Dr. Jeffery Arnold, research leader of the Grassland Soil and Water Research Laboratory of U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service in Temple, was recently recognized as Purdue University’s 2008 Distinguished Agricultural Alumni. This title is given to individuals in recognition of outstanding accomplishments and significant contributions to their profession and society. Arnold earned a doctorate degree from Purdue University’s Agriculture and Biological Engineering department in 1992. As a Purdue doctoral student, he worked to develop the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT).

Arnold has published more than 235 articles and chapters and has reported at nearly 50 national and international meetings. In the United States, his work plays a key role in USDA’s conservation policy and the Environmental Protection Agency’s environmental policy.

This article was reprinted with permission of the Texas Water Resources Institute