Margaret Kalcic
Position title: Associate Professor
Email: mkalcic@wisc.edu
Website: Kalcic Lab
Address:
227 Agricultural Engineering Building
460 Henry Mall
Madison, WI 53706

Website – https://kalciclab.wiscweb.wisc.edu/
Program Affiliations
Biological Systems Engineering
Dairy Innovation Hub
Education and Certificates
- B.S. 2008 – General Engineering with a Concentration in Bioengineering, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering
- M.S. 2010 – Ecological Sciences and Engineering, Purdue University
- Ph.D. 2013 – Ecological Sciences and Engineering, Purdue University
Fields of Interest
- Agricultural hydrology
- Water quality modeling
- Agricultural conservation
- Geospatial analysis
- Interdisciplinary research on watershed management
Publications
(†students advised, ‡postdocs advised)
- Brooker, M.; D’Ambrosio, J.; Jones, M.; Kalcic, M.; King, K.; LaBarge, G.; Panchalingham, T.; Roe, B.; Schwab†, E.; Soldo, C.; Stoltzfus, N.; Wilson, R.; Winston, R.; Martin, J. (2021). A public-private partnership to locate fields for implementation and monitoring of best management practices to treat legacy phosphorus. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. doi: 10.3389/fsufs.2021.742817.
- Schwab†, E.; Kalcic, M.; Wilson, R. (2021). Assessing the accuracy of famers’ nutrient loss risk perceptions. Environmental Management, 68, 539–552. doi: 10.1007/s00267-021-01519-1.
- Kast, J.; Kalcic, M.; Wilson, R.; Jackson-Smith, D.; Breyfogle, N.; Martin, J. (2021). Evaluating the Efficacy of Targeting Options for Conservation Practice Adoption on Watershed-Scale Phosphorus Reductions. Water Research, 201, 117375. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2021.117375.
- Schwab†, E.; Wilson, R.; Kalcic, M. (2021). Exploring the mechanisms behind farmers’ perceptions of nutrient loss risk. Agriculture and Human Values, 38, 839–850. doi:10.1007/s10460-021-10196-z.
- Martin, J; Kalcic, M.; Aloysius, N.; Apostel†, A.; Brooker, M.; Evenson†‡, G.; Kast, J.; Kujawa†, H.; Murumkar‡, A.; Becker, R.; Boles, C.; Confesor, R.; Dagnew, A.; Guo, T.; Long, C.; Muenich, R.; Scavia, D.; Redder, T.; Robertson, D.; Wang, Y. (In Press). Evaluating management options to reduce Lake Erie algal blooms using an ensemble of watershed models. Journal of Environmental Management. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111710
- Evenson†‡, G.; Kalcic, M.; Wang, Y.; Robertson, D.; Scavia, D.; Martin, J.; Apostel†, A.; Aloysius, N.; Kast, J.; Kujawa†, H.; Boles, C.; Redder, T.; Confesor, C.; Guo, T.; Muenich, R.; Dagnew, A.; Murumkar‡, A.; Brooker, M. (In Press). Uncertainty in critical source area predictions from watershed-scale hydrologic models. Journal of Environmental Management. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111506
- Apostel†, A.; Kalcic, M.; Dagnew, A.; Evenson†‡, G.; Kast, J.; King, K; Martin, J.; Muenich, R.L.; Scavia, D. (In Press). Simulating internal watershed processes using multiple SWAT models. Science of the Total Environment, 143920. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143920
- Scavia, D.; Wang, Y.C.; Obenour, D.R.; Apostel, A.; Basile, S.J.; Kalcic, M.M; Kirchhoff, C.J.; Miralha, L.; Muenich, R.L.; Steiner, A.L. (In Press). Quantifying uncertainty cascading from climate, watershed, and lake models in harmful algal bloom predictions. Science of the Total Environment. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143487
- Miralha, L.; Muenich, R.L.; Scavia, D.; Wells, K.; Steiner, A.L.; Kalcic, M.; Apostel†, A.; Basile, S.; Kirchhoff, C.J. (In Press). Bias correction of climate model outputs influences watershed model nutrient load predictions. Science of the Total Environment. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143039
- Liu, H.; Zhang, W.; Irwin, E.; Kast, J.; Aloysius, N.; Martin, J.; Kalcic, M. Best Management Practices and Nutrient Reduction: An Integrated Economic-Hydrologic Model of the Western Lake Erie Basin. (In Press). Land Economics.
- Shedekar‡, V.; King, K.; Fausey, N.R.; Islam, R.R.; Soboyejo, A.B.O.; Kalcic, M.; Brown, L.C. (2021). Exploring the effectiveness of drainage water management on water budgets and nitrate loss using three evaluation approaches. Agricultural Water Management, 243. doi: 10.1016/j.agwat.2020.106501
- Kast, J.; Apostel†, A.; Kalcic, M.; Muenich, R.; Dagnew, A.; Long, C.; Evenson†‡, G.; Martin, J. (2021). Source contribution to phosphorus loads from the Maumee River watershed to Lake Erie. Journal of Environmental Management, 279, 111803. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111803
- Yuan, S.; Quiring, S.M.; Kalcic, M. M.; Apostel†, A.; Evenson†‡, G.; Kujawa†, H. (2020). Optimizing climate model selection for hydrological modeling: a case study in the Maumee River Basin using the SWAT. Journal of Hydrology. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2020.125064
- Shedekar‡, V.; Penn, C.; Pease, L.; King, K.; Kalcic, M.; Livingston, S. (2020). Performance of a ditch-style phosphorus removal structure for treating agricultural drainage water with aluminum-treated steel slag. Water, 12. doi:10.3390/w12082149
- Kujawa†, H.A.; Kalcic, M.; Martin, J.; Aloysius, N.; Apostel†, A.; Kast, J.; Murumkar‡, A.; Evenson†‡, G;, Becker, R.; Boles, C.; Confesor, R.; Dagnew, A;, Guo, T.; Muenich, R.; Redder, T.; Scavia, D.; Wang, Y. (2020). The hydrologic model as a source of nutrient loading uncertainty in a future climate. Science of the Total Environment. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138004.
- Zimnicki, T..; Boring, T.; Evenson†‡, G., Kalcic, M.; Karlen, D., Wilson, R., Zhang, Y., Blesh, J. (2020). On Quantifying Water Quality Benefits of Healthy Soils. BioScience, 70 (4). 343-352. doi:10.1093/biosci/biaa011
- Kast, J.; Long, C.; Muenich, R.; Martin, J.; Kalcic, M. (2019). Manure Management at Ohio Confined Animal Feeding Facilities in the Maumee River Watershed. Journal of Great Lakes Research, 45 (6), 1162-1170. doi:10.1016/j.jglr.2019.09.015
- Dagnew, A.; Scavia, D.; Wang, Y.; Muenich, R.; Long, C.; Kalcic, M. (2019). Modeling Flow, Nutrient, and Sediment Delivery from a Large International Watershed Using a Field-Scale SWAT Model. Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 55 (5) 1288-1305. doi:10.1111/1752-1688.12779
- Carmen Lemos, M.; Wolske, K. S.; Rasmussen, L.V.; Arnott, J.; Kalcic, M.; Kirchhoff, C.J. (2019) The closer, the better? Untangling scientist-practitioner engagement, interaction, and knowledge use. Weather, Climate and Society, 11, 535-548. DOI:.10.1175/WCAS-D-18-0075.1
- Kalcic, M.; Muenich, R.L.; Basile, S.; Steiner, A.; Kirchhoff, C.; Scavia, D. (2019). Climate Change and Nutrient Loading in the Western Lake Erie Basin: Warming Can Counteract a Wetter Future. Environmental Science and Technology, 53 (13), 7543-7550. doi:10.1021/acs.est.9b01274
- Dagnew, A.; Scavia, D.; Wang, Y.; Muenich, R.; Kalcic, M. (2019). Modeling phosphorus reduction strategies from the international St. Clair-Detroit River system watershed. Journal of Great Lakes Research, 45 (4), 742-751. doi:10.1016/j.jglr.2019.04.005
- Xu, X.; Wang, Y.C.; Kalcic, M.; Muenich, R.L.; Yang, Y.C.E.; Scavia, D. (2019). Evaluating the impact of climate change on fluvial flood risk in a mixed-use watershed. Environmental Modelling and Software, 122. doi:10.1016/j.envsoft.2017.07.013
- Del Giudice, D.; Muenich, R.L.; Kalcic, M.M.; Bosch, N.S.; Scavia, D.; Michalak, A.M. (2018). On the practical usefulness of least squares for assessing uncertainty in hydrologic and water quality predictions. Environmental Modelling and Software, 105, 286-295. doi:10.1016/j.envsoft.2018.03.009
- Long, C.M.; Muenich, R.L.; Kalcic, M.M.; Scavia, D. (2018). Use of manure nutrients from concentrated animal feeding operations. Journal of Great Lakes Research, 44 (2), 245-252. doi:10.1016/j.jglr.2018.01.006
- Kalcic, M.; Crumpton, W.; Liu, X.; D’Ambrosio, J.; Ward, A.; Witter, J. (2018). Assessment of beyond-the-field nutrient management practices for agricultural crop systems with subsurface drainage. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 73 (1), 62-74. doi:10.2489/jswc.73.1.62
- Scavia, D.; Kalcic, M.; Muenich, R.L.; Read, J.; Aloysius, N.; Bertani, I.; Boles, C.; Confesor, R.; DePinto, J.; Gildow, M.; Martin, J.; Redder, T.; Robertson, D.; Sowa, S.; Wang, Y.*, Yen, H. (2017). Multiple models guide strategies for agricultural nutrient reductions. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 15 (3), 126-132. doi:10.1002/fee.1472
- Cheng, C.; Tsai, J.Y.; Yang, Y.C.E.; Esselman, R.; Kalcic, M.; Xu, X.; Mohai, P. (2017). Risk communication and climate justice planning: A case of Michigan’s Huron River watershed. Urban Planning, 2 (4), 34-50. doi:10.17645/up.v2i4.1045
- Muenich, R.L.; Kalcic, M.; Winsten, J.; Fisher, K.; Day, M.; O’Neil, G.; Wang, Y.; Scavia, D. (2017). Pay-for-performance conservation using SWAT highlights need for field-level agricultural conservation. Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, 60 (6), 1925-1937. doi:10.13031/trans.12379
- Kalcic, M.; Kirchhoff, C.; Bosch, N.; Muenich, R.L.; Murray, M.; Griffith Gardner, J.; Scavia, D. (2016). Engaging Stakeholders to Define Feasible and Desirable Agricultural Conservation in Western Lake Erie Watersheds. Environmental Science and Technology, 50 (15), 8135-8145. doi:10.1021/acs.est.6b01420
- Muenich, R.L.; Kalcic, M.; Scavia, D. (2016). Evaluating the Impact of Legacy P and Agricultural Conservation Practices on Nutrient Loads from the Maumee River Watershed. Environmental Science and Technology, 50 (15), 8146-8154. doi:10.1021/acs.est.6b01421
- Kalcic, M.M.; Frankenberger, J.; Chaubey, I. (2015). Spatial Optimization of Six Conservation Practices Using SWAT in Tile-Drained Agricultural Watersheds. Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 51 (4), 956-972. doi:10.1111/1752-1688.12338
- Kalcic, M.M.; Frankenberger, J.; Chaubey, I.; Prokopy, L.; Bowling, L. (2015). Adaptive Targeting: Engaging Farmers to Improve Targeting and Adoption of Agricultural Conservation Practices. Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 51 (4), 973-991. doi:10.1111/1752-1688.12336
- Kalcic, M.M.; Chaubey, I.; Frankenberger, J. (2015). Defining Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrologic response units (HRUs) by field boundaries. International Journal of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, 8 (3), 69-80. doi:10.3965/j.ijabe.20150803.951
- Logsdon, R.A.; Kalcic, M.M.; Trybula, E.M.; Chaubey, I.; Frankenberger, J.R. (2015). Ecosystem services and Indiana agriculture: Farmers and conservationists perceptions. International Journal of Biodiversity Science, Ecosystems Services and Management, 11 (3), 264-282. doi:10.1080/21513732.2014.998711
- Kalcic, M.; Prokopy, L.; Frankenberger, J.; Chaubey, I. (2014). An In-depth Examination of Farmers’ Perceptions of Targeting Conservation Practices. Environmental Management, 54 (4), 795-813. doi:10.1007/s00267-014-0342-7
- Kalcic, M.; Chaubey, I.; Frankenberger, J.; Kladivko, E. (2012). A geospatial approach to targeting constructed wetlands for nitrate removal in agricultural watersheds. Applied Engineering in Agriculture, 28 (3), 347-357
Expertise Summary
The overall aim of my research and outreach program is to increase the adoption of effective agricultural conservation measures to protect water quality and the environment. I work closely with community partners to fine-tune hydrology and water quality models, conduct edge-of-field monitoring, and investigate the human dimensions of land and water management to address key water quality issues.