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ARS Home » Plains Area » El Reno, Oklahoma » Oklahoma and Central Plains Agricultural Research Center » Agroclimate and Hydraulics Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #414278
Research Project: Development of a Monitoring Network, Engineering Tools, and Guidelines for the Design, Analysis, and Rehabilitation of Embankment Dams, Hydraulic Structures, and Channels

Location: Agroclimate and Hydraulics Research Unit

Title: Modern trends in evapotranspiration in the United States

Author
item PELLETIER, C.J. - University Of Missouri
item STEWARD, CHRISTOPHER - University Of Missouri
item YATTA, MOUSSA - University Of Missouri
item ALOYSIUS, NOEL - University Of Missouri
item Hunt, Sherry

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/8/2024
Publication Date: 4/9/2024
Citation: Pelletier, C., Steward, C.A., Yatta, M.T., Aloysius, N., Hunt, S. 2024. Modern trends in evapotranspiration in the United States. [abstract]. 2024 Show Me Research Week - University of Missouri Research Forum, April 8-12, 2024, Columbia, Missouri.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Evapotranspiration (ET) is an important feature in the water cycle and measures the amount of water removed from the ground via direct evaporation or transpiration from plants. ET has wide ranging implications on resource management and agricultural irrigation. Recognizing emerging trends can provide greater opportunity for farmers and scientists to adjust their practices and minimize damages due to drought years or prevent further resource depletion. The present study investigates modern trends in ET in the United States using previously derived geospatial data covering 1980 through 2018 at 0.5-degree spatial resolution and yearly temporal resolution. Classifications for regions in the U.S. were created based on average ET over the period. The interannual variability (deviation from the mean ET between years) was observed for the earlier and latter half of the study period, as were the total changes in the mean over the study period. Results were compared to ET estimations obtained through the application of known algorithms to NASA/USGS Landsat remotely sensed data over the same study period/area. Preliminary findings indicate significant changes in variability between the former and latter half of the study period that are regionally dependent. Several well-known hydrological events such as droughts or high moisture periods, were isolated and studied to determine their potential impact on these findings, and results will be presented at the forum. Considerations on the effect of changes in evapotranspiration on agriculture will also be presented using vegetation indices. Further study is recommended to estimate the larger scale impact of climate fluctuations on ET in the United States and abroad, and to further discussions of solutions to the various challenges presented by changing rates of evapotranspiration.