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Evapotranspiration (4) : ET Measurements

Lysimeters allow measurement of actual evapotranspiration (AET) and potential evapotranspiration (PET) by monitoring changes in soil moisture and water balance in an isolated soil block. Weighing lysimeters directly measure changes in water storage to determine AET and PET, while draining lysimeters isolate the soil block but can only measure water inputs and outputs. Evaporation pans are used to provide estimates of PET by monitoring water volume changes, and pan size affects evaporation rates, which must be accounted for using empirical equations. Plot and catchment studies also use water balance approaches at larger spatial scales to estimate evaporation.

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33 views11 pages

Evapotranspiration (4) : ET Measurements

Lysimeters allow measurement of actual evapotranspiration (AET) and potential evapotranspiration (PET) by monitoring changes in soil moisture and water balance in an isolated soil block. Weighing lysimeters directly measure changes in water storage to determine AET and PET, while draining lysimeters isolate the soil block but can only measure water inputs and outputs. Evaporation pans are used to provide estimates of PET by monitoring water volume changes, and pan size affects evaporation rates, which must be accounted for using empirical equations. Plot and catchment studies also use water balance approaches at larger spatial scales to estimate evaporation.

Uploaded by

Mohan guttal
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Lecture 11

Evapotranspiration (4)
ET Measurements
• Lysimeters
• Evaporation Pans
• Pan size effects
Lysimeter
• Allow determination of
water balance of a block of
soil

• Maintain wet soil to


measure PET

• Allow soil moisture to


fluctuate to measure AET
 

http://lawr.ucdavis.edu/classes/ hyd143/hyd143week2.html
Weighing
Lysimeters
• Use a balance to assess
changes in storage

•Small lysimeters can be


removed and weighed

•Measure both PET and AET

http://www.kfa-juelich.de/icg/icg5/irapic/einlasse.jpg
Draining Lysimeters
• Soil block is
isolated but must
be undisturbed and
in the same
surroundings
 
• Can’t measure
change in storage,
only inputs and
outputs

http://www.l-sadwrn.dircon.co.uk/ lysim.html
Evaporation Pan (US Class A)
standard of the National Weather Service (NWS)

http://www.fao.org/docrep/S2022E/s2022e07.htm
Sunken Colorado Pan

http://www.fao.org/docrep/S2022E/s2022e07.htm
Evaporation Pans
Solve a simplified water-balance equation for a given period (t):

E = W – (V2 – V1)

E = Evaporation
W = Precipitation during t
V1 = Volume at beginning of t
V2 = Volume at end of t
 
Estimating the Effect of Pan Size
Empirical equations to account for energy exchange through the side the
pan, in order to estimate free water evaporation:
 0.88

E fw  0.7 E pan  0.00064P pan   0.37  0.00255v pan   Tspan  Ta

+ when Tspan > Ta


- when Tspan < Ta
 
Efw = Evaporation from free-water surface
Epan = Pan evaporation
P = Atmospheric pressure (mb)
vpan = Avg. wind speed 15 cm above pan (km/day)
Tspan = Water-surface temperature (C)
Ta = Air temperature (C)
pan
 pan  
 0.34  0.0117Tspan  3.5 10 7  Tspan  17.8  0.0135v 0pan
= Proportion of energy lost to evaporation 3 .36

Kohler et al. (1955)


Evaporation Pans
• Free-water evaporation
• Expose a cylindrical (or rectangular) pan of water to the atmosphere

• Provide estimates of potential evapotranspiration (PET) – can be more


accurate than formulae

• Must be related to vegetation canopies using other methods


(coefficients etc.)

• Precipitation is measured in an adjacent rain gauge

• Pan volume is measured by recording water height (which is


maintained by adding or removing measured amounts of water)

• Pans can be placed on land in clearings or on floating platforms on


open water and usually surrounded by fences
Plot Studies
• Water balance approach applied to small undisturbed plots of land

• Analogous to small lake for simple evaporation

• Must select suitable sites where inputs/outputs can be measured

• Spatial uncertainty increases with size of plot

• Artificial rain (sprinklers) can be used to assess PET

• Soil moisture assessed by spot sampling and measurement by:


Gravimetric methods
Soil block moisture
Neutron probe
Time domain reflectometry
Catchment Studies
•Water balance of entire drainage basin

•Even greater spatial uncertainties


  Variable precipitation, soil water capacity
Ground water seepage
 
•Better for long term estimates
On a yearly basis, change in storage is approx. zero

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