News
Using HAWQS to Support TMDL Development: A Spotlight on Pomme de Terre Lake
7 August 2025
The recently approved Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for Pomme de Terre Lake—targeting elevated chlorophyll‑a levels—is a compelling example of how the Hydrologic and Water Quality System (HAWQS) can support watershed restoration and TMDL analysis [Missouri Department of Natural Resources]. Developed under the Clean Water Act’s 303(d) framework, this TMDL establishes the maximum allowable pollutant loads, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, to restore the lake’s water quality.
HAWQS enables water resource professionals to efficiently quantify pollutant loading and evaluate targeted management actions in a transparent, reproducible format—empowering agencies and partners to take informed steps toward water quality restoration.
AGU 2025
7 July 2025
Session ID: 246682
Session Title: H003: Advancement in Watershed Modeling: Agricultural Systems, Erosion Control and Nutrient Balances
Science Section: Hydrology
Deadline: 2025-07-30 (Wed)
Primary Convener: Haw Yen, USDA-ARS
Conveners: Xuesong Zhang, USDA-ARS; Latif Kalin, Auburn University; Raghavan Srinivasan, Texas A&M University
For the 10th straight year since 2016, this modeling session has served as a forum for extensive discussions among international scientists spanning various disciplines. We aspire to foster collaborative efforts in this session, advocating for advanced insights to drive future investigations into modeling development and associated management strategies. See you in New Orleans~!
SWAT-Vexa Webinar Recording Available
7 July 2025
Thank you to everyone that joined the SWAT-VEXA webinar. The recording can be found below if you did not have a chance to join live. You can also sign up for VEXA here for free by creating an account and entering in the prompted information.
Accelerate data-driven decision making with answers to questions like:
- Policymaker: how much water is available for irrigation or drinking in my region?
- Land and water managers: What are the best land management practices to adopt to mitigate the risks of drought, flooding, or other extreme weather events?
- Farmers: How can I optimize crop yields and water use efficiency while minimizing environmental degradation for my plot?
Whether you support agricultural and urban communities across policymaking, land and water management, farming, research or more, SWAT-VEXA is ready to help.
SWAT VEXA Community Webinar
4 April 2025
Join IBM for an engaging session to learn about SWAT VEXA, an IBM Sustainability Accelerator solution built in collaboration with Texas A&M AgriLife Research.
SWAT VEXA leverages an interactive Gen AI virtual assistant that policymakers, land and water managers, farmers, researchers, and extension agents can use to support both agricultural and urban communities. See what is under the hood and come with questions.
We hope to see you there!
Date: April 18, 2025
Time: 9am-10am ET (adjust for your time zone)
SWAT-VEXA: Intelligent agriculture solutions
7 February 2025
AgriLife Research and IBM's 'Soil and Water Assessment Tool Virtual Extension Assistant,' or SWAT VEXA, is a free, generative AI assistant that provides user-friendly insights for a host of agriculture and natural resources production scenarios.
Results of Sponsorship Opportunity for SWAT+ Advanced Workshop
9 January 2025
A Big Thank You to All Applicants!
We are overwhelmed by the incredible response to our sponsorship opportunity for the upcoming SWAT+ Advanced Workshop. With over 500 applications, the selection process was extremely competitive!
Congratulations to our 7 Sponsored Candidates:
- Ahmed Al-Mowsheki (Yemen)
- Bannah Molubah Bestman (Liberia)
- Legese Abebaw Getu (Ethiopia)
- Ahana Bayongwa Samuel (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
- Ronald Mugabi Maseruka (Uganda)
- Siddhant Baral (Nepal)
- Kevin S. Sambieni (Benin)
We are incredibly grateful to UNESCO IHP-Belgium for making this opportunity possible, enabling candidates from developing countries to join the SWAT+ Advanced Workshop led by Texas A&M AgriLife Research.
We will keep looking for similar opportunities in the future.
Get more information about the SWAT+ Advanced Workshop taking place online 21-24 January 2025. Registration is open through 15 January.
Call for Applications: Sponsorship Opportunity for SWAT+ Advanced Workshop (January 2025)
9 December 2024
Flanders UNESCO Trustfund is offering sponsorships for participants from developing countries to attend the SWAT+ Advanced Workshop taking place in January 2025 with the lead of Texas A&M AgriLife Research. At least five applicants will have their registration fees fully covered.
About the Workshop:
The SWAT+ Advanced Workshop is designed for professionals and researchers specializing in watershed modeling and management. Participants will gain in-depth knowledge of the SWAT+ model and its practical applications focusing on calibration and scenario analysis. For more details about the workshop, visit: SWAT+ Advanced Workshop - January 2025.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Must be from a developing/low-income country.
- Have a background in hydrology, environmental science, or related fields.
Application Deadline: Dec 31, 2024
Contact Information:
For any questions or additional information, please contact:
Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your skills in watershed management!
SWAT-VEXA
4 December 2024
Texas A&M AgriLife Research collaborated with the IBM Sustainability Accelerator to create the SWAT Virtual Extension Assistant, an interactive Gen AI virtual assistant that provides user-friendly soil and water information to support agricultural and natural resource decision-making. For help, contact: eco.web@tamu.edu
HAWQS 2.0 Webinar
10 October 2024
EPA’s Water Modeling Workgroup is hosting a new webinar titled, “HAWQS Version 2”. This webinar will introduce version 2 of the Hydrologic and Water Quality System (HAWQS). Compared to HAWQS 1.2, HAWQS 2.0 features new and updated input datasets, new modeling functionality, and novel interface features to enhance user experience which will be discussed in more detail during the webinar. Topics that will be covered during the webinar include: Overview of HAWQS and what’s new in v2.0; Creating a project and scenarios, Customizing scenario (SWAT) inputs, Example BMP scenario, and Output visualization.
Speaker: Katie Mendoza, Texas A&M University
October 17, 2024
Eastern: 12–2 pm | Central: 11 am–1 pm | Mountain: 10 am–12 pm Pacific: 9–11 am | Alaska: 8–10 am
Target Audience: The target audience is Clean Water Act (CWA) water quality regulators in programs such as TMDLs, monitoring, wetlands, standards, nonpoint sources, permitting, and assessment. The Webinar content assumes that audience members have an understanding of basic hydrology and water quality principles. The Webinars are open to everyone and will be relevant to anyone conducting water quality investigations.
Registration: You must register in advance to participate in this free webcast. Please register here.
Previous webinars are recorded and archived here.
Competition: Innovative Crop Management Decision Tables Challenge
25 September 2024
Competition Details
We invite participants to create original and innovative crop management Decision Tables using SWAT+ Toolbox v2 and win prizes.
This competition is open to all individuals interested in agricultural management and modeling, including but not limited to:
- Researchers
- Agricultural professionals
- Students
- Environmental scientists
- Enthusiasts and innovators in the field
The following prizes are up for grabs.
- 1st Place: SWAT Branded Cap, Polo, Jacket, and Mug
- 2nd Place: SWAT Branded Cap, Jacket, and Mug
- 3rd Place: SWAT Branded Jacket and Mug
- Honorable Mentions: SWAT Branded Mug
All winners will receive recognition on the SWAT Website.
Find more details by following this link: https://swat.tamu.edu/decision-table-challenge-2024/