BACKGROUND: Best management practices are often implemented to control nonpoint source pollutants. Best management practices need to be simulated and analyzed for effective Best management practices implementations. Filter strip is one of effective Best management practices in agricultural areas. METHODS AND RESULTS: Soil and Water Assessment Tool model was selected to explore the effectiveness of filter strip to control total phosphorous in Golji watershed. Soil and Water Assessment Tool model was calibrated for flow and total phosphorous by Sequential Uncertainty Fittin ver.2 algorithm provided in Soil and Water Assessment Tool-Calibration and Uncertainty Procedures. Three scenarios defined by filter strip width were applied. The filter strip width of 5 m was able to reduce the most amount of total phosphorous. In other words, the total phosphorous reduction by filter strip of 5 m was 28.0%, while the reduction was 17.5% by filter strip of 1 m. However, the reduction per unit filter strip width were 17.4%, 8.0%, and 4.5% for 1 m, 3 m, and 5 m of filter strips, respectively. CONCLUSION: Best management practices need to be simulated and analyzed so that the BMP scenario can be cost-effective. A large size of BMP might be able to control large amount of pollutants, however it would not be indicated as a cost-effective strategy.