A twice-paired watershed experimental design to assess stacked practices through field-edge monitoring

Abstract

Field experiments that measure impacts of stacked practices are possible and can be aimed at combinations of practices that are most opportune across a watershed or landscape region. If we know watershed responses to conservation will only be observed over decades, we should be willing to invest in long-term, field-scale conservation research, especially knowing that results should improve our ability to use practices in combination. The data obtained from twice-paired watershed experiments could also help improve models and our capacity to confidently simulate approaches to use combined conservation practices for water quality improvement.