HYDROLOGY

CET 304
• Evaporation
• Transpiration
• Evapotranspiration

17-Oct-2020
Evaporation
Evaporation
Rate of evaporation (EL) depends on

◦ Atmospheric pressure
● Decrease in barometric pressure increases EL

◦ Quality of water
● Solute dissolved => lesser vapour pressure => reduction in EL

◦ Size of water body

● Deep lake: store more heat energy than shallow lakes
● Deep lake store radiation energy in summer and release it I winter
● So Less Evaporation in summer and more in winter
 n
Empirical Evaporation Eq s
 n
Empirical Evaporation Eq s
Analytical Methods
Analytical Methods
Analytical Methods
Mass-transfer method

◦ Based on turbulent mass transfer in boundary layers

◦ Sophisticated instrumentation is used

How to reduce Evaporation Losses
Reduction of surface area
Mechanical Covers
Chemical Films
Evapotranspiration
Transpiration: water leaves the plants and joins atmosphere

In Hydrology and irrigation practices

◦ Evaporation and Transpiration can be considered under one head =>
Evapotranspiration (ET)

Consumptive use: water loss by ET

PET (Potential ET): sufficient moisture available to

completely meet the needs of vegetation

AET (Actual ET): real ET under specific conditions

Evapotranspiration
Field capacity
◦ Max amount of water that the soil can retain against the
gravitational force
◦ Additional water drains/percolates

Permanent Wilting point

◦ Moisture content of soil at which moisture is no longer
available in sufficient quantity to be extracted by plants.
Consumptive use
FC and PWP
Consumptive use
FC and PWP
Measurement of Evapotranspiration
Lysimeters
◦ Water tight instruments contains block of soil and set in field

Field Plots
◦ ET = P + Irrigation input – Runoff
– Increase in soil storage – groundwater loss
Evapotranspiration Equations
Evapotranspiration Equations
Evapotranspiration Equations
Empirical Formulae

◦ Blaney Criddle Equation

◦ Thornthwaite Equation