** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** WATER MANAGEMENT IN UNIRRIGATED HILL FARMING IS CHALLENGING BECAUSE FARMERS HAVE NO CONTROL OVER RAINFALL AND LIMITED CONTROL OF RUNOFF. RUNOFF NOT ONLY WASTES VALUABLE RESOURCES (SOIL EROSION AND NUTRIENTS), BUT ALSO ADVERSELY IMPACTS AGRICULTURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT; INCLUDING CAUSING SCARCITY OF WATER AND NUTRIENTS ON HILLTOPS, CREATING WATERLOGGED CONDITION IN HILL BOTTOMS, AND PROMOTING EUTROPHICATION OF DOWNSTREAM LAKES, STREAMS, AND ESTUARIES.OUR PRELIMINARY RESEARCH SHOWS THAT SELECTIVE APPLICATION OF BIOCHAR IS AN ECONOMICALLY VIABLE TECHNOLOGY TO MITIGATE THIS PROBLEM WHILE IMPROVING LONG-TERM SOIL HEALTH AND SEQUESTERING CARBON FOR CENTURIES. BIOCHAR INCREASED MOISTURE RETENTION AND PLANT AVAILABE WATER THROUGHOUT DRY SUMMER MONTHS ONTO MUCH WIDER THAN APPLICATION AREA. WE PROPOSE EXPANDING OUR PRELIMINARY FINDINGS INCORPORATING THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON A LARGER SCALE.THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS RESEARCH ARE:1. CHARACTERIZE BIOCHAR FROM COMMONLY AVAILABLE RAW MATERIALS INCLUDING DECIDUOUS TREE WOOD WASTE, DAIRY WASTE, AND OTHER FORESTRY/AGRICULTURAL PROCESSES FOR OPTIMUM IMPACTS ON HILL TOP AMENDMENT.2. DEVELOP A MORE ADVANCED HIGH RESOLUTION, FARM-SCALE MODELING TOOL THAT INCLUDES SNOWMELT, SLOPE ORIENTATION, SUBSURFACE HARD PANES, AND CLIMATE CHANGE FORECAST USING FALCON SUPERCOMPUTER.3. VALIDATE THE MODEL PREDICTIONS FOR MOISTURE, NUTRIENT RETENTION, RUNOFF, GROUNDWATER RECHARGE, AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES.4. DEVELOP A SOFTWARE PLUGIN (APP) FOR FARMERS TO USE THE MODEL.THIS PROPOSAL ADDRESSES FUNDING PRIORITIES A1551 BY DEVELOPING A NOVEL ENGINEERING TOOL THAT USES COMPLEX COMPUTATIONAL METHODS FOR SITE-SPECIFIC MANAGEMENT. USE OF THIS TOOL WILL INCREASE CROP PRODUCTIVITY, REDUCES GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, AND IMPROVES THE LONG-TERM SOIL HEALTH.