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ARS Home » Plains Area » Bushland, Texas » Conservation and Production Research Laboratory » Soil and Water Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #190834
Title: THE TEXAS HIGH PLAINS EVAPOTRANSPIRATION NETWORK (TXHPET) USER MANUAL

Author
item PORTER, DANA - TEXAS COOPERATIVE EXT.
item MAREK, THOMAS - TAES
item Howell, Terry
item NEW, LEON - TEXAS COOPERATIVE EXT.

Submitted to: Agricultural Experiment Station Publication
Publication Type: Experiment Station
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/1/2005
Publication Date: 11/17/2005
Citation: Porter, D., Marek, T., Howell, T.A., New, L. 2005. The Texas High Plains (TXHPET) User Manual, Amarillo Research and Extension Center Report, AREC 05-37 Version 1.01, November 2005, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, Amarillo, Texas.

Interpretive Summary: Irrigation scheduling services on the Texas High Plains required a modernized web site design for users to access data in customized formats to suit their demands. A grant was awarded by the Texas Water Development Board to accomplish this assignment to the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station (TAES) and Texas Cooperative Extension (TCE) in Amarillo that worked in cooperation with TAES and TCE in Lubbock and USDA-ARS in Bushland, TX. This manual outlines features of the new web site for customers and stakeholders to utilize the weather and crop water use data. Enhancements were developed for the TXHPET [Texas High Plains Evapotranspiration (ET)] network to provide increased utilization and electronic dissemination capabilities for irrigated producers and other users of the TXHPET. A new database system was designed and developed for the respective station data. The database utilized a mySQL language structure and a pHp language interface. The database utilized a partitioning station structure whereby additional ET weather stations can be added without the typical difficulty of expanding database record length. A new listserv was also established with electronic sign-up for user selection of the various station data and file formats. This listserv provides information for the automated daily (early morning) e-mail delivery of the selected files. The manual provides necessary information to permit users to benefit from the web site and database.

Technical Abstract: The Texas High Plains Evapotranspiration (TXHPET) network is comprised of two evapotranspiration (ET) networks, namely the North Plains ET and the South Plains ET networks within the Texas High Plains region. The TXHPET network entails the operation of 18 meteorological stations located in 15 Texas counties, and regional coverage is estimated at four million irrigated acres. The network disseminates meteorological data, including ET-based crop water use information used by agricultural producers and consultants in irrigation scheduling, on a daily basis. This manual outlines features of the new web site for customers and stakeholders to utilize the weather and ET data. Enhancements were developed for the TXHPET network to provide increased utilization and electronic dissemination capabilities for irrigated producers and other users of the TXHPET. A new database system was designed and developed for the respective station data. The database utilized a mySQL language structure and a pHp language interface. The database utilizes a partitioning station structure whereby additional ET stations can be added without the typical difficulty of expanding database record length. A new listserv was also established with electronic sign-up for user selection of the various station data and file formats. This listserv provides information for the automated daily (early morning) e-mail delivery of the selected files. The manual provides necessary information to permit users to benefit from the web site and database.