Full Length Research Paper

Estimation of actual soil evaporation using E-DiGOR model in different parts of Turkey

Derya Onder^1*, Mehmet Aydin² and Sermet Onder¹

¹Department of Agricultural Structures and Irrigation, Faculty of Agriculture, Mustafa Kemal University, 31040 Hatay, Turkey.

²Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Mustafa Kemal University, 31040 Hatay, Turkey.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: deryaonder2007@gmail.com

Tel: +90 326 2455599. Fax: +90 326 2455832.

Accepted 24 April, 2009

   Abstract

Penman-Monteith Equation was applied to determine potential soil evaporation using standard data of the meteorological stations at 14 locations from 2001 to 2003. Actual evaporation calculations for different climatic conditions were carried out using the E-DiGOR model developed by Aydin (2008). For comparisons of climatic types, the same soil properties were assumed in calculations. The results showed that the model was suitable for calculating potential and actual soil evaporation rates in different locations with satisfactory accuracy. Owing to high variability of both precipitation and potential evaporation, the actual soil evaporation in different parts of Turkey can change from 263 to 592.7 mm/year. The actual soil evaporation, as calculated with the model, accounted for 34.2 to 83.3% of the incoming precipitation.

Key words: Potential soil evaporation, actual soil evaporation, E-DiGOR model.