Evaluating the APEX Model for Simulating Streamflow and Water Quality on Ten Agricultural Watersheds in the U.S.

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To better understand the Agricultural Policy Environmental Extender (APEX) model’s strengths and limitations in simulating streamflow and water quality, we evaluated its performance under a diverse range of climatic, topographic, soil, cover, and land management conditions using three parameter settings: best professional judgment (BPJ), partially calibrated, and fully calibrated. A total of 18 calibration parameters governing streamflow, crop yield, and sediment, N, and P were adjusted. Hydrologic and water quality responses were simulated on ten USDA-ARS watersheds with heterogeneous forested, pasture/range, and/or corn-soybean cropping systems. Based on percent bias and Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient of efficiency test statistics, 0%, 0%, 15%, and 9% of the data sets were considered satisfactory or better in simulating monthly streamflow, sediment, N, and P, respectively, in the BPJ mode. However, when used with the fully calibrated settings, 73%, 43%, 38%, and 27% of the data sets were satisfactory or better. Findings indicate that when fully calibrated, APEX estimates streamflow very well, sediment and nitrogen moderately well, and phosphorus marginally well at a monthly time scale. However, when using the BPJ approach, APEX does not estimate watershed-level streamflow, sediment, or nutrients accurately at a monthly time step. Additionally, APEX lacks an element of robustness in simulating streamflow and water quality constituents when applied to the same watershed with a different period of record or to a nearby watershed with a similar period of record. Based on these findings, it is recommended that users exercise caution when employing APEX with the BPJ approach or in validation mode at watershed scales.