Potential use of remote sensing techniques in evapotranspiration estimations at watershed level

Abstract

In hydrology, evapotranspiration (ET) is defined as phase conversion and rise of water in soils, plants, rivers, lakes, and seas under the atmospheric conditions. Investigation of water displacement through either ET or precipitations, runoffs and infiltrations may provide significant contributions for water resources management practices. In this study, daily, monthly, and seasonal ET maps were generated for Minoz Stream Watershed of Kavak town of Samsun province with the aid of energy balance-based METRIC model for the water-year of 2007. Resultant ET maps were assessed through vegetation covers, land use patterns, actual precipitations, and runoff parameters. In a previous study carried out over the same watershed, amount of water to be converted into ET was calculated as 517.0mm for water-year of 2007. In present study, total ET for the relevant period of the same watershed was estimated as 610.0mm. Estimated ET value was slightly greater than the total quantity of water to be converted into ET. Present ET maps were also well complied with the land use patterns.