Software Updates

VFSMOD-W windows version - deprecated

The Windows GUI is no longer maintained at this time due to lack of resources. The last version of the GUI can be downloaded from the Download & Registration section for full installation. After download and installation, the latest versions of command line VFSM.EXE and UH.EXE programs can be downloaded below and replaced on the c:/VFSMOD-W folder. However, some features of the recent command line programs are not supported by the obsolete GUI.

Latest VFSMOD Command line program (vfsm.exe v4.5.2)

Maintenance update for v4.5.1: February 20, 2023

Changes:

• v4.5.2 minor update over v4.5.1. Added new option (N= -1) in .IWK file so that the number of nodes (N) is calculated internally based on the filter size VL. If the user selects an N it will be used intead (backwards compatible).
• Error in d50 dynamic calculation (NPART=8) fixed in v4.5.1. Before it used peak rainfall intensity (.irn) instead of the required mean rainfall intensity for the storm (calculated from .irn)
• New processes that add realism to the simulations are included in VFSMOD version 4.5. a) avoids the arbitrary parametrization of the incoming sediment characteristics in favor of a dynamic calculation of these based on each event characteristics; b) the pesticide mass in the mixing layer is calculated based on non-uniform leaching with soil depth during infiltration based on the physical CDE (convective-dispersive-dispersive equation) transport; and c) provides robust mechanistic runoff remobilization of residues across all products (from low to very high sorption and from labile to persistent). Only one new input is needed in the program input file .IWQ, DGMRES0 the last event surface residue pesticide mass dissolved in porewater remobilized in the next runoff event, that is provided in the .OWQ output file from previous event simulated in the series. The .OWQ output file now has been extended with more information on the new processes, but for backwards compatibility the content on the first part of the output file has not changed. For additional details, please see CHANGES.txt file inside src_vfsm directory within the ZIP package below.
• Download VFSM.EXE (v4.5.2) (17.6 MB) - Windows command line executable, working directories, samples and fortran source code files (includes unix makefile). To update the Windows (64-bit) version, replace vfsm.exe in the c:\vfsmod-w\ by the one included in this package. a Windows 32-bit executable (VFSM32.EXE) is also included for older machines along with the default 64-bit version.

Updated UH Command line program (uh.exe v3.0.7)

Release date: Feb 2023

Changes: see list of changes

• Download UH.EXE (v3.0.7) included in the latest updated VFSMOD distribution folder described above. It includes Windows 64-bit command line executable, and sample ".INP" files (including examples for user supplied cumulative hyetographs different than standard USDA NRCS types I, IA, II and III - option "storm type"=5 in .INP file).

Archived (older) versions

VFSMOD Command line program (vfsm.exe v4.4.3)

Release date: August, 2020

Changes: a) Updated code to handle the updated soil (.ISO) file for the shallow water table (WT) case (see manual for details). Two changes were made to minimize and simplify the input requirements for WT conditions: a1) the end bottom boundary condition (for t>tw) is now hard-set to the Dupuis-Forchheimer (DF) lateral draining stream (the code still contains the Vachaud vertical draining condition that is commented-out); a2) the last line in the .iso file (if present) reads the heterogeneity ratio between horizontal and vertical conductivities for the lateral DF end bottom boundary condition, and if not given is assumed to 1 (homogenous); and c) the bubbling pressure is now only a parameter of Brooks-Corey soil characteristic curves, where the van Genuchten curves are applied to the full range from saturation. b) Updated model PDF documentation (online and in distribution package) to include shallow water table (description and command line and windows users), new pesticide equations and brief description of use for regulatory pesticide exposure assessments; new references. For additional details, please see CHANGES.txt file in the ZIP package (archived).

VFSMOD Command line program (vfsm.exe v4.4.0)

Release date: August, 2018

Changes: please see CHANGES.txt file inside src_vfsm directory within the ZIP package (archived).

UH Command line program (uh.exe v3.0.2)

Release date: February, 2014

Changes: a) Added user table for 24-h hyetograph (v3.0.1); b) Fixed user hyetograph option (jstype=5) (v3.0.2).

VFSMOD-W v5.1.8 (archive)

Release date: October 31, 2009

Bug: When selecting the water quality option on the project interface, the user cannot change the name of the IWQ and OWQ files manually. Problem with international users in the soil parameters window when using commas as decimal separator in numbers.

Fix: Users can now edit manually the names of the IWQ and OWQ files from project interface. Input check added to soil parameters window. However, this has not been propagated through the rest of the GUI program yet. User is advised to change international preferences in Windows to US so points are used to separate decimals in numbers. See Windows help for this issue.

New Features: none

VFSMOD-W v5.1.7 (archive)

Release date: April 23, 2009

Bug: When the new design graphical outputs window was maximized, when selecting one of the other outputs (RDR, SDR or PDR), the program would quit unexpectedly. In addition, none of the VFSMOD-W graph windows would resize properly when maximized (i.e., the window became larger but the graph would retain the original size).

Fix: All the program's graphical output windows now resize properly and the program no longer quits when selecting a different design output graph when maximized.

New Features: A new execution status bar has been added to the design runs information window.

VFSMOD-W v5.1.6 (archive)

Release date: March 6, 2009

Bug: The water quality file edit screen did not save the values when the "direct input" (Kd value) was selected. Also the new pesticide routine in the fortran vfsm.exe program (vfsm.exe) was missing a statements to check for cases where 100% pesticide reduction was obtained when no flow went through the filter.

Fix: Revised GUI procedure now allows for saving values into IWQ file. New vfsm.exe included with pesticide subroutine check added.

New Features: Graphical output for design result is now added along with documentation of the new feature added to the revised program help file. Minor cosmetic changes added (v5.1.6).

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History of Changes

What's new and the history of changes to VFSMOD-W (Windows-GUI, now obsolete). Please visit the Software Updates section for a more current list of changes and software.

Minor Release, v5.1.7

April 23, 2009

• All the program's graphical output windows now resize properly and the program no longer quits when selecting a different design output graph when maximized.
• A new execution status bar has been added to the design runs information window.

Minor Release, v5.1.6

March 6, 2009

• Revised GUI procedure now allows for saving values into IWQ file.
• New vfsm.exe included with pesticide subroutine check added.
• Graphical output for design result is now added along with documentation of the new feature added to the revised program help file.
• Minor cosmetic changes added.

Minor Release, v5.1.4
with the addition of a graphical output of the design results and bug fixes

February 19, 2009

• New features: Graphical output for design result is now added along with documentation of the new feature added to the revised program help file.
• Bugs: The water quality file edit screen did not save the values when the "direct input" (Kd value) was selected. Also the new pesticide routine in the fortran vfsm.exe program (vfsm.exe) was missing a statement to check for cases where 100% pesticide reduction was obtained when no flow went through the filter.

Major Release, v5.0.1
with the addition of the pesticide reduction components of Sabbagh et. al. (2009)

November 23, 2008

• Restructured VFSM code and GUI to add water quality components while ensuring backwards compatibility. New IWQ flag added at the end of IKW file inputs. If "1" is present there it will expect a new input file with IWQ extension and produce a new output OWQ file. If no flag is present or a character other that "1" is there it will execute with no water quality component. The new program files WQSUB.f handles the processing of the water quality component when the component is selected. In addition, changes were made to VFSMOD.f, INPUTS.f, FINPUTS.f and OUTMASS.f.
• Output reader now views the .OWQ.
• The "Design" feature of the program also considers pesticide trapping if the original VFSM project has the IWQ=1. The .CSV output file then contains a new column (PDR = pollutant delivery ratio).
• Error checking on input files. It will print error and exit gracefully if any of the project files are missing.

Minor Release, v4.1.1

July 15, 2008

• The input runoff time series in the .iro file was not written properly by the GUI (number of lines was not refreshed). Fixed.
• Some cosmetic changes and typos fixed.

Minor Release, v4.1.0

January 28, 2007

• Automatic inverse calibration engine.
• Global sensitivity and uncertainty analysis modules for analysis with SIMLAB v2.2.
• Updated versions of the vfsm/uh programs.
• Redesign many GUI input forms for consistency and ease of use.
• Updated program built-in help file (with new calibration component redesign forms.

Minor Release, v2.4.6

January 28, 2007

• Revision of uh.exe and vfsm.exe with a number of minor fixes - see the changes files with the source code distribution.

Major Release, v3.0.xx

July 30, 2005

• Added inputs for soil organic matter in the uh input file screen. This enables the model to compute the soil erodibility term, K.
• The Rainfall-Runoff Factor, R, was cleaned up in the internal code. We now recommend using Williams R. This gives the smallest erosion estimates. The user can still select CREAMS/GLEAMS computed R from the input screen. To select the Foster R, the user must manually edit the input file.
• Replaced the spreadsheet-type editing with notepad-type editing for the Segment properties (ikw), Rainfall hyetographs (irn), Runoff hydrographs (iro).
• Added a picture/schematic to show the buffer and field dimensions in the ikw editing screen.
• We reviewed and corrected some of the sensitivity routines. In particular, the relative base sensitivity has been re-worked. In addition, checks were made for cases with divide-by-zero to supply a reasonable value. If the user has cases that do not make sense, let us know.
• We re-worked the inputs for the Log Normal distribution in the Uncertainty analysis procedures. The users should now enter the mean and standard deviation of their distribution. The program will convert these to the mean and standard deviation of the corresponding Log Normal distribution.
• Addition testing and internal fixes were made in the Design analysis procedures.
• Release of versions 2.4.x of vfsm and uh with a number of minor fixes - see the changes files with the source code distributions.

Minor Release, v2.2.1

May 27, 2003

• Fixed infiltration solution issue when initial F is 0. It was caused by the Newton-Raphson solution algorithm used in the Mein and Larson time implicit solution to the Green-Ampt equation. The solution will not take as a seed total infiltration F= 0.
• Added work-around for problem found when compiling vfsm with the unix g77 (gcc v3.1) fortran compiler. There is a bug in the compiler by which local variables are not treated properly. This gave different (incorrect) results for the cumulative flows calculated in kwwrite.f (written in .ohy file) between code compiled with g77 and other compilers (including those in PC). The cumulative values are now declared in a common block to force them to be static.
• Version 2.2.3 is now the default in the install package. Users who obtained the install package between 5/20 and 5/27 - see the Updates page to install only the vfsmod-w.exe or download the install package again and re-install.

Bug in Version 2.2.2 Discovered in the Sensitivity Analysis Section

May 24, 2003

• If one runs any of the SS parameter singly and then repeats the same run with Dp selected, they may get different results for the SS sensitivity simulations. The input data for Dp was not being reset to the original values correctly for the next simulation. This only affects sensitivity simulations with SS. If SS sensitivity is run alone without selecting Dp, then the results are based on the values of Dp in the base input data sets selected. This has been fixed in version 2.2.3. This version will be released on June 1,2003.

Minor Release, v2.2.2

May 20, 2003

• New, more intuitive, menu labels and lay-out.
• Expanded and improved sensitivity and uncertainty analyses procedures. Individual filter areas or combines source-filter areas can be now analyzed individually. Multi-dimensional analysis is also available as well as print-out of graphical results. Ranges of user selected parameters are now automatically checked against physically admissible values.
• VFSMOD-W and UH have been further refined to improve integration with the GUI environment and graphical inputs.
• Improved handling of special cases (small runoff, impermeable surfaces, saturated soils, etc).

Major Release, v2.00
New Version of Web Pages Released to the Public

April 2, 2003

Major Revisions for the Entire System
vfsmod-w.exe, v2.00.xx; UH.exe, v1.06; vfsm.exe, v1.06

March 5, 2003

• Adding a number of buttons on pages to duplicate menu selections.
• Added Sensitivity Analysis.
• Added Uncertainty Analysis.
• Added Design Analysis.

Posted 2001 ASAE Uncertainty Paper

July 18, 2001
Describing additional capabilities for future versions of VFSMOD.

Minor Release, v1.05

February 8, 2001

• The graphical user interface was improved - mainly minor bug and annoyance fixes.
• Implemented some changes on the download page.

User Manual Fixed

July 5, 2000

• Figure on page 67 in the pdf version of the User Manual fixed.

Minor Release, v1.3.21
of the Win32 graphical interface system released

June 30, 2000

• Binaries and executables updated to vfsm v1.04b and uh v1.00.
• Users Manual updated for Win 32 graphical interface system and documentation clean up in the Users Guide portion.

VFSMOD-W Web Site

February 28, 1997
VFSMOD-W Web site built with first release.

Disclaimer

Vegetative Filter Strip Modeling System (VFSMOD) was developed in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, North Carolina State University USA, by Dr. Rafael Muñoz-Carpena under the direction of Dr. John E. Parsons. The model is now maintained by Dr. Muñoz-Carpena at the Agricultural and Biological Engineering of the University of Florida (USA).

The model and associated documentation is supplied as-is with no warranty - explicit or implied. As with any model, the results are totally dependent on the user's ability to wisely select input parameters that represent the "field" and to interpret the results.

We will make every effort to provide assistance and encouragement as our other commitments allow. We do ask that you reference our work if you find it helpful in your pursuits.

Citations

Products from VFSMOD in journal articles, book chapters, on the Web, and in user applications. Please e-mail us to add other products and impacts to this list. Please select the type of references below. Adobe Reader is needed to view .pdf documents.

     Refereed publication | Dissertations | Proceedings | Reports | Web tools | Training

Refereed publications citing VFSMOD

• Gharabaghi, B., R. Rudra, H.R. Whiteley and W.T. Dickinson. 2002. Development of a Management tool for vegetative filter strips. of Water Management Modeling R208-18. doi: 10.14796/JWMM.R208-18
• Zhang*, Y., R, Muñoz-Carpena, R. Bhattarai. 2026. A Framework of Simulating Structural Sediment Perimeter Barriers using VFSMOD. J Soils Sediments 26, 107. doi: 10.1007/s11368-026-04290-0
• Cui, Q. Y. Ou, L. Yan, S. Pang. 2026. Predicting Particulate Phosphorus Removal Efficiency in Vegetative Filter Strips: A Particle Size-Based Model Coupled with VFSMOD-W in Black Soil Region of Northeast China. Int. Soil Water Cons. Res. 100634(2026). doi: j.iswcr.2026.100634
• Yang, B., X. Li, F. Song, D. Tian, J. Yan, N. Chen. 2025. Experimental and numerical evaluation of the two-dimensional dynamics of water and nitrogen within a vegetated filter strip in the Daihai Basin, China. Agricultural Water Management 318:109683. doi: 10.1016/j.agwat.2025.109683
• Oelschlager, P. T., Thompson, A. W., Floress, K., Awashra, I., Barbarash, D., Battista, J., & McMillan, S. 2025. Modeling nonlinear edge-of-field buffers to enhance sediment trapping efficiency: Application of AgBufferBuilder in the Saginaw Bay basin. J. Soil Water Conserv., 80(1), 53–75. doi: 10.1080/00224561.2024.2433922
• Li, R., Liu, W. W., Zhao, E. M., et al. 2024. Retention efficiencies of vegetative filter strips in reducing agricultural nonpoint source pollution in Jianghan Plain: Experiments and VFSMOD modeling. Water Air and Soil Pollution, 235(2), 1–15. doi: 10.1007/s11270-023-06859-8
• Yan, L., Y. Ou, Y. Sui, H. Liu, Y. Deng, Q. Cui, M. Shang. 2025. Impact of concentrated flow and shallow water table on pesticides trapping efficiency of vegetative filter strips – A case study of Northeast China. Soil & Tillage Research, 251(2025):106557. doi: 10.1016/j.still.2025.106557
• Koua, T. J. -J., Kouassi, K. H., Kouassi, K. L., Allou, K. A., & Jeong, J. 2024. Effectiveness of the VFSMOD Model in Simulating Sediment Trapping by a Vegetative Filter Strip: Case of the Lobo Reservoir in Daloa (Central–West Côte d’Ivoire). Earth, 5(4):928-944. doi: 10.3390/earth5040048
• Yan L, Wang X, Ou Y, Pang S, Cui Q, Hou X. 2024. Pesticides trapping performance of vegetative filter strips in black soil region, Northeast China: controlled experiments and VFSMOD-W modeling. Ecol. Eng. 209: 107384. 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2024.107384
• Klein, M., Klein, J., Flade, J., Großmann, D., Türkowsky, D., O'Connor, I., Spycher, S., Reichenberger, S., Sittig, S., Multsch, S. and Thomas, K. 2023. Risk mitigation measures for pesticide runoff: How effective are they?. Pest Manag Sci. doi: 10.1002/ps.7691
• Chen. H., D.S. Carley, R. Muñoz-Carpena, G. Ferruzzi, Y. Yuan, A. Blankinship, T.L. Veith, R. Breckels, G.A. Fox, Y. Luo, D. Osmond, H.E. Preisendanz, Z. Tang, K. Armbrust, K. Costello, L.L. McConnell, P. Rice, J. Westgate, M. Whiteside. 2023. Incorporating the benefits of vegetative filter strips into risk assessment and risk management of pesticides. Integr Environ Assess Manag (IEAM). doi: 10.1002/ieam.4824
• Zhang, Y., R. Bhattarai and R. Muñoz-Carpena. 2023. Effectiveness of vegetative filter strips for sediment control from steep construction landscapes. Catena 226(2023):10705. doi: 10.1016/j.catena.2023.107057
• Arpino, M., J. Stryker, J. Hanzas, M. Winchell, M.A. Thomas, J. Schleier and D. Meals. 2023. Effectiveness of side-inlet vegetated filter strips at trapping pesticides from agricultural runoff. Sci. Total Environ. 879(25):162881. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162881
• Reichenberger S., R. Sur, S. Sittig, S. Multsch, Á. Carmona-Cabrero, J.J. López and R. Muñoz-Carpena. 2023. Dynamic prediction of effective runoff sediment particle size for improved assessment of erosion mitigation efficiency with vegetative filter strips. Sci. Total Env. 857(3):159572. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159572
• Ramler D, Stutter M, Weigelhofer G, Quinton JN, Hood-Nowotny R and Strauss P. 2022. Keeping up with phosphorus dynamics: overdue conceptual changes in vegetative filter strip research and management. Front. Environ. Sci. 10:764333. doi: 10.3389/fenvs.2022.764333
• Guertault, L. G.A.Fox, D. Heeren, T. Hallihan and R Muñoz-Carpena. 2021. Quantifying the importance of preferential flow in a riparian buffer. Trans. ASABE 64(3):937-947. doi: 10.13031/trans.14286.
• Fox, G.A., R. Muñoz-Carpena, B. Brooks, T. Hall. 2021. Advancing surface water pesticide exposure assessments for ecosystem protection. Trans. ASABE 64(2): 377-387. doi: 10.13031/trans.14225
• Lauvernet, C. and C. Helbert. 2020. Metamodeling methods that incorporate qualitative variables for improved design of vegetative filter strips. Reliab. Eng. & Sys. Safety 204:107083. doi: 10.1016/j.ress.2020.107083
• Otto, S., S. Gottardi, M. Pasini, L. Menaballi, R. Bradascio, O. de Cirugeda Helle. 2020. Effectiveness of grassed buffer in reducing Spinosad runoff: real data and FOCUS output. Journal of Environmental Protection, 11(3):169-195. doi: 10.4236/jep.2020.113011
• Gupta, A.K., R. P. Rudra, B. Gharabaghi, P. K. Goel, S. Sebti, R. Shukla, P. Daggupati. 2019. A modeling approach for evaluating watershed-scale water quality benefits of vegetative filter strip - A case study in Ontario. Trans. ASABE 35(3): 271-281. doi: 10.13031/aea.13121
• Muñoz-Carpena, R., A. Ritter, G. Fox. 2019. Comparison of empirical and mechanistic equations for vegetative filter strip pesticide mitigation in long-term environmental exposure assessments. Water Research 165:1149833. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.114983
• Yuzhou Luo. 2019. Modeling the Mitigating Effects of Conservation Practices for Pyrethroid Uses in Agricultural Areas of California. Chapter 14. In Goh et al.(Eds.); Pesticides in Surface Water: Monitoring, Modeling, Risk Assessment, and Management. ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2019. doi: 10.1021/bk-2019-1308.ch014
• Xuyang Zhang, X, Y. Luo, M. Zhang and K.S. Goh. 2019. Modeling the Effectiveness of Management Practices for Reducing Pesticide Residues in Surface Water. Chapter 12. In Goh et al.(Eds.); Pesticides in Surface Water: Monitoring, Modeling, Risk Assessment, and Management. ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2019. doi: 10.1021/bk-2019-1308.ch012
• Reichenberger, S., R. Sur, C. Kley, S. Sittig, S. Multsch. 2019. Recalibration and cross-validation of pesticide trapping equations for vegetative filter strips (VFS) using additional experimental data. Science of the Total Environment 647 (2019) 534–550 doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.07.429
• Cibin, R., I. Chaubey, M. Helmers, K. P. Sudheer, M. J. White, J. G. Arnold. An improved representation of vegetative filter strips in SWAT. 2018. Trans. ASABE 61(3):1017-1024. doi: 10.13031/trans.12661
• Lim, K.J., Y.S. Park; M.-K. Kim, J. Jeong, B.A. Engel, R. Muñoz-Carpena and J. Kim. 2018. Design of vegetative filter strip using web-based system with groundwater table and pesticide degradation analysis modules. Journal of Hydrologic Engineering (ASCE) 23(2). doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)HE.1943-5584.0001611
• Fox, G., R. Muñoz-Carpena and R. Purvis. 2018. Controlled laboratory experiments and modeling of vegetative filter strips with shallow water tables. J. of Hydrology 556(1):1–9, doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2017.10.069
• Muñoz-Carpena, R., Lauvernet, C., and Carluer, N. 2018. Shallow water table effects on water, sediment and pesticide transport in vegetative filter strips: Part A. non-uniform infiltration and soil water redistribution. Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 22:53-70. doi: 10.5194/hess-22-53-2018
• Lauvernet, C. and Muñoz-Carpena, R.. 2018. Shallow water table effects on water, sediment and pesticide transport in vegetative filter strips: Part B. model coupling, application, factor importance and uncertainty. Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 22:71-87. doi: 10.5194/hess-22-71-2018
• Muñoz-Carpena, R., G. Fox, A. Ritter, I. Rodea-Palomares. 2018. Effect of vegetative filter strip pesticide residue degradation assumptions for environmental exposure assessments. Science of the Total Environment 619–620:977–987, doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.11.093
• Pan, D., X. Gao, M. Dyck, Y. Song, P. Wu, X. Zhao. 2017. Dynamics of runoff and sediment trapping performance of vegetative filter strips: Run-on experiments and modeling. 2017. Science of The Total Environment 593–594:54-64, doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.03.158
• Carluer, N., C. Lauvernet, D. Noll and R. Muñoz-Carpena. 2017. Defining context-specific scenarios to design vegetated buffer zones in order to limit pesticides transfer by surface runoff. Sci. Total Env 575(1):701–712. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.09.105
• Phillips, B.M., B.S. Anderson, M. Cahn, J.L. Rego, J.P. Voorhees, K. Siegler, X. Zhang, R. Budd, K. Goh, and R.S. Tjeerdema. 2017. An integrated vegetated ditch system reduces chlorpyrifos loading in agricultural runoff. Integr Environ Assess Manag. 13(2):423-430. doi: 10.1002/ieam.1820
• Campo-Bescós, M.A., R. Muñoz-Carpena, G.A. Kiker, B.W. Bodah, J.L Ullman. 2015. Improved watering or buffering? Runoff and sediment pollution control from furrow irrigated fields in arid environments. Agric., Ecosyst. Environ. 205(1):90–101. doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2015.03.010
• Dosskey, M.G., S. Neelakantan, T.G. Mueller, T. Kellerman, M.J. Helmers, and E. Rienzi. 2015. AgBufferBuilder: A geographic information system (GIS) tool for precision design and performance assessment of filter strips. J. Soil and Water Conservation 70(4)209-217. doi: 10.2489/jswc.70.4.209
• Muñoz-Carpena, R. A. Ritter, G.A. Fox and O. Perez-Ovilla. 2015. Does mechanistic modeling of filter strip pesticide mass balance and degradation affect environmental exposure assessments? Chemosphere 139:410-421. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.07.010
• Park, Youn Shik, & Hyeon, Geun-U. (2014). Optimization of Vegetative Filter Strip using VFSMOD-w model and Genetic-Algorithm. Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment, 30(2), 159–165. doi: 10.15681/KSWE.2014.30.2.159
• Lambrechts, T., S. François, S. Lutts, R. Muñoz-Carpena, C.L. Bielders. 2014. Impact of plant growth and morphology and of sediment concentration on sediment retention efficiency of vegetative filter strips: flume experiments and VFSMOD modeling. J. of Hydrology 511:800–810.doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2014.02.030
• Park, Y-S., B.A. Engel, Y. Shin, J.Choi, N-W. Kim, S-J. Kim, D.S. Kong, and K.J. Lim. 2013. Development of Web GIS-Based VFSMOD System with Three Modules for Effective Vegetative Filter Strip Design. Water (5):1194-1210 doi: 10.3390/w5031194
• Fox, G.A. C.J. Penn. 2013. Empirical model for quantifying total phosphorus reduction by vegetative filter strips. Trans. ASABE 56(4):1461-1469. doi: 10.13031/trans.56.10133.
• Yu*, C., R. Muñoz-Carpena, B. Gao and O. Perez-Ovilla. 2013. Effects of ionic strength, particle size, flow rate, and vegetation type on colloid transport through a dense vegetation saturated soil system: Experiments and modeling. J. of Hydrology 499:316–323. doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2013.07.004.
• The effects of grass hedges and micro-basins on reducing soil and water loss in temperate regions: A case study of Northern China. Bo Xiao, Qinghai Wang, Huifang Wang, Juying Wu, Dingfang Yu. 2012. Soil and Tillage Research 122:22–35. doi: 10.1016/j.still.2012.02.006
• Winchell, M.F., R.L. Jones and T.L. Estes. 2011. Comparison of Models for Estimating the Removal of Pesticides by Vegetated Filter Strips. In: Goh et al.(eds.), Pesticide Mitigation Strategies for Surface Water Quality. Chapter 17. Pp. 273-286. ACS Series. American Chemical Society: Washington, DC. doi: 10.1021/bk-2011-1075.ch017
• Hydrologic Response Unit Routing in SWAT to Simulate Effects of Vegetated Filter Strip for South-Korean Conditions Based on VFSMOD. Youn Shik Park , Jeong Hee Park , Won Seok Jang , Ji Chul Ryu , Hyunwoo Kang , Joongdae Choi and Kyoung Jae Lim, Water 2011, 3(3), 819-842; doi: 10.3390/w3030819
• A design aid for sizing filter strips using buffer area ratio. M.G. Dosskey, M.J. Helmers and D.E. Eisenhauer. 2011. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 66(1):29-39. doi: 10.2489/jswc.66.1.2
• Improved indexes for targeting placement of buffers of Hortonian runoff. M.G. Dosskey, Z. Qiu, M.J. Helmers and D.E. Eisenhauer. 2011. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 66 (6):362-372. doi: 10.2489/jswc.66.6.362
• Assessing multi-criteria approaches with environmental, economic and social attributes, weights and procedures: A case study in the Pampas, Argentina. 2011. J.M. Cisneros, J.B. Grau, J.M. Antón, J.D. de Prada, A. Cantero, A.J. Degioanni. Agricultural Water Management 98(10):1545–1556. doi: 10.1016/j.agwat.2011.05.009.
• Comparison of Indexes for Prioritizing Placement of Water Quality Buffers in Agricultural Watersheds. 2011. Michael G. Dosskey, Zeyuan Qiu. JAWRA (Journal of the American Water Resources Association) 47(4):662–671. doi: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2011.00532.x
• Distinct influence of filter strips on acute and chronic pesticide aquatic environmental exposure assessments across U.S. EPA  scenarios. Sabbagh, G.J., R. Muñoz-Carpena, G.A. Fox. 2012. Distinct influence of filter strips on acute and chronic pesticide aquatic environmental exposure assessments across U.S. EPA  scenarios. Chemosphere. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2012.06.034
• Vegetated filter effects on sedimentological connectivity of agricultural catchments in erosion modelling: A review. S.J.Gumiere, Y.Le Bissonnais, D.Raclot, and B. Cheviron. 2011. Earth Surf. Process. Landforms 36:3–19. doi: 10.1002/esp.2042
• A revised framework for pesticide aquatic environmental exposure assessment that accounts for vegetative filter strips. 2010. Sabbagh, G., G. Fox, G., R. Muñoz-Carpena and M. Lenz. 2010. Environmental Science & Technology. 44:3839–3845 doi: 10.1021/es100506s
• Influence of flow concentration on parameter importance and prediction uncertainty of pesticide trapping by vegetative filter strips. 2010. Fox G.A., R. Muñoz-Carpena, G.J. Sabbagh. J. of Hydrology 384:164-173. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2010.01.020
• Parameter Importance and Uncertainty in Predicting Runoff Pesticide Reduction with Filter Strips. 2010. Muñoz-Carpena, R., G.A. Fox and G.J. Sabbagh. J. Environ. Qual. 39(1):630-641. doi: 10.1016/10.2134/jeq2009.0300
• Sebti, S., & Rudra, R. P. 2010. An approach to evaluate vegetative filter strip in watershed scale. Appl. Eng. Agric., 26(5), 817-826. doi: 10.13031/2013.34942
• Simplified modeling of phosphorus removal by vegetative filter strips to control runoff pollution from phosphate mining areas. 2009. Kuo, Y.M. and R. Muñoz-Carpena. 2009. Journal of Hydrology. 378:343–354. doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2009.09.039
• Comment on "Major Factors Influencing the Efficacy of Vegetated Buffers on Sediment Trapping: A Review and Analysis". G.A. Fox and G.J. Sabbagh. 2009. Journal of Environmental Quality. 38(1):1-3. doi: 10.2134/jeq2009.0001le
• Methods to prioritize placement of riparian buffers for improved water quality. 2009. Tomer, M.D., M.G. Dosskey, M.R. Burkart, D.E. James, M.J. Helmers and D.E. Eisenhauer. 2009. Agroforest Syst. 75(1):17–25. doi: 10.1007/s10457-008-9134-5
• Development of a simplistic vegetative filter strip model for sediment and nutrient retention at the field scale. 2009. White, M.J. and J.G. Arnold. Hydrological Processes 23(11):1602-1616, doi: 10.1002/hyp.7291
• Chlorpyrifos and Atrazine Removal from Runoff by Vegetated Filter Strips: Experiments and Predictive Modeling. 2009. Poletika, N.N., P.N. Coody, G.A. Fox, G.J. Sabbagh, S.C. Dolder, and J. White. Journal of Environmental Quality. 38(3): 1042-1052. doi: 10.2134/jeq2008.0404
• Effectiveness of Vegetative Filter Strips in Reducing Pesticide Loading: Quantifying Pesticide Trapping Efficiency. 2009. Sabbagh, G.J., G.A. Fox, A. Kamanzi, B. Roepke and J.Z. Tang. Journal of Environmental Quality. 38(2):762-771. doi: 10.2134/jeq2008.0266
• A Design Aid for Determining Width of Filter Strips. 2008. M.G. Dosskey, M.J. Helmers, and D.E. Eisenhauer. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. 63(4):232-241. doi: 10.2489/jswc.63.4.232
• Global Sensitivity and uncertainty Analyses of the Water Quality Model VFSMOD-W. 2007. Muñoz-Carpena, R., Z. Zajac and Yi-Ming Kuo. Trans. of the ASABE. 50(5):1719-1732. 
• An approach for using soil surveys to guide the placement of water quality buffers. 2006. M.G. Dosskey, M.J. Helmers, and D.E. Eisenhauer. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 61(6):344-354. doi: 10.1080/00224561.2006.12435905 
• Uncertainty in TMDL Models. 2006. Shirmohammadi, A., I. Chaubey, R.D. Harmel, D.D. Bosch, R. Muñoz-Carpena, C. Dharmasri, A. Sexton, M. Arabi, M.L. Wolfe, J. Frankenberger, C. Graff and T.M. Sohrabi. Trans. of the ASABE. 49(4):1033-1049. doi: 10.13031/2013.21741
• Establishing conservation buffers using precision information. 2005. M.G. Dosskey, D.E. Eisenhauer, and M.J. Helmers. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. 60(6):349-354. doi: 10.1080/00224561.2005.12435826
• Suspended sediment removal by vegetative filter strip treating highway runoff. 2005. J. Han, S. Wu and C. Allan. Journal of Environmental Science and Health. 40:1637-1649. doi:10.1081/ESE-200060683
• Modeling sediment trapping in a vegetative filter accounting for converging overland flow. 2005. M.J. Helmers, D.E. Eisenhauer, T.G. Franti, M.G. Dosskey. Trans. of the ASABE. Vol. 48(2): 541−555.
• Flow pathways and sediment trapping in a field-scale vegetative filter. 2005. M.J. Helmers, D.E. Eisenhauer, M.G. Dosskey, T.G. Franti, J.M. Brothers, ßM.C. McCullough. Trans. of the ASABE. Vol. 48(3): 955−968.
• A design procedure for vegetative filter strips using VFSMOD-W. 2004. Muñoz-Carpena, R, Parsons, J.E. Trans. of the ASAE. vol 47(6):1933-1941. doi: 10.13031/2013.17806
• Cost-effective Targeting of Riparian Buffers. 2004. Yang, W. and A. Weersink. Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics. 52(1):17–34. doi: 10.1111/j.1744-7976.2004.tb00092.x
• Assessment of concentrated flow through riparian buffers. 2002. Dosskey, M.G., Helmers, M.J., Eisenhauer, D.E., Franti, T.G., Hoagland, K.D. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. vol 57(6):336-343. doi: 10.1080/00224561.2002.12457463
• Effectiveness of vegetation barriers for marly sediment trapping. 2004. Rey, F. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. vol(29):1161-1169. doi: 10.1002/esp.1108
• Factors affecting sediment trapping in vegetated filter strips: simulation study using VFSMOD. 2001. Abu-Zreig, M. Hydrologic Processes. vol 15(8):1477-1488. doi: 10.1002/hyp.220
• Validation of a vegetated filter strip model (VFSMOD). 2001. Abu-Zreig, M., Rudra, R.P., Whitely, H.R. Hydrologic Processes. vol 15(5):729-742. doi: 10.1002/hyp.101
• Modeling hydrology and sediment transport in vegetative filter strips. 1999. Muñoz-Carpena, R., J.E. Parsons, and J.W. Gilliam. 1999. Journal of Hydrology. 214(1-4):111-129. doi: 10.1016/S0022-1694(98)00272-8
• Numerical Approach to the Overland Flow Process in Vegetative Filter Strips. 1993. Muñoz-Carpena, R., J.E. Parsons, and J.W. Gilliam. 1993. Trans. of the ASAE. 36(3):761-770. doi: 10.13031/2013.28395
• A Quadratic Petrov-Galerkin Solution for Kinematic Wave Overland Flow. 1993. Muñoz-Carpena, R., C.T. Miller, and J.E. Parsons. Water Resources Research. 29(8):2615-262. doi: 10.1029/93WR00610

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Dissertations & Thesis

• Howe, J. Adam. 2026. Effects of surface and near surface runoff interactions on the transport and mitigation of pesticides in vegetative filter strips. Ph.D. dissertation. [Gainesville, Fla.]: University of Florida. (Chair: R. Muñoz–Carpena)
• Barberana, I. 2025. Evaluation and development of techniques for measuring and predicting soil erosion and sediment export for a more sustainable agriculture. Ph.D. dissertation. Universidad Pública de Navarra [Pamplona, Spain]. (Chairs: J. Casalí, M.A. Bescós and R. Muñoz–Carpena).
• Enrique Orozco-López. 2020. Subsurface preferential flow and transport in riparian buffers. Ph.D. dissertation. [Gainesville, Fla.]: University of Florida. (Chairs: R. Muñoz–Carpena & Bin Gao) UF Digital Collections
• Lei Wu. 2013. Filtration and transport of colloids and nanoparticles in dense emergent vegetation: theory, experiments and modeling. Ph.D. dissertation. [Gainesville, Fla.]: University of Florida. (Chairs: R. Muñoz-Carpena and B. Gao). UF Digital Collections
• Congrong Yu. 2011. Colloids transport in surface runoff through dense vegetation. Ph.D. dissertation. [Gainesville, Fla.]: University of Florida. (Advisors: R. Muñoz-Carpena and B. Gao). UF Digital Collections
• Seradj, M. 2011. Developement of a continuous modelling approach capable of evaluating sediment removal performance of vegetative filter strips in watershed scale. Master of Applied Science. School of Engineering. U. of Guelph (Canada). Advisor: R. Rudra). ResearchGate
• Oscar Pérez-Ovilla. 2010. A flexible numerical component to simulate biogeochemical transport processes through vegetative filter strips. Ph.D. dissertation. [Gainesville, Fla.]: University of Florida. (Advisor: R. Muñoz-Carpena). UF Digital Collections
• K.M. Foster, 2008. The Role of the Residential Shoreland Lawn as a Hydrologic Connection Between Downspout and Lake. Stevens Point, WI.: University of Wisconsin. She presents field observations to calibrate VFSMOD-W and evaluate its usefulness in a residential setting. It concludes that although intended to model runoff and sediment reduction from an agricultural field draining to a buffer strip, VFSMOD-W functioned well as a tool for residential runoff predictions.
• Kuo, Y.M. 2007. Vegetative Filter Strips to Reduce Surface Runoff Phosphorus Transport from Mining Sand Tailings in the Upper Peace River Basin of Central Florida. Ph.D. Dissertation. Gainesville, FL.: University of Florida. UF Digital Collections
• Muñoz-Carpena, R. 1993. Modeling hydrology and sediment transport in vegetative filter strips. Ph.D. Dissertation. Raleigh, NC: North Carolina State University. Download Full Dissertation (PDF)

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Proceedings, Meeting & Poster Presentations

• Muñoz-Carpena, R., Reichenberger, S., and Sur, R. 2022. Importance of surface pesticide residues in the quantitative mitigation of pesticides with vegetative filter strips: VFSMOD development and analysis, EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022, EGU22-13039, doi: 10.5194/egusphere-egu22-13039.
• Howe, J. and Muñoz-Carpena, R. 2022. Pesticide remobilization in vegetative filter strips using mesoscale multi-event experimentation, EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022, EGU22-13012, doi: 10.5194/egusphere-egu22-13012.
• Reichenberger, S., Sur, R., Sittig, S., Multsch, S., Carmona-Cabrero, Á., and Muñoz-Carpena, R. 2022. Impact of a new sediment parameterization method in VFSMOD on PECsw/sed in FOCUS step4, EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022, EGU22-628, doi: 10.5194/egusphere-egu22-628.
• R. Sur, S. Reichenberger, C. Kley, S. Sittig, S. Multsch. 2019. Modelling experiments with vegetated filter strips with a new version of VFSMOD. Paper no. AGRO 306, 2019 ACS Meeting, August 25-29, San Diego, CA (USA). ResearchGate
• R. Sur, S. Reichenberger, P. Srinivasan, H. Meyer, C. Kley. 2019. Effectiveness of vegetated filter strips based on modeling with VFSMOD or fixed reduction percentages from the European regulatory framework. Paper no. AGRO 302, 2019 ACS Meeting, August 25-29, San Diego, CA (USA). ResearchGate
• 2011 International Conference: Korea KAB-2 International Conference on AG-BMP Development for Reservoir Water Quality Improvement, June 15-16, Seoul, Korea. Keynote speech by Muñoz-Carpena, R. and M.D. Dukes. Importance of mechanistic, science driven design of best management practices for watershed quality protection (Keynote speech). In: Yoon and Choi (eds.).
• 2011 Workshop: "From AIM to TOPPS-Prowadis". European Crop Protection Association, Brussels, - 24 February 2011. See papers by R. Muñoz-Carpena and C. Brown on VFSMOD use for pesticides and its application to EU FOCUS scenarios.
• 2010 - 5th European Modelling Workshop, "Modelling of behaviour of PPPs in soil, water and air relevant for their regulatory assessment at EU or Member State level". Isle of Capri, Italy, 13-15 October 2010. Paper by Bjoern Roepke (Bayer CropScience, Germany). "Modelling run-off mitigation efficiancy of vegetated filter strips (VFS) within the FOCUSsw framework using VFSMOD-W". ResearchGate
• 2009 Conference on "Pesticide Behaviour in Soils, Water and Air" conference. Sept. 14-16, 2009, York, UK. Modelling runoff mitigation capability of vegetated filter strips. ResearchGate
• 2009 Conference on "Pesticide Behaviour in Soils, Water and Air" conference. Sept. 14-16, 2009, York, UK. Comparison of Models for Estimating the Efficiency of Vegetative Buffer Strips.
• 2008 ASABE Paper - Enhancement and Evaluation of SWAT Filter Strip Module reflecting Field Runoff Volume and Filter Strip Width.
• 2008 ASABE Paper - Development of Web GIS based VVFSMOD-W System to Simulate Sediment Reduction Efficiency with Vegetative Filter Strip. ASABE
• 2007 ASABE Paper - An Inverse Calibrator for VFSMOD-W Using the Global Multilevel Coordinate Search/Nelder-Mead Simplex Algorithm. ASABE
• 2005 ASABE Paper - Modeling Water and Sediment Trapping by Vegetated Filters Using VFSMOD: Comparing Methods for Estimating Infiltration Parameters. ASABE
• 2004 ASABE Paper - Green-Ampt Infiltration Parameters in Riparian Buffers. ASABE
• 2003. Proc. of International Conference on Soil Erosion and Sediment Redistribution on River Catchments: Measurement, Modelling & Management in the 21st Century. Silsoe UK (pg. 39) - Effectiveness of grass buffer strips in reducing surface runoff and sediment yield – field measurements and simulation results (EUROSEM, OPUS and VFSmod). K. Schmelmer (Institut für Bodenkunde, Universitat Bonn, Germany). Cranfield University, Lancaster Environment Centre
• 2002 TMDL Paper 1 - VFSMOD-W a graphical Windows system for the evaluation and design of vegetative filter strips for sediment trapping. doi: 10.13031/2013.7607
• 2002 TMDL Paper 2 - A normalized design procedure to meet sediment TMDL with vegetative filter strips. doi: 10.13031/2013.7566
• 2001 Conference on Environmental Research, Kansas State University. Modeling Transport of Cryptosporidium Parvum Oocysts in Overland Flow. Kansas State University
• 2001 ASAE Paper - Impact of Uncertainty on the Design of Vegetative Filter Strips. doi: 10.13031/2013.7397
• 1999 ASAE Paper - Design Guide for Vegetative Filter Strips Using VFSMOD-W. ResearchGate 

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Reports, Handbooks, & Manuals

• OECD. 2023. Report from the Survey of Exposure Assessment Models Used in a Regulatory Context. Series on Testing and Assessment No. 389. Environment Directorate, Chemicals And Biotechnology Committee, ENV/CBC/MONO(2023)38. OECD (Organisation For Economic Cooperation and Development). Paris. OECD
• July 2024 EPA-HQ-OPP-2024-0299-0006 " "Ecological Mitigation Support Document to Support Endangered Species Strategies", Version 1.0. Appendix F has “Use of the Vegetative Filter Strip Model to Estimate Vegetative Filter Strip Efficacy Using Event Base Assumptions”.
• 2024 European Commission, Compendium of conditions of use to reduce exposure and risk from plant protection products Report on Runoff Risk Mitigation. PAFF-PPL-March 2024-Doc.A.07.02. The EU Commission endorses VFSMOD for quantitative mitigation with vegetative filter strips of surface runoff pesticides in high-tier environmental assessments, preferred over fixed reduction coefficients. food.ec.europa.eu
• June 2023 Draft Technical Support for Runoff, Erosion, and Spray Drift Mitigation Practices to Protect Non-Target Plants and Wildlife. Office of Pesticide Programs Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), Washington, DC. Appendix D. "Use of the Vegetative Filter Strip Model to Estimate Vegetative Filter Strip Efficacy Using Event Based Assumptions" presents EPA use of the Vegetative Filter Strip Modeling System (VFSMOD v4.5.1) along with PWC (v2.001) and associated crop scenarios and weather files to evaluate reductions in pesticide mass for high runoff events (95th percentile for the weather file) specific to each Hydrologic Unit Code 2 (HUC2) region. Regulations.gov
• Ritter, Amy, Muñoz-Carpena, Rafael, Chen, H., Tang, Jane, Westgate, J., Henry, E., Wente, S., Guevara, M., Winchell, M., Luo, Y., Truman, C., Whiteside, M., & Seth Carley, D. (2023). VFSMOD Input Definitions, Literature References and Sensitivity Analyses for Evaluating Vegetative Filter Strips in Pesticide Risk Assessment. NC State Center of Excellence for Regulatory Science in Agriculture (CERSA). doi:10.5281/zenodo.7789811
• 2022 Report on Runoff Risk Mitigation Research Project from the German UBA (Federal Environment Agency) that concluded that VFS should be modeled mechanistically with VFSMOD in the context of pesticide regulatory approval process: How can risk reduction measures be included in the environmental risk assessment in the context of the approval procedures for plant protection products? (in German with extended English Summary, pg. 25-30). Umwelt Bundesamt
• 2021 EU Southern Member States Steering Committee (SMS SC) agreement on the use of the SWAN-VFSMOD package for the calculation of PECsw at EU SMS and zonal level for the application of authorization of plant protection products. EU SMC SC, 2021. Quantitative Mitigation of Surface Runoff Pesticides with Vegetative Filter Strips using VFSMOD. Document of the EU Southern Member States Steering Committee. May 12, 2021. Download
• 2021 Report by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s TMDL Program "Hammer Creek Headwaters Alternate Restoration Plan, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania". VFSMOD is used to estimate the sediment reduction effectiveness of precision-located tall-grass buffers in watershed restoration plans. Digital Elevation Models were analyzed using the TauDEM program in ArcGISPro to identify the most important drainageways for sediment transport in a watershed. The VFSMOD program was then used to estimate potential sediment reductions associated with putting tallgrass buffers along those drainageways. These analyses suggest that choosing the most important areas for buffer placement and providing realistic estimates of pollutant removal will be crucial for cost-effective watershed restoration. An example plan can be reviewed at the report. Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
• Report recommending VFSMOD for quantitative mitigation in EU: "MAgPIE- Mitigating the risks of plant protection products in the environment. Proceedings of the MAgPIE workshop" by Elix et al. (2013). From the two-part SETAC Workshop Mitigating the Risk of Plant Production Products in the Environment, 22–24 April 2013 Rome, Italy 13–15 November 2013 Madrid, Spain. Open Agrar
• H2O-Spot-Manager NRW is a new analysis and consulting tool that incorporates VFSMOD for targeted risk-reducing plant protection used in Nordrhein Westfalen, Germany. by J Strassemeyer, A Claus-Krupp, F Möhl, AR Dominic, B. Golla. 2018. doi: 10.13140/RG.2.2.26308.27521
• SYNOPS-WEB, a tool integrating SYNOPS-PRZM-VFSMOD, is developed and applied in Germany and in Norway to assess the risk from pesticides to surface water. See report "Adaptation of SYNOPS-WEB to assess environmental risk from pesticide use under realistic field conditions in Norway" by Dominic AR, Eklo OM, Stenrød M, Solbakken E, Lågbu R, Horney P, Daehmlow D, Strassemeyer J. 2017. doi: 10.5073/jki.poster.2017.002
• California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) adds VFSMOD to their regulatory pesticide risk analysis framework PREM to analyze mitigation of pyrethroids. "Modeling pyrethroid uses and conservation practices in agricultural areas of California" by Yuzhou Luo. 2017. Download
• White paper identifies VFSMOD for quantitative mitigation in pesticide risk analysis in Canada. "Vegetative buffers. A Report to the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Multi-stakeholder Forum (Mitigation Working Group) for Neonicotinoids" by PF. Hoekstra, C. Hannam. 2017.
• Report on the project to parameterize VFSMOD for EU FOCUS R1-R4 scenarios to underpin its application for regulatory purposes in Europe. Definition of Vegetative Filter Strip Scenarios for Europe by Brown, C., Balderacchi, M., van Beinum,W., Capri, E., Trevisan, M., Environment Department, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK, p. 71. 2012. ResearchGate
• Design guide for vegetative filter strips and riparian zones for reduction of stream water pollution from runoff agrochemicals in France (In French: "Guide de dimensionnement des zones tampons enherbées ou boisées pour réduire la contamination des cours d'eau par les produits phytosanitaires") by Carluer, N. A. Fontaine, C. Lauvernet, R. Muñoz-Carpena. 2011. Technical Report. Unité de recherche Milleux Aquatiques, Ecologie et Pollutions. CEMAGREF, Lyon, France. ResearchGate
• Short summary paper by the European Crop Protection Association (ECPA) on the current knowledge about the effectiveness of vegetative buffer strips for the mitigation of pesticide transport via surface-runoff from agricultural fields: "Vegetative Buffer Strips, a proven field Mitigation Measure to reduce pesticide runoff from agricultural fields".  2009. Download
• This Extension document "Managing the Water's Edge: Making Natural Connections" was developed by the So. Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission to communicate important and up-to-date information and concepts related to riparian buffers in order to help protect and restore water quality, wildlife, recreational opportunities , and scenic beauty. VFSMOD-W is proposed as a buffer design tool in pg. 20.  April 2, 2010. SEWRPC.org
• Report submitted by Crop Life America to USEPA: "A Review of Simulation Models for Evaluating the Effectiveness of Buffers in Reducing Pesticide Exposure" compared VFSMOD with other models for pesticide transport. May 15, 2009. Download
• VFSMOD-W is listed in USEPA Ch. 11: "Evaluate Options and Select Final Management Strategies" - "Other Models Available for Analysis of Management Practices" (pp. 11-16). Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect Our Waters. March 2008. USEPA
• Final Report - Evaluation and Implementation of BMPs for North Carolina DOT's Highway and Industrial Facilities. Wu and Allan (University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2006) found good comparison of highway runoff data with VFSMOD-W results in North Carolina. The model was used to assess the importance of soil, sediment and vegetation parameters to remove pollutants in roadways. NCDOT
• VFSMOD-W is discussed in the "Buffers and Vegetative Filter Strips" chapter (pp. 45-55) by M.J. Helmers et al. to assess nutrient losses to water resources in the Corn Belt, Iowa. Gulf Hypoxia and Local Water Quality Concerns Workshop. Iowa State University, Sept. 26-28, 2005.
• VFSMOD-W is used to obtain functional relationships for buffer design for the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Division of Soil and Water Conservation. Green Technology: The Delaware Urban Runoff Management Approach: A Technical Manual for Designing Nonstructural BMPs to Minimize Stormwater Citations from Land Development. January 2004. Report by W.C. Lucas.
• A linkage of VFSMOD-W with SWAT is proposed. Great Lakes Tributary Modeling Program: Status Report. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Great Lakes & Ohio River Division Cincinnati, Ohio.
• Bentrup, G.,M. Schoeneberger, M. Dosskey, and G. Wells (2004) of the USDA National Agroforestry Center, Lincoln, Nebraska, present a nomograph to estimate pollutant reduction based on VFSMOD-W simulations. Conservation Buffers: Planning and Design Principles - Draft Version Fall 2004.
• New Jersey Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual - February 2014. In its Chapter 9.10 "Standard for Vegetative Filters" contains VFSMOD-based nomographs for design of VFS that incorporate vegetation type, slope and length based on accepted sediment (TSS) removal for different vegetation classes. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Watershed Management, Trenton, NJ. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
• USDA-ARS uses VFSMOD-W for buffer optimization in the P-Index framework. Optimization of Buffer-Grass Criteria As Part of National P-Index Evaluation Using Vfsmod-W Model. USDA-ARS
• Project using VFSMOD-W for education on the effectiveness of vegetative filter strips in Iowa. Report for 2004IA63B: Vegetative Filter Education and Assessment in the State of Iowa.
• VFSMOD-W was used in a project to evaluate performance of vegetative filters to remove highway pollutants. Performance of Vegetative Filter Strips for Highway Pollutant Removal. Download
• USEPA lists VFSMOD-W in "Chapter 6: Management Measure for Vegetated Treatment Systems" as a model that can be used in determining vegetative filter lengths. National Management Measures to Protect and Restore Wetlands and Riparian Areas for the Abatement of Nonpoint Source Pollution.
• Reference to VFSMOD-W in USEPA report. Evaluation of Sediment Transport Models and Comparative Application of Two Watershed Models.
• Cited as a model for use in sizing VFS by USGS Report. Grass Buffers for Playas in Agricultural Landscapes: A Literature Synthesis.
• VFSMOD is used as the base tool for phosphorus modeling at the University of Guelph, Canada. Sediment-Removal Efficiency of Vegetative Filter Strips.
• Report with dataset on VFS and riparian buffers used in the original development and testing of VFSMOD. J.E. Parsons, R.B. Daniels, J.W. Gilliam and T.A. Dillaha. 1993. Reduction in Sediment and Chemical Load in Agricultural Field Runoff by Vegetative Filter Strips. Final Project Report. Proj. no. UNC-WRRI 286. N.C. Water Resources Research Institute. Raleigh, N.C. Download

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Web Pages and Tools

• NC State’s Center of Excellence for Regulatory Science (CERSA) hosted the First and Second North American VFS Pesticide Mitigation Symposiums and archives products and papers from those events and ensuing activities.
• Web GIS-Based VFSMOD-W System, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon, Republic of Korea.
• BUVARD tool, developed by IRSTEA (France) to help sizing VFS under French conditions based on VFSMOD simulations. On the "BUVARD online" version, there are lookup tables to select VFS mitigation efficiency factors based on a few parameters including the type of soil and the climate zone in France. On there We also have a "BUVARD complet" version, if the user has site-specific information to design the VFS, an R script guides the user through the construction of the VFSMOD files.

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Training & Other Efforts

• European Union's 2008 AIM: Advancing Intelligent Mitigation workshop in Brussels. Agenda - An ECPA workshop on managing potential diffuse contamination sources of plant protection products. The new pesticide component was presented by Garey Fox (Oklahoma State University) as a tool to inform activities in support of the new EU's Pesticide Directive - Understanding the Key Drivers for Effective Mitigation of Runoff with Vegetative Filter Strips. Download Report || Download Presentation
• VFSMOD-W Workshop - Taller de Modelacion Hidrologíca y Calidad del Agua. Universidad Autonoma de Chiapas (UNACH), México. November 3-4, 2008. Download
• Seminario de Doctorado: Introducción a la Evaluación de Modelos de Hidrología y Calidad de Agua y su Aplicación al Diseño de Filtros Vegetales para el Control de la Contaminación de la Escorrentía Superficial (VFSMOD-W Training Workshop at the Universidad Politéctica de Madrid). ETSI Agrónomos (Spain). July 2-6, 2007. Download

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PLACEHOLDER

North America Quantitative Mitigation of Pesticides

Web sites

NC State’s Center of Excellence for Regulatory Science (CERSA) hosted the First and Second North American VFS Pesticide Mitigation Symposiums and archives products and papers from those events and ensuing activities.

Workshops

2018 CERSA Workshop: Incorporating the Benefits of Vegetative Filter Strips into Risk Assessment and Risk Management of Pesticides. December 3-5, 2018. Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley, Raleigh, NC.

2020 CERSA Virtual Workshop: Incorporating the Benefits of Vegetative Filter Strips into Risk Assessment and Risk Management of Pesticides. September 8-10, 2020. CERSA North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.

Technical Report: VFSMOD Input Definitions, Literature References and Sensitivity Analyses for Evaluating Vegetative Filter Strips in Pesticide Risk Assessment

Ritter, Amy, Muñoz-Carpena, Rafael, Chen, H., Tang, Jane, Westgate, J., Henry, E., Wente, S., Guevara, M., Winchell, M., Luo, Y., Truman, C., Whiteside, M., & Seth Carley, D. (2023). VFSMOD Input Definitions, Literature References and Sensitivity Analyses for Evaluating Vegetative Filter Strips in Pesticide Risk Assessment. NC State Center of Excellence for Regulatory Science in Agriculture (CERSA). doi:10.5281/zenodo.7789811

Publications

Fox, G.A., R. Muñoz-Carpena, B. Brooks, T. Hall. 2021. Advancing surface water pesticide exposure assessments for ecosystem protection. Trans. ASABE 64(2): 377-387. (doi: 10.13031/trans.14225). doi:10.13031/trans.14225

Chen. H., D.S. Carley, R. Muñoz-Carpena, G. Ferruzzi, Y. Yuan, A. Blankinship, T.L. Veith, R. Breckels, G. Fox, Y. Luo, D. Osmond, H.E. Preisendanz, Z. Tang, K. Armbrust, K. Costello, L.L. McConnell, P. Rice, J. Westgate, M. Whiteside. 2024. Incorporating the benefits of vegetative filter strips into risk assessment and risk management of pesticides. Integr Environ Assess Manag (IEAM) 20(2):454–464. doi: 10.1002/ieam.4824.

EU SWAN Reports

Overview

• Slide Set (PDF)

Report 1: Continuous-simulation components for pesticide environmental assessment with VFSMOD: 1. VFS soil water dynamics between runoff events

• Muñoz-Carpena, R. (2025). Continuous-Simulation Components For Pesticide Environmental Assessment with VFSMOD: 1. Vegetative Filter Strip Soil Water Dynamics Between Runoff Events (0.7, 0.7, p. 37). Zenodo. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.19195499
• Computer program: THETAFAO v0.7 (11/2022) (ZIP)

Report 2: Continuous-simulation components for pesticide environmental assessment with VFSMOD: 2. Pesticide surface mass balance

• Report Document (v5, 03/2014) (PDF)
• VFSMOD v4.3.2 01/2016 With Pesticide Degradation (ZIP) (source code and windows executable with application case described in Report 2, 841215.prj). NOTE: please visit Software Updates for the latest VFSMOD version
• Excel Sheet With Application Case Detailed Calculations (.XLSX) (in/out VFSMOD files are included with the programs package in the link above)

Technical Note: Incoming triangular hydrograph from field for use in long-term PRZM/VFSMOD assessments

• Muñoz-Carpena, R. (2026). Technical Note - Incoming triangular hydrograph into vegetative filter stip for use in long-term PRZM/VFSMOD environmental risk assessments. Zenodo.  doi: 10.5281/zenodo.19360447