%0 Journal Article %A Tony Prato %A Shunxiang Wu %T Erosion, sediment, and economic effects of conservation compliance in an agricultural watershed %D 1991 %J Journal of Soil and Water Conservation %P 211-214 %V 46 %N 3 %X The erosion, sediment, and economic effects of achieving conservation compliance were determined for Idaho's Tom Beall watershed. Resource management systems were identified that maximize annualized net returns to land, labor, and management and limit erosion rates on all fields in the watershed to the standards established under conservation compliance—11.2 (T) and 16.8(1.5T) t/ha/yr. Three tillage systems, three land management practices, and nine crop rotations were evaluated. The universal soil loss equation IIUS used to estimate annual erosion rates and the agricultural nonpointsource pollution (AGNPS) model was used to estimate changes in sediment delivery to the outlet of the watershed for four storm events. Sediment delivery for individual storm events was aggregated to an annual basis using daily rainfall for a nearby weather station. Optimal resource management systems consist of reduced tillage with divided-slope farming and a wheat-pea or wheat-pea-wheat-pea-sod rotation. These resource management systems decreased total watershed erosion by 67% to 71% relative to conventional tillage with contour farming (CTCF) and by 25% to 33% relative to reduced tillage with contour farming (RTCF). Annual sediment delivery and sediment damages decreased 70% relative to CTCF and 23% relative to RTCF Sediment damages were 2.5 times greater with CTCF than with RTCF. Total net returns increased 11% to 16% with respect to CTCF and decreased 1% to 4% relative to RTCF. Net social value was higher for the 1.5T standard than with the T standard. Achievement of the 1.5T conservation compliance standard is more efficient than achievement of the T standard. %U https://www.jswconline.org/content/jswc/46/3/211.full.pdf