Biofuels and water quality: challenges and opportunities for simulation modeling

Abstract

Quantification of the various impacts of biofuel feedstock production on hydrology and water quality is complex. Mathematical models can be used to efficiently evaluate various ‘what if’ scenarios related to biofeedstock production and their impacts on hydrology and water quality at various spatial and temporal scales. Currently available models, although having the potential to serve such purposes, have many limitations. In this paper, we review the strengths and weaknesses of such models in light of short- and long-term biofeedstock production scenarios. The representation of processes in the currently available models and how these processes need to be modified to fully evaluate various complex biofeedstock production scenarios are discussed. Similarly, issues related to availability of data that are needed to parameterize and evaluate these models are presented. We have presented a vision for the development of decision support tools and ecosystem services that can be used to make watershed management decisions to minimize any potentially adverse environmental impacts while meeting biofeedstock demands. We also discuss a case study of biofeedstock impact simulation in relation to watershed management policy implications for various state and federal agencies in the USA.

Acknowledgements

Help provided by Acushla Antony (graduate student, Purdue University) and Saumya Sarkar (Program Associate – Geospatial Modeling, University of Arkansas-Division of Agriculture) in helping synthesize model applications is greatly appreciated.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Funding for this study was provided by the USDA-CSREES (project 2009-51130-06029). One of the authors of this manuscript is an employee of UT-Battelle, LLC, under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the US Department of Energy. Accordingly, the US Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the US Government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for US Government purposes. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.