Bioeconomic and biophysical analysis of reducing atrazine contamination in a Missouri agricultural watershed

Agricultural nonpoint source water pollution is a major water quality problem. In northern Missouri, atrazine has been detected in more than 90 percent of the raw drinking water samples; half of the samples had atrazine that exceeded the EPA's MCL. The main objective of this study is to identify and evaluate environmentally effective and profitable agricultural management practices to reduce nonpoint source water pollution from corn production in the Route J watershed in Monroe City, Missouri. This research integrated a GIS-based biophysical model and a bioeconomic model to identify the water quality impacts of various agricultural management practices and their profitability.; This study found that farmers' traditional use of herbicides can be changed to improve water quality without reducing farm profitability. This implies that simple adoption of new herbicide mixes or substitution of other practices for herbicides can be more effective than using costly BMPs and other practices. Policy instruments, such as an input restriction, can alter the current pattern of herbicide use, and improve water quality and profitability.