Massive Scale Evaporative Water Losses from Irrigation

Massive Scale Evaporative Water Losses from Irrigation

A new study evaluating evapotranspiration trends in California published in Water Resources Research by Szilagyi and Jozsa used a modeling approach called “the complementary relationship of evaporation,” which predicts evapotranspiration without needing detailed information on the Earth’s surface using observations of the humidity of the lower atmosphere. The study demonstrated that irrigated regions had sustained or increasing evapotranspiration during a period when rainfall was declining. The analysis demonstrates a way to quantify the effects of irrigation and informs sustainable groundwater management.

[Water Resources Research]