Spatial Multiobjective Optimization of Agricultural Conservation Practices using a SWAT Model and an Evolutionary AlgorithmSergey Rabotyagov 1, Todd Campbell 2, Adriana Valcu 2, Philip Gassman 2, Manoj Jha 3, Keith Schilling 4, Calvin Wolter 4, Catherine Kling 2
1School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, 2Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, Department of Economics, Iowa State University, 3Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, North Carolina A&T University, 4Iowa Geological and Water Survey
This work demonstrates an integration of a water quality model with an optimization component utilizing evolutionary algorithms to solve for optimal (lowest-cost) placement of agricultural conservation practices for a specified set of water quality improvement objectives. The solutions are generated using a multi-objective approach, allowing for explicit quantification of tradeoffs.
