Effective agricultural water management requires being knowledgeable in many disciplines, including agronomy, climatology, geology, economics, and sociology. Traditionally, modeling efforts of agricultural systems have simulated and tested processes describable by a single discipline, with other parts of the agricultural context either simplified or excluded. As computers become more powerful, more researchers are opting to integrate existing individual models to account for multiple processes instead of building new models. This study examines the challenges and opportunities associated with integrated modeling in agricultural water management contexts. It also highlights the need to work with on-the-ground stakeholders in working on incorporating cutting-edge or newer management techniques into models, increasing model utility. Integrated modeling must also be put in context using field studies.
Publication: Haacker, E.M.K., V. Sharda, A.M. Cano, R.A. Hrozencik, A. Nũnez, Z. Zambreski, S. Nozari, G.E.B. Smith, L. Moore, S. Sharma, P. Gowda, C. Ray, M. Schipanski, and R. Waskom (2019). Transition Pathways to Sustainable Agricultural Water Management: A Review of Integrated Modeling Approaches. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA).
This article is part of a JAWRA featured series: Optimizing Ogallala Aquifer Water Use to Sustain Food Systems.