WaterFootprint on AgroClimate: A dynamic, web-based tool for comparing agricultural systems

We introduce a dynamic web-resource for estimating seasonal water footprints of agricultural production in the U.S. This tool provides a system-specific water footprint accounting that responds to changes in location, time, soil, and management. Modifications to an existing crop growth model were made in order to separate consumptive use of green and blue water; that is water from rainfall and water from a groundwater or surface water resource, respectively. This separation is an important distinction of water footprinting that allows for more direct assessments of impacts on water resources. The tool also provides a local water stress index, based on regional water use and available supplies, and it displays time series and cumulative rainfall during the period of crop production.