CEE 261

Watershed and Wetlands Hydrology

May 20, 2002

Evapotranspiration in Wetlands
Florida Marshes and Cypress Strands

Evaporation
Net flux to vapor phase
Evaporative flux, E, [mm day-1]
Latent heat of vaporization,
, [J kg-1]

Vapor pressure, e
Saturation vapor pressure e s = e s(T , solutes), [kPa]
Saturation vapor pressure gradient = de s/ dT, [kPa C-1]
Relative humidity RH = e/ e s, [-]

Evaporation
Requirements
Water
Energy
F Solar radiation (net), R n, [MJ m-2 day-1]
F Sensible heat transfer from air, H, [MJ m-2 day-1]

Vapor pressure gradient in the atmosphere

F Molecular diffusion
F Turbulent mixing (diffusion)

Evaporative surfaces
Free water (puddles, lakes, reservoirs)
Snow
Soil
Plants (transpiration)

Transpiration
Stomatal
resistance

Surface resistance, rs [s m-1]

Stomatal resistance of the entire canopy
Units coefficient
Vapor flux

E=

k[ es e ]
rs

Transpiration
Water flux through a plant is controlled by:
Atmospheric conditions (energy flux, vapor pressure
gradient)
Surface resistance
Plant and root structure
Soil water movement/availability

Evapotranspiration
Because in practice it is extremely difficult to
measure separately the evaporation from plant
surfaces and the evaporation from the soil
surface, puddles, ditches, etc. surrounding the
plant, we commonly lump all of the evaporative
surfaces and adopt the terminology
evapotranspiration or ET
Sometimes called consumptive use

Standard Evaporation Rates

Potential Evaporation, E0, [mm day-1]
The quantity of water evaporated per unit area per unit time
from an idealized, extensive free water surface under existing
atmospheric conditions

Reference Crop Evaporation, Erc (ET0), [mm day-1]

The rate of evaporation from an idealized grass crop with a
fixed crop height of 0.12 m, an albedo of 0.23, and a surface
resistance of 69 sec/m

Measuring/Estimating Evaporation
Liquid water loss
Vapor/energy flow in the atmosphere

Measuring/Estimating Evaporation
Liquid water loss
Evaporation pans
F Pan coefficients

Anemometer

Stilling well

Rain gage

Measuring/Estimating Evaporation
Liquid water loss
Lake and watershed water balances
Soil moisture depletion
Lysimeters

Plant physiological techniques

Measuring/Estimating Evaporation
Vapor/energy flow in the atmosphere
Aerodynamic methods
Eddy correlation measurements
Energy balance methods

CIMIS ET station

Energy Budgets and Evaporation

Control Volume
wE

Rn = net incoming radiant energy, [MJ m-2 day-1]

H = outgoing sensible heat flux, [MJ m-2 day-1]
wE = outgoing energy as evaporation, [MJ m-2 day-1]
= latent heat of vaporization, [MJ kg-1]
w = density of water, [kg m-3]

E = evaporative flux, [mm day-1]

G = outgoing heat conduction into soil, [MJ m-2 day-1]
Ad = Ado-Adi = energy advected by horizontal air
flow , [MJ m-2 day-1]
S = energy stored , [MJ m-2 day-1]
P = energy used biochemically in plants , [MJ m-2 day-1]

Energy Budgets and Evaporation

wE

E=

1
[R H G Ad P S ]
w n

Energy Budgets and Evaporation

E=

1
[R H G Ad P S ]
w n

Rn = Sn + Ln = St [1 ] + Li L o
Sn = net short-wave radiation
Ln = net long-wave radiation
St = total incoming short-wave radiation
= albedo
Li = incoming long-wave radiation
Lo = outgoing long-wave radiation
[Rn] = MJ m-2 day-1
[Rn/w] = mm day-1

Energy Budgets and Evaporation

E=

1
[ R H G Ad P S]
w n

Stomatal control

Hs =

Aerodynamic control

Ha =

k s [e s e ]
rs
ka [es e]
ra

es = saturation vapor pressure

e = vapor pressure
rs = surface resistance
ra = aerodynamic resistance
ks, ka = units coefficients

Energy Budgets and Evaporation

Big Leaf Model

Energy Budgets and Evaporation

E=

1 [ Rn G S P Ad ] + a c p [es e] / ra

+ [1 + rs / ra ]
w

= des/dT, [kPa C-1]

a = air density, [kg m-3]
cp = specific heat of moist air, [kJ kg-1 C-1]
= psychrometric constant, [kPa C-1]
[rs, ra] = s m-1
[Rn] = MJ m-2 day-1
[es, e] = kPa
Penman-Monteith Equation

Reference Crop Evaporation

E rc =

900

Rn +

U2 [e s e ]
+ *
+ * T + 275
* = [1+0.33 U2]
U2 = wind speed at 2 m, [m s-1]
T = temperature, [C]
[] = kPa C-1
[*, ] = kPa C-1
[Rn] = mm day-1
[es, e] = kPa
[Erc] = mm day-1

Measuring/Estimating Evaporation

Measuring/Estimating Evaporation

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Crop Coefficients
We introduce a crop coefficient, Kc, to
account for the differences between the
reference crop and any other vegetation
E = KcErc

Crop Coefficients

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Crop Coefficients
Artichoke

Lettuce

Pinto bean

Melon

Broccoli

Onion

Crop Coefficients

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Fakahatchee Strand

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