Quantifying Hydrologic and Water Quality Responses to Bioenergy Crops in Town Creek Watershed in Mississippi

Bioenergy crops are considered as a feedstock source, which can be grown in marginal soils. However, these crops may have different levels of crop yield potential and environmental benefits. The objectives of this study were to model and compare the effects of four bioenergy crops (corn--Zea mays, soybean--Glycine max (L.) Merr., miscanthus--Miscanthus-giganteus, and switchgrass--Panicum virgatum) in the Town Creek watershed (TCW) in northeast Mississippi using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model. The calibrated SWAT model for TCW was used to quantify impacts to streamflow, crop yield, and sediment yield. The SWAT model reasonably (