1.

Penmenns Equation:
The penmenns equation more recently been used to determine the
consumptive use of different areas or different segments of basin, depending upon the type of
vegetation covering each sub basin. The advantage with this equation lies in the fact that the
different specified values of co efficient of reflection (albedo), a factor used in this equation are
available for different types of areas, which can be used in Penmenn’s equation to compute
consumptive use (potential evapotranspiration) values for different segments of command area.

This equation has, infact been derived by intelligently combining the energy
balance and mass transfer approaches of the computations of transpiration and evaporations
respectively. Penmenns equation is derived as,

A . H n+ E a . ʏ
ET = A +ʏ

ET = Daily potential evapotranspiration

A = slope of the saturation vapor pressure temperature curve at mean air temperature

Hn= Net incoming solar radiation or energy expressed in mm.

Ea = A parameter including wind velocity and saturation deficit in mm/day

ʏ = psychrometric constant = 0.49mm of Hg/ C