Comparison of Measured ET from Turfgrass Lysimeters To Calculated ET During Drought Conditions

摘要

The Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District (NCWCD) has a network of weather stations throughout its service area to provide reliable crop water use information for both turf irrigation managers and agricultural producers. It also has four smallturfgrass weighing lysimeters to compare measured ET to calculated ET. During 2002, Colorado experienced one of its worst droughts and less frequent irrigations were mandated at the location of the lysimeters. The results from comparison of measured ET to calculated ET using the ASCE Standardized Reference Evapotranspiration Equation3 are presented. The measured ET from the lysimeters agrees well with the ET calculated from weather station data. The knowledge gained is useful in helping irrigation managers make decisions about irrigation practices, including how much water reduction can be achieved without causing severe injury to the turf area in the landscape during periods of drought or water shortages.