Quantifying Erosion Reduction Benefits Resulting From the Adoption of Conservation Tillage Practices: Progress Report

Soil erosion remains a persistent challenge in the inland Pacific Northwest due to hilly terrain, erodible soils, and management practices that leave soil exposed. This project is developing a prototype framework to quantify the effectiveness of conservation practices at the watershed scale. Using the USDA WEPP (Water Erosion Prediction Project) model, the team is simulating erosion under baseline, targeted, and best-case implementation scenarios for practices such as conservation tillage, crop rotation, and cover crops. Early work includes data collection and synthesis, along with field observations in Whitman and Columbia counties. The resulting framework will help conservation programs and agencies better measure outcomes, prioritize investments, and support adaptive management. By linking conservation practice adoption with modeled erosion outcomes, the project aims to strengthen voluntary stewardship efforts and improve long-term soil health, environmental quality, and policy decision-making across eastern Washington agricultural systems.