New study reveals discrepancies in evapotranspiration estimates for dry regions.
The report compares different methods of measuring evapotranspiration at two sites in eastern Washington. The researchers used Bowen-ratio, eddy-correlation, and weighing lysimeters to estimate evapotranspiration. They found that in 1994, the Bowen-ratio method closely matched lysimeter measurements. However, in 1993, the comparisons varied. The Bowen-ratio method estimated slightly more evapotranspiration at the grass site and slightly less at the sage site. The eddy-correlation method estimated significantly less evapotranspiration than the lysimeters at both sites during specific periods. The differences could be due to instrument variability, grass density, or heating effects on the lysimeters.