The FieldDoc Models Webinar provides an in-depth overview of how environmental practitioners can leverage FieldDoc's modeling tools to estimate and communicate the environmental benefits of their restoration and conservation activities.

The session highlights the role of standardized models, such as the Adapted CAST Model, Stream Restoration Protocols, and Stormwater Performance Standards, in providing science-based, transparent, and consistent calculations for nutrient and sediment reductions.

Participants are guided through the process of activating models within FieldDoc, including preparing activity records, understanding data inputs, and utilizing results for reporting and strategic planning. The webinar emphasizes the flexibility of FieldDoc 2.0, enabling users to independently activate and troubleshoot models, while also underscoring the importance of aligning modeled outputs with funding requirements and broader environmental goals. Future developments and enhanced API integrations promise to expand accessibility and support for users across diverse geographies and activity types.

Recap & Keep Learning!

A model is a simplified representation of a real-world system or scenario used to understand, predict, or analyze outcomes. In the context of environmental modeling—like the Chesapeake Assessment Scenario Tool (CAST)—models simulate how various factors (e.g., land use, weather, human activities) and interventions on the landscape interact to impact environmental conditions, such as nutrient and sediment levels in water bodies.

While models are valuable tools, they inherently lack precision. Models are meant to guide users to answer complex environmental questions but are not an authoritative source of truth.

Benefits of models

Models in environmental restoration and conservation provide science-based, standardized estimates to help practitioners understand and communicate the anticipated environmental benefits of their activities. They offer consistency across projects, organizations, and funding programs, enabling clear comparisons and data-driven decision-making. By using robust, peer-reviewed calculations, models estimate reductions in key pollutants like nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment, supporting more effective resource allocation and demonstrating measurable progress toward environmental goals.

FieldDoc streamlines the modeling process with user-friendly tools that make complex calculations accessible to users of all skill levels. Results are delivered in clear, actionable formats, empowering users to track their progress, meet reporting requirements, and share impactful stories with funders and stakeholders. While models are not perfect predictors, they serve as essential tools for guiding decisions, aligning efforts across scales, and driving meaningful environmental outcomes.

🌱 Learn more: What are Models?

How to activate models

Activating models in FieldDoc begins with preparing your activity records. Users must define the activity type, location, and extent (e.g., implementation footprint, drainage area, or animal units) to ensure accurate calculations. Once these details are in place, users can activate models manually— a significant shift from earlier versions where models were automatically enabled. This update provides users with greater autonomy and transparency, allowing them to troubleshoot issues directly if a model cannot calculate results.

The activation process also includes selecting the appropriate model, such as the Adapted CAST Model or Stream Restoration Protocols, and entering the necessary data inputs based on clear, step-by-step guidance provided within the system. This structured approach ensures users can effectively generate accurate, meaningful environmental benefit estimates while maintaining flexibility for internal planning and strategic goal-setting.

🌱 Learn more : Modeled Metrics

Tips to using models

Missing land-river segment?

For models with a geographic component, it's essential to attach a geometry to the activity record for the model calculations to work properly. However, even with a geometry in place, you might encounter an error or receive a null value if the geometry is located outside a valid land-river segment or HUC12 associated with the selected Activity Type.

Check the associated model

When selecting the Activity Type to associate with your Activity record, pause and check the attached model.

Read activity type description and unit type for more guidance

Each activity type has a description that may provide details on how to delineate the activity footprint or provide other guidance in regards to when to select the option or how to configure inputs to activate the model. Also check the Unit Type to confirm that you are entering the correct value.

Do not re-use ‘old’ records

Records can become 'stale' over time. When updates are made to models, attempting to re-run outdated records may result in errors. The best practice is to delete old records that are not associated with an existing compliance requirement such as a grant agreement—especially those that are several years out of date—and start fresh to ensure accurate results and avoid calculation issues.

Reporting load reductions

The estimated sediment and load reduction data generated in FieldDoc are not reported to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Jurisdictions via NEIEN. FieldDoc has a NEIEN reporting module that is used to configure your activity records to report to states for compilation and reporting to the NEIEN warehouse using the authoritative CAST models.

🌱 Learn more: NEIEN

Adapted CAST Model Isolation Scenario Tables

One of the major models supported in FieldDoc is the Chesapeake Assessment Scenario Tool (CAST) Isolation Tables. These are specialized datasets used to isolate and quantify the pollutant reduction impacts of individual Best Management Practices (BMPs) within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. These tables are part of the Chesapeake Bay Program’s CAST tool, and designed to estimate the impact of various conservation and restoration practices on nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) and sediment pollution levels in the Chesapeake Bay.

The Commons relies on and works closely with the Chesapeake Bay Programs CAST Team to
ensure all BMP Isolation Scenario tables are aligned and congruent with the latest public release
provided by Bay Program Modeling partners.

The expert panels behind these isolation tables are constantly revising and refining their work. So we work with the CAST modeling team to update tables and maintain consistency with BMP types.

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FieldDoc is not a credit calculator

These are practice specific estimates and are not meant to concretely align with CAST. The Bay Program and CAST are the primary leads for assigning crediting to practices for the Chesapeake Bay TMDL. FieldDoc provides a helpful analytic but the nutrient and sediment load reductions we calculate are only a guiding analytic and not a credit.

🌱 Learn more: Adapted Chesapeake Nutrient and Sediment Load Reduction Model

Stream Restoration

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) plays a key role in implementing and overseeing the stream restoration protocol calculators. The calculators for all five protocols are closely aligned with the Chesapeake Stormwater Network (CSN) Stream Restoration Protocols, which provide standardized guidelines for calculating the environmental benefits of stream restoration activities, such as nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) and sediment reductions.

FieldDoc currently supports five protocols. The protocols, input fields, and calculations are based off of CSN's published research and shift year to year as the science evolves.

Supported Protocols are:

• Protocol 1. Prevented Sediment
• Protocol 2. Denitrification in the hyporheic zone
• Protocol 3. Floodplain reconnection
• Protocol 4. Stormwater performance standard
• Protocol 5. Outfall and gully stabilization