Evapotranspiration Model for Semiarid Regions
Publication: Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 111, Issue 4
Abstract
The Thornthwaite method for calculating evapotranspiration (ET) as used in the water management model, DRAINMOD, is modified for semi‐arid conditions since for such conditions the existing method had underestimated the average monthly ET rate by about 50%. The following three modifications are proposed: (1) The constant in the Thornthwaite general equation is increased depending upon the min‐max range of the annual mean air temperature wave; (2) the daylight hours wave is shifted by 45 days and brought parallel to the mean air temperature wave. This shift is made in order to account for the heat energy of the atmosphere surrounding the plants; and (3) actual evapotranspiration (AET) is not equated to zero during irrigation. The AET was measured in a drip irrigated banana field with lysimeters. The simulated monthly adjusted values of AET give satisfactory estimates with an average error of within ±10% when compared to that of the lysimeter data.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Baily, H. P., and Johnson, C. W., “Potential Evapotranspiration in Relation to Annual Wave of Temperature,” Papers on Evapotranspiration and the Climatic Water Balance, John R. Mather, Ed., Climatology, C. W. Thornthwaite Associates, Vol. XXV(2), 1972, pp. 4–12.
2.
Chang, A. C., Skaggs, R. W., Hermsmeier, L. F., and Johnston, W. R., “Evaluation of Water Management Model for Irrigated Agriculture,” Transactions, ASAE, Vol. 26, No. 2, 1983, pp. 412–418.
3.
Israeli, Y., Personal Communication, Jordan Valley Experimental Station, Zemach, Jordan Valley, Israel, 1983.
4.
Jain, P. K., “Drainage of Irrigated Lands with Nonuniform Boundary Conditions—Field Observation and Computer Simulation,” thesis presented to Technion, at Haifa, Israel, in 1984, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Science.
5.
Jensen, M. E., “Consumptive Use of Water and Irrigation Water Requirements,” ASCE, 1973.
6.
Manes, A., Teitelman, A., and Fruehling, I., “Solar Radiation and Radiation Balance at the Central Meteorological Institute, Bet‐Dagan,” Ministry of Transport, Israel Meteorological Service Research Division, Series A (Meteorological Notes) No. 25, 1970.
7.
Pelton, W. L., King, K. M., and Tanner, C. B., “An Evaluation of the Thornthwaite and Mean Temperature Methods for Determining Potential Evapotranspiration,” Agron. J., Vol. 52, 1960, pp. 387–395.
8.
Schweitzer, S., “A Representative Average Weather Year for Israel's Coastal Plain Based on 1967–76 Data at Bet‐Dagan (Lat. 32° 00′),” Report No. 3‐78, Agricultural Research Organization, Institute of Agricultural Engineering, P.O. Box 6, Bet‐Dagan, Israel, 1978.
9.
Sinai, G., Jain, P. K., and Wollman, S., “A Field Study for Verification of DRAINMOD (Degania‐Alef Banana Field),” Publ. No. 336, Research Report Project No. I‐46‐79, Israel‐USA Binational Agricultural R&D (BARD), Faculty of Agric. Eng., Technion, Haifa, Israel, 1983.
10.
Sinai, G., Skaggs, R. W., and van Schilfgaarde, J., “Water Management Model for Drainage of Irrigated Lands in Semi‐Arid Zones,” Final Report to BARD Research Project No. I‐46‐79, Bet‐Dagan, Israel, 1983.
11.
Skaggs, R. W., “A Water Management Model for Shallow Water Table Soils,” Technical Report No. 134, Water Resources Research Institute of the University of North Carolina, North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC, 1978.
12.
Skaggs, R. W., “A Water Management Model for Artificially Drained Soils,” Tech. Bul. No. 267, North Carolina Agricultural Research Service, July, 1980.
13.
Skaggs, R. W., “Field Evaluation of a Water Management Simulation Model,” Transactions, ASAE, Vol. 25, No. 3, 1982, pp. 666–674.
14.
Skaggs, R. W., Fausey, N. R., and Nolte, B. H., “Water Management Model Evaluation for North Central Ohio,” ASAE Paer No. 79‐2070, presented at the 1979 Summer Meeting of the ASAE, Winnipeg, Canada, 1979.
15.
Thornthwaite, C. W., “An Approach Toward a Rational Classification of Climate,” Geog. Rev., Vol. 38, 1948, pp. 55–94.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 111 • Issue 4 • December 1985
Pages: 369 - 379
Copyright
Copyright © 1985 ASCE.
History
Published online: Dec 1, 1985
Published in print: Dec 1985
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.