AGRICULTURAL REGIONS WITH CONNECTED GROUNDWATER-SURFACE WATER RESOURCES PROVIDE CRUCIAL ECOSYSTEM SERVICES INCLUDING GROUNDWATER TO SUPPORT IRRIGATED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND STREAMFLOW TO SUPPORT RECREATION AND HABITAT FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE. ECOSYSTEM MODELS, WHICH PROVIDE DECISION-SUPPORT SYSTEMS (DSS) FOR POLICY AND MANAGEMENT, ARE OFTEN DEVELOPED TO INFORM MANAGEMENT IN THESE BASINS. HOWEVER, LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT HOW AND TO WHAT EXTENT DSS INFLUENCE DECISION-MAKING TO SUSTAIN ECOSYSTEM SERVICES IN THESE MANAGED AGROECOSYSTEMS. IN THIS SEED PROJECT, WE WILL CONNECT REFINED MODELS OF GROUNDWATER-SURFACE WATER ECOSYSTEM SERVICES PROVISION WITH RESEARCH ON THE HUMAN DIMENSIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL DECISION-MAKING TO ADDRESS FUNDAMENTAL GAPS BETWEEN FOUNDATIONAL AND APPLIED SCIENCE AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DSS CREATORS. OUR CASE STUDY REGION IN KANSAS HAS STREAMS AFFECTED BY GROUNDWATER WITHDRAWALS AND EXTENSIVE IRRIGATED ROW CROP AGRICULTURE, PROVIDING THE CONTEXT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CONNECTION BETWEEN ECOSYSTEM HEALTH AND SUSTAINABILITY (A1451 PROGRAM AREA PRIORITIES). OUR RESEARCH OBJECTIVES AND METHODS ARE: (1) MODEL ECOSYSTEM SERVICE OUTCOMES UNDER DIFFERENT MANAGEMENT AND CLIMATE SCENARIOS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE RESPONSE OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES TO LOCAL AND GLOBAL CHANGE; (2) DESCRIBE AND COMPARE THE MENTAL MODELS (CONCEPTUAL REPRESENTATIONS OF AN OBJECT OR TOOL) OF DSS CREATORS AND USERS THROUGH SOCIOLOGICAL INTERVIEWS; (3) DEVELOP A FRAMEWORK LINKING MENTAL MODELS TO DSS PROCESSES AND OUTPUTS, WHICH WILL INFORM A) DISSEMINATION OF BEST PRACTICES FOR DSS CREATORS AND B) A NIFA AFRI STANDARD PROPOSAL. WE WILL WORK WITH AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMPOSED OF AGENCIES, AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS, AND DSS CREATORS TO ENSURE USEFUL AND USABLE PROJECT OUTPUTS AND OUTCOMES.