lands, 2014  (1.3 MB)
                                  - Wyoming's Core Area Policy and Conservation Easements Benefit Sage-Grouse, 2014  (2.0 MB)
                                  - Applying the Sage-Grouse Fence Collision Risk Tool to Reduce Bird Strikes, 2012  (0.6 MB)

#### **Stream Biota**

                                  - Conservation Practices Benefit Western Native Trout, 2011  (0.6 MB)

#### **Wetlands**

                                  - Wetland Easements Support Wintering Waterfowl in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, 2023  (0.8 MB)
                                  - Migrating and Wintering Waterfowl Select WRP Easements to Meet Annual Life-cycle Needs, 2015  (2.2 MB)
                                  - Weather Surveillance Radar Reveals Bird Response to the Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative, 2015  (1.3 MB)
                                  - Farm Bill Conservation Programs Can Help Meet the Needs of Spring-Migrating Waterfowl in Southern Oregon-Northeastern California, 2013  (1.1 MB)
                                  - Wintering Waterfowl Respond to Wetlands Reserve Program Lands in the Central Valley of California, 2012  (2.3 MB)
                                  - WRP Contributes to Amphibian Conservation in Missouri, 2012  (0.9 MB)
                                  - Analysis of Missouri Wetlands Reserve Program Easement Monitoring Data, 2009  (2.5 MB)
                                  - Factors Influencing Swamp Sparrow Reproductive Success at Restored and Natural Marshes, 2009  (1.0 MB)
                                  - Ecological Monitoring Insights from the Wetlands Reserve Program in Missouri, 2008  (1.0 MB)
                                  - WRP Supports Migrating Waterfowl in Nebraska's Rainwater Basin Region, 2008  (0.4 MB)

### Science Note

                                  - Using NatureServe Information to Assess Conservation Practice Effects on At-Risk Species, 2007  (1.4 MB)

        Webinars and Blogs    

###                     Webinars and Blogs                

The below Conservation Outcomes Webinar recordings feature scientists and other subject matter experts speaking on the effects of voluntary conservation on wildlife. Blogs related to CEAP wildlife assessments are also included. Webinar recordings are organized in descending chronological order. Visit the Conservation Outcomes Webinar Series webpage to access information on upcoming webinars.

### Conservation Outcomes Webinars

                                  - November 16, 2023 – Outcomes of Spatial Targeting in Sagebrush Country via the Sage Grouse Initiative:  Webinar Recording (Captions Available) ,  Presentation Slides , and  Additional Resources One-Pager
                                  - August 24, 2023 – Informing Turtle Conservation in the Northeast by Thinking Bigger in Space and Time:  Webinar Recording (Captions Available) ,  Presentation Slides , and  Additional Resources One-Pager
                                  - December 8, 2022 – Reducing Woody Encroachment to Conserve Rangeland Production in the Great Plains:  Webinar Recording (Captions Available) ,  Presentation Slides , and  Additional Resources One-Pager
                                  - June 23, 2022 – Science Informs Managing Working Lands for Lesser Prairie-Chickens:  Webinar Recording ,  Presentation Slides,  and  Transcript
                                  - February 24, 2022 – What New Mexico Meadow Jumping Mice Tell Us About Functional Riparian Ecosystems:  Webinar Recording  and  Presentation Slides
                                  - November 18, 2021 – A Decade of Science Support in the Sagebrush Biome:  Webinar Recording  and  Presentation Slides 
                                  - September 23, 2021 – CEAP Science Informs Shrubland Bird Conservation in Eastern Forests:  Webinar Recording  and  Presentation Slides
                                  - July 22, 2021 – Pollinator Response to NRCS Pollinator Practices:  Webinar Recording  and  Presentation Slides
                                  - February 25, 2021 – Rangeland Analysis Platform: Integrating Production and Economics into Area-Wide Planning:  Webinar Recording
                                  - August 27, 2020 – Conservation Outcomes of NRCS’s Working Lands for Wildlife in Eastern Forests:  Webinar Recording
                                  - April 23, 2020 – Conservation Outcomes on America’s Western Grazing Lands with NRCS’s Working Lands for Wildlife:  Webinar Recording

### Blogs

                                  - Three Key Ways NRCS Supports Double Wins for Wildlife and Working Lands Conservation
                                  - Ask the Expert: A Q&A on Voluntary Conservation Outcomes for Wildlife with Charlie Rewa

----

##   CEAP Watershed Assessments

        Articles, Reports, and Bibliographies    

###                     Articles, Reports, and Bibliographies                

The below journal articles, reports, and bibliography provide data and associated insights on the effects of voluntary conservation in select watersheds. Publications within each category are organized in descending chronological order.

### Publications and Journal Special Issues

                                  - The CEAP Watershed Assessment Studies Network, 2021  (23.7 MB)
                                  - Special Issue: Measuring and Understanding the Effects of Conservation Within Watersheds, 2020 , Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
                                  - Journal of Soil and Water Conservation Volume 69, Issue 5, 2014  – Please note, this publication includes:                                     - Impact of the Agricultural Research Service Watershed Assessment Studies on the Conservation Effects Assessment Project Cropland National Assessment, 2014 , Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
                                    - A Decade of Conservation Effects Assessment Research by the USDA Agricultural Research Service: Progress Overview and Future Outlook, 2014 , Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
                                    - Impact of Weather and Climate Scenarios on Conservation Assessment Outcomes, 2014 , Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
                                    - Surface Soil Quality in Five Midwestern Cropland Conservation Effects Assessment Project Watersheds, 2014 , Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
                                    - Fine Sediment Sources in Conservation Effects Assessment Project Watersheds, 2014 , Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
                                  - NIFA-CEAP Watershed Synthesis Study, 2012                                     - Summary
                                    - Seven fact sheets
                                    - Book:  How to Build Better Agricultural Conservation Programs to Protect Water Quality , Soil and Water Conservation Society
                                    - Steps to Citizen-based Watershed Planning: A Presentation For Watershed Planners
                                  - Results from Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) - Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) United States Watershed Projects, 2010 , Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
                                  - The Conservation Effects Assessment Project Special Issue, 2008 , Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
                                  - ARS Watershed Assessment Study Plan, 2004  (3.5 MB)

### Individual Watershed Reports

                                  - Twenty years of Conservation Effects Assessment in the St. Joseph River Watershed, Indiana, 2023 , Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
                                  - California Central Valley Groundwater Basin: Nitrate Leaching Field Scale Assessment Tools, 2021  (1.0 MB)
                                  - California Central Valley Groundwater Basin: Nonpoint Source Pollution Assessment Tool, 2021  (0.9 MB)
                                  - List of Published Papers for the South Fork Iowa River Watershed, 2021  (0.1 MB)
                                  - Validating the Soil Vulnerability Index for a Claypan Watershed, 2016 , Catena
                                  - Science Note - Water Quality Effects and Placement of Pasture BMPs in the Spring Creek Watershed (Centre County, PA), 2014  (0.3 MB)
                                  - Influence of Integrated Watershed-scale Agricultural Conservation Practices on Lake Water Quality, 2014 , Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
                                  - Locating Existing Best Management Practices Within a Watershed: The Value of Multiple Methods, 2013 , Journal of the American Water Resources Association
                                  - Spatial Considerations in Wet and Dry Periods for Phosphorus in Streams of the Fort Cobb Watershed, United States, 2013 , Journal of the American Water Resources Association
                                  - Hydrology and Water Quality of a Field and Riparian Buffer Adjacent to a Mangrove Wetland in Jobos Bay Watershed, Puerto Rico, 2012 , Ecological Engineering
                                  - Characterization of Land-Based Sources of Pollution in Jobos Bay, Puerto Rico: Status of Heavy Metal Concentration in Bed Sediment, 2012 , Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
                                  - A Baseline Assessment of the Ecological Resources of Jobos Bay, Puerto Rico, 2011 , NOAA Technical Memorandum
                                  - ARS Chesapeake Bay Research Intensifies, 2010 , Agricultural Research
                                  - Wood River Project Final Report, 2010  (2.9 MB)
                                  - Choptank River Project Final Report, 2009  (3.8 MB)
                                  - Federal-State Partnership Yields Success in Remote Sensing Analysis of Conservation Practice Effectiveness: Results from the Choptank River Conservation Effects Assessment Project, 2009 , Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
                                  - Sprague River CEAP Study Report, 2009  (5.2 MB)
                                  - ARS's Quest To Improve the Chesapeake Bay, 2006 , Agricultural Research
                                  - Black Willow Cutting Survival in Streambank Plantings, Southeastern United States, 2006 , Journal of the American Water Resources Association
                                  - Cumulative Uncertainty in Measured Streamflow and Water Quality Data for Small Watersheds, 2006 , Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
                                  - Long Term Water Quality Responses to Conservation Practices in Nested Coastal Plain Watersheds, 2006  (2.8 MB)
                                  - The Costs and Benefits of Conservation Practices in Iowa, 2006 , Iowa Ag Review Online
                                  - St. Joseph River CEAP Watershed Update, 2005  (3.1 MB)

### Individual Watershed Summaries

                                  - Beasley Lake Watershed Summary, 2021  (1.5 MB)
                                  - Blanchard River Watershed Summary, 2021  (1.2 MB)
                                  - Choptank River Watershed Summary, 2021  (1.4 MB)
                                  - Goodwin Creek Experimental Watershed Summary, 2021  (1.4 MB)
                                  - Kaweah River Watershed Summary, 2021  (0.8 MB)
                                  - Lake Champlain Basin Summary, 2021  (1.4 MB)
                                  - Little River Watershed Summary, 2021  (1.8 MB)
                                  - Little River Ditches & Lower St. Francis Watersheds Summary, 2021  (1.4 MB)
                                  - Mahantango Creek Watershed Summary, 2021  (1.4 MB)
                                  - Mark Twain/Salt River and Goodwater Creek Watersheds Summary, 2021  (1.3 MB)
                                  - Riesel Watersheds/Grassland Research Summary, 2021  (0.8 MB)
                                  - South Fork, Iowa River Watershed Summary, 2021  (1.3 MB)
                                  - St. Joseph River Watershed Summary, 2021  (1.5 MB)
                                  - Upper Snake/Rock Watershed Summary, 2021  (1.3 MB)
                                  - Upper Washita River Watersheds Summary, 2021  (1.4 MB)
                                  - Walnut Creek Watershed Summary, 2021  (1.2 MB)
                                  - Western Lake Erie Basin, Upper Big Walnut Creek, and Upper Wabash River Summary, 2021  (1.0 MB)

### Other Journal Articles

                                  - Fighting Nitrate in the Trenches, 2012 , Agricultural Research
                                  - The Challenge of Documenting Water Quality Benefits of Conservation Practices: A Review of USDA-ARS's Conservation Effects Assessment Project Watershed Studies, 2011 , Water Science and Technology
                                  - Effects of Hydrology and Field Management on Phosphorus Transport in Surface Runoff, 2009 , Journal of Environmental Quality
                                  - Using Satellite Remote Sensing to Estimate Winter Cover Crop Nutrient Uptake Efficiency, 2009 , Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
                                  - Adapting Existing Models to Examine Effects of Agricultural Conservation Programs on Stream Habitat Quality, 2006 , Journal of the American Water Resources Association
                                  - Compilation of Measured Nutrient Load Data for Agricultural Land Uses in the United States, 2006 , Journal of the American Water Resources Association
                                  - Evaluation of the Importance of Channel Processes in CEAP-Watershed Suspended-Sediment Yields, 2006
                                  - Practical Guidance for Discharge and Water Quality Data Collection on Small Watersheds, 2006 , Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
                                  - STEWARDS—for Access to Vital Watershed Data, 2006 , Agricultural Research                                     - STEWARDS system design, 2006  (0.4 MB)
                                    - STEWARDS: An Integrated Data System for ARS Watershed Research, 2005  (0.9 MB)
                                  - Conservation: Are We Getting Our Money's Worth?, 2005 , Agricultural Research
                                  - Uncertainty in Measured Sediment and Nutrient Flux in Runoff from Small Agricultural Watersheds, 2005 , Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
                                  - Comparison of Time-Based Sampling Strategies to Determine Nitrogen Loading in Plot-Scale Runoff, 2004 , Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
                                  - Automated Storm Water Sampling on Small Watersheds, 2003 , Applied Engineering in Agriculture

        Fact Sheets: Science Notes    

###                     Fact Sheets: Science Notes                

The below includes a Science Note fact sheet on the effects of voluntary conservation within a specific watershed.

### Science Note

                                  - Science Note - Water Quality Effects and Placement of Pasture BMPs in the Spring Creek Watershed (Centre County, PA), 2014 (0.3 MB)

        Webinars, Blogs, and Videos    

###                     Webinars, Blogs, and Videos                

The below Conservation Outcomes Webinar recordings feature scientists and other subject matter experts speaking on the effects of voluntary conservation for watersheds. Webinars are organized in descending chronological order. Visit the Conservation Outcomes Webinar Series webpage to access information on upcoming webinars. Blogs and videos related to CEAP watershed assessments are also included below. 

### Conservation Outcomes Webinars

                                  - October 27, 2022  –  Addressing Water Quality Outcomes Through Nutrient and Water Management:  Webinar Recording ,  Presentation Slides , and  Additional Resources One-Pager
                                  - May 27, 2021 – When it Rains, it Pours: Conservation Considerations for Resiliency in a Changing Climate: Webinar Recording and Presentation Slides
                                  - January 28, 2021 – Development of the Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework and Use by NRCS for Watershed Planning: Webinar Recording
                                  - May 28, 2020 – Measuring and Understanding the Effects of Conservation within Watersheds: Webinar Recording

### Blog

                                  - Ask the Expert: A Q&A on Water Quality Outcomes of Voluntary Conservation with Lisa Duriancik

### Video

                                  - Science-Based Solutions: Leveraging Partnerships to Protect the Western Lake Erie Basin

        Phosphorus Modeling Documents    

###                     Phosphorus Modeling Documents                

Below are phosphorus modeling documents and associated resources related to CEAP Watershed Studies.

                                  - Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) Brief, 2021 (0.2 MB)
                                  - Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) Slides, 2021 (4.2 MB)
                                  - Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) Video, 2021 (145 MB)
                                  - Agricultural Policy/Environmental Extender (APEX) Brief, 2021 (0.1 MB)
                                  - Agricultural Policy/Environmental Extender (APEX) Slides, 2021 (2.0 MB)
                                  - Agricultural Policy/Environmental Extender (APEX) Video, 2021 (123 MB)
                                  - Annual P Loss Estimator (APLE) Brief, 2021 (0.4 MB)
                                  - Annual P Loss Estimator (APLE) Slides part 1, 2021 (1.2 MB)
                                  - Annual P Loss Estimator (APLE) Slides part 2, 2021 (0.6 MB)
                                  - Annual P Loss Estimator (APLE) Video, 2021 (175 MB)
                                  - Annualized Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution Model Brief, 2021 (0.2 MB)
                                  - Annualized Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution Model Slides, 2021 (2.3 MB)
                                  - Annualized Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution Model Video, 2021 (150 MB)
                                  - SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) Brief, 2021 (0.4 MB)
                                  - SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) Slides, 2021 (2.3 MB)
                                  - SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) Video, 2021 (214 MB)
                                  - Chesapeake Bay Program's Watershed Model Brief, 2021 (0.1 MB)
                                  - Chesapeake Bay Program's Watershed Model Slides, 2021 (2.2 MB)
                                  - Chesapeake Bay Program's Watershed Model Video, 2021 (156 MB)
                                  - Riverine Processes Working Group Summary, 2021 (0.1 MB)
                                  - Surface/Subsurface Loss Mechanisms Working Group Summary, 2021 (0.1 MB)

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##   Additional Resources

### Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP)

USDA’s Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) is a multi-agency effort led by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to quantify the effects of conservation practices across the nation’s working lands.
Learn More

### Conservation Assessment and Planning Tools

USDA’s Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) collaborates with partners to deliver tools that support conservation assessment and planning for diverse land uses and management goals.
Learn More

### Frequently Asked Questions | Conservation Effects Assessment Project

This webpage provides answers to frequently asked questions about the Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP).

Last Updated: June 9, 2023
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### Conservation Outcomes Webinar Series

The Conservation Outcomes Webinar Series provides key findings, data, and tools to support producers and partners in pursuing voluntary conservation efforts across the nation's working lands. 
Learn More

##   Contacts