Evaluation of evapotranspiration models over semi‐arid and semi‐humid areas of China

Evapotranspiration (ET) is a critical component in the hydrological cycle. However, its actual values appear to be difficult to obtain, especially in areas in which precipitation has high inter‐annual variability. Here, we evaluated eight commonly used ET models in semi‐arid and semi‐humid areas of China. The order of overall performance from best to worst is as follows: the revised Priestley–Taylor model (PT‐JPL, 0.71, 1.65 [18.37%], 4.72 [49.19%]) a a Statistics (model abbreviation, coefficient of determination, bias [relative value], standard deviation [relative value]).
, the modified PT‐JPL model (M1‐PT‐JPL, 0.67, ?0.68 [7.56%], 3.87 [40.31%]), the Community Land Model (CLM, 0.68, ?2.52 [28.01%], 5.10 [53.17%]), the modified PT‐JPL model (M2‐PT‐JPL, 0.63, 0.57 [6.27%], 5.04 [52.52%]), the revised Penman–Monteith model (RS‐PM, 0.62, 3.56 [37.40%], 6.11 [63.68%]), an empirical model (Wang, 0.59, ?1.04 [11.57%], 5.61 [58.43%]), the advection‐aridity model (AA, 0.55, 5.56 [61.78%], 7.45 [77.60%]), and the energy balance model (SEBS, 0.35, 5.11 [56.72%], 9.43 [98.18%]). The performance of all of the models is comparably poor in winter and summer, except for the PT‐JPL model, and relatively good in spring and autumn. Because of the vegetation control on ET, the Wang, RS‐PM, PT‐JPL, M1‐PT‐JPL, and M2‐PT‐JPL models perform better for cropland, whereas the AA model, SEBS model and CLM perform better for grassland. The CLM, PT‐JPL, and Wang models perform better in semi‐arid region than in semi‐humid region, whereas the opposite is true for SEBS and RS‐PM. The AA, M1‐PT‐JPL, and M2‐PT‐JPL models perform similarly in semi‐arid and semi‐humid regions. When considering the inter‐annual variability in precipitation, the Wang model has relatively good performance under only some annual precipitation conditions; the performance of the PT‐JPL and AA models is reduced under conditions of high precipitation; the two modified PT‐JPL models inherited the steady performance of the PT‐JPL model and improved the performance under conditions of high annual precipitation by the modification of the soil moisture constraint. RS‐PM is more appropriate for humid conditions. CLM and PT‐JPL models could be effectively applied to all precipitation conditions because of their good performance across a wide annual precipitation range. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

M5 model tree based modelling of reference evapotranspiration

This paper investigates the potential of M5 model tree based regression approach to model daily reference evapotranspiration using climatic data of Davis station maintained by California irrigation Management Information System (CIMIS). Four inputs including solar radiation, average air temperature, average relative humidity, and average wind speed whereas reference evapotranspiration calculated using a relation provided by the CIMIS was used as output. To compare the performance of M5 model tree in predicting the reference evapotranspiration, FAO–56 Penman–Monteith equation and calibrated Hargreaves–Samani relation was used. A comparison of results suggests that M5 model tree approach works well in comparison to both FAO–56 and calibrated Hargreaves–Samani relations. To judge the generalization capability of M5 model tree approach, model created by using the Davis data set was tested with the datasets of four different sites. Results from this part of the study suggest that M5 model tree could successfully be employed in modeling the reference evapotranspiration. Further, sensitivity analysis with M5 model tree approach suggests the suitability of solar radiation, average air temperature, average relative humidity, and average wind speed as input parameters to model the reference evapotranspiration Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Variation of reference evapotranspiration and its contributing climatic factors in the Poyang Lake catchment,China

By using linear regression (parametric), Mann–Kendall (nonparametric) and attribution analysis methods, this study systematically analysed the changing properties of reference evapotranspiration (ETr) calculated using the Penman–Monteith method over the Poyang Lake catchment during 1960–2008 and investigated the contribution of major climatic variables to ETr changes and their temporal evolution. Generally, a significant decreasing trend of annual ETr is found in the catchment. The decrease of annual ETr in the Poyang Lake basin is mostly affected by the decline of summer ETr. Over the study period, climatic variables, i.e. sunshine duration (SD), relative humidity (RH), wind speed (WS) and vapour pressure all showed decreasing trends, whereas mean daily temperature (DT) increased significantly. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that SD is the most sensitive climatic variable to the variability of ETr on annual basis, followed by RH, WS and DT, whereas the effect of vapour pressure is obscure. Although recent warming trend and decrease of relative humidity over the catchment could have increased ETr, the combined effect of shortened SD and reduced WS negated the effect and caused significant decrease of ETr. Our investigation reveals that the relative contributions of climatic variables to ETr are temporally unstable and vary considerably with large fluctuation. In consideration of the changes of climatic variables over time, further analysis indicated that changes of mean annual ETr in 1970–2008 were primarily affected by SD followed by WS, RH and DT with reference to 1960s. However, WS became the predominant factor during the period 2000–2008 compared with reference period 1960s, and followed by SD. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatiotemporal variations of reference evapotranspiration in recent five decades in the arid land of Northwestern China

Spatial and temporal variations of reference evapotranspiration (ET₀) are useful for regional agricultural and water resources management as well as required in most distributed hydrological modelling. In the current study, the Penman–Monteith estimated ET₀ in the arid land of Northwestern China has been explicitly explored using the Mann–Kendall test. Most stations in the study region exhibited significant decreasing trend of ET₀ (P < 0.05) with only few occasions showing significant increasing trend (P < 0.05), despite the increase of temperature in the entire region. Analysis results revealed that the overall decreasing wind speed contributed most to the decreasing trend of ET₀, whereas the contributions of relative humidity and sunshine duration were limited. Temperature played the second important role on determining ET₀ trend, but its effect was opposite to that of wind speed and was largely offset by the decreasing wind speed. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis suggested the impact of temperature to ET₀ was much larger than formerly reported if its effect on saturated vapour deficit was taken into account. The results obtained in the current study will help for better understanding of the effects of climate changes to water resource management in the arid land of northwest China. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaporation of perennial semi‐arid woodland in southeastern Australia is adapted for irregular but common dry periods

Measurements of water vapour flux from semi‐arid perennial woodland (mallee) were made for 3 years using eddy covariance instrumentation. There have been no previous long‐term, detailed measures of water use in this ecosystem. Latent energy flux (LE) on a half hourly basis was the measure of the combined soil and plant evaporation, ‘evapotranspiration’ (E_LE) of the site. Aggregation over 3 years of the site measured rain (1136 mm) and the estimated evaporation (794 mm) suggests that 342 mm or 30% of rain had moved into or past the root zone of the vegetation. Above average rainfall during 2011 and the first quarter of 2012 (633 mm, 15 months) would likely have been the period during which significant groundwater recharge occurred. At times immediately after rainfall, E_LE rates were the same or exceeded estimates of potential E calculated from a suitably parameterized Penman–Monteith (E_PMo) equation. Apparent free water E from plant interception and soil evaporation was about 2.3 mm and lasted for 1.3 days following rainfall in summer, while in autumn, E was 5.1 mm that lasted over 5.4 days. The leaf area index (LAI) needed to adjust a wind function calibrated Penman equation (E_PMe) to match the E_LE values could be back calculated to generate seasonal change in LAI from 0.12 to 0.46 and compared well with normalized difference vegetation index; r = 0.38 and p = 0.0213* and LAI calculated from digital cover photography. The apparently conservative response of perennial vegetation evaporation to available water in these semi‐arid environments reinforces the conclusion that these ecosystems use this mechanism to survive the reasonably common dry periods. Plant response to soil water availability is primarily through gradual changes in leaf area. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatiotemporal variation and driving forces of reference evapotranspiration in Jing River Basin,northwest China

Evapotranspiration is an important component of the hydrological cycle, which integrates atmospheric demands and surface conditions. Research on spatial and temporal variations of reference evapotranspiration (ET_o) enables understanding of climate change and its effects on hydrological processes and water resources. In this study, ET_o was estimated by the FAO‐56 Penman–Monteith method in the Jing River Basin in China, based on daily data from 37 meteorological stations from 1960 to 2005. ET_o trends were detected by the Mann–Kendall test in annual, seasonal, and monthly timescales. Sensitivity coefficients were used to examine the contribution of important meteorological variables to ET_o. The influence of agricultural activities, especially irrigation on ET_o was also analyzed. We found that ET_o showed a decreasing trend in most of the basin in all seasons, except for autumn, which showed an increasing trend. Mean maximum temperature was generally the most sensitive parameter for ET_o, followed by relative humidity, solar radiation, mean minimum temperature, and wind speed. Wind speed was the most dominant factor for the declining trend in ET_o. The more significant decrease in ET_o for agricultural and irrigation stations was mainly because of the more significant decrease in wind speed and sunshine hours, a mitigation in climate warming, and more significant increase in relative humidity compared with natural stations and non‐irrigation stations. Changes in ET_o and the sensitivity coefficient of meteorological variables in relation to ET_o were also affected by topography. Better understanding of ET_o response to climate change will enable efficient use of agricultural production and water resources, which could improve the ecological environment in Jing River Basin. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modelling evapotranspiration in an alpine grassland ecosystem on Qinghai‐Tibetan plateau

Thus far, measurements and estimations of actual evapotranspiration (ET) from high‐altitude grassland ecosystems in remote areas like the Qinghai‐Tibetan plateau are still insufficient. To address these issues, a comparison between the results of the eddy covariance (EC) measurements and the estimates, considering the Katerji and Perrier (KP), the Todorovic (TD) and the Priestley–Taylor (PT) models, was carried out over an alpine grassland (38^o03'1.7'' N, 100^o 27’ 26'' E; 3032 m a.s.l.) during the growing seasons in 2008 and 2009. The results indicated that the KP model after a particularly simple calibration gave the most effective ET values in different time scales, the PT model slightly underestimate ET at night and the TD model significantly overestimated ET at noon. In addition, the canopy resistance calculated by the TD model was completely different from that calculated using the inverted EC‐measured data and the KP model, which may be due to some unrealistic assumptions made by the TD model. The KP parameters were a = 0.17 and b = 1.50 for the alpine grassland and appeared to be interannually stable. However, the PT parameter showed some interannual variations (α = 0.83 and 0.74 for 2008 and 2009, respectively). Therefore, the KP model was preferred to estimate the actual ET at both hourly and daily time scales. The PT model, being the simplest approach and field condition dependent, was recommended when available weather data were rare. On the contrary, the TD model always overestimated the actual ET and should be avoided in case of the alpine grassland ecosystems. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatiotemporal variations and abrupt changes of potential evapotranspiration and its sensitivity to key meteorological variables in the Wei River basin,China

Evapotranspiration is an important component of hydrological cycle and a key input to hydrological models. Therefore, analysis of the spatiotemporal variation of potential evapotranspiration (PET) will help a better understanding of climate change and its effect on hydrological cycle and water resources. In this study, the Penman–Monteith method was used to estimate PET in the Wei River basin (WRB) in China based on daily data at 21 meteorological stations during 1959–2008. Spatial distribution and temporal trends of annual and seasonal PET were analysed by using the Spline interpolation method and the Mann–Kendall test method. Abrupt changes were detected by using the Pettitt test method. In order to explore the contribution of key meteorological variables to the variation of PET, the sensitivity coefficients method was employed in this study. The results showed that: (1) mean annual and seasonal PET in the WRB was generally decreasing from northeast to southwest. Summer and spring made the major contributions to the annual values; (2) annual and seasonal PET series in most part of the WRB exhibited increasing trends; (3) abrupt changes appeared in 1993 for annual and spring PET series for the entire basin, while summer value series was detected in the late 1970s. (4) Relative humidity was the most sensitive variable for PET in general for the WRB, followed by wind speed, air temperature and solar radiation. In the headwater and outlet of the WRB, relative humidity and air temperature were the most sensitive variables to PET, while relative humidity and wind speed were more influential in most part of the middle‐lower region. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A comparison of ASCE and FAO-56 reference evapotranspiration for a 15-min time step in humid climate conditions

Many applications in diverse disciplines require estimates of evapotranspiration (ET) at hourly or smaller time steps. The primary objectives of this study were to compare the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and FAO-56 Penman–Monteith equations for 15-min ET₀ (ET_{0,15-min,ASCE} and ET_0,15-min,FAO) estimations for humid climate conditions and to compare the 24 h sum of ASCE (ET_0,24 h,ASCE) and FAO-56 15-min ET₀ (ET_0,24 h,FAO) with the daily ET₀ (ET_0,d,FAO) computed from the daily FAO-56 equation, which is identical to ASCE daily ET₀ equation. Ten-year, i.e., 1997–2006 continuous 15-min and daily weather data for 11 representative and well-distributed sites throughout Georgia, USA were used. It was evident that during the day, ET_{0,15-min,ASCE} was higher than ET_0,15-min,FAO due to a lower surface resistance parameter value, while at night ET_{0,15-min,ASCE} was lower than ET_0,15-min,FAO due to a higher surface resistance parameter value. The ET_0,15-min,FAO was about 5% less than ET_{0,15-min,ASCE} and ET_0,24 h,FAO was about 5% lower than ET_0,24 h,ASCE. The difference between ET_{0,15-min,ASCE} and ET_0,15-min,FAO during the day and night was highly dependent on wind speed. During the three summer months, i.e., June, July and August, on average, ET_0,24 h,FAO was only 1% higher than ET_0,d,FAO while ET_0,24 h,ASCE was 5% higher than ET_0,d,FAO. For the entire year, ET_0,24 h,FAO was 8% higher than ET_0,d,FAO while ET_0,24 h,ASCE was 13% higher than ET_0,d,FAO. The ET_0,24 h,FAO and ET_0,d,FAO had a better agreement than ET_0,24 h,ASCE and ET_0,d,FAO throughout the year and during the summer months. It is also worth noting that the daily calculations for FAO-56 and ASCE were identical. These results demonstrated that for applications that require 15-min time steps or daily ET₀ for the entire year, the use of ET_0,15-min,FAO and ET_0,24 h,FAO, respectively, will yield more consistent outcomes. The use of ET_0,d,FAO during the summer months can be as accurate as the use of ET_0,24 h,FAO for applications that require daily time steps, such as irrigation scheduling.     

A coupled surface resistance model to estimate crop evapotranspiration in arid region of northwest China

The Penman–Monteith (PM) model has been widely used to estimate crop evapotranspiration (ET), but it performs poorly with sparse vegetation. By combining the Jarvis canopy resistance model and the soil resistance model, we have developed a coupled surface resistance model to address this issue. Maize field and vineyard ET, measured by the eddy covariance method during 2007 and 2008, were used to test the estimations produced by the PM model combined with our coupled surface resistance model and Jarvis model, respectively. Results indicate that PM model combined with the coupled surface resistance model produces higher determination coefficient and lower root mean square error when compared with the PM–Jarvis method, either for maize field or for the sparse vineyard, on half‐hourly or daily time scales. Our study confirms that the coupled surface resistance model produces higher accuracy than the Jarvis model and provides a method to calculate resistance parameters for using the PM model to simulate the ET of sparse vegetation. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Gully‐head erosion processes on a semi‐arid valley floor in Kenya: a case study into temporal variation and sediment budgeting

A three year monitoring programme of gully‐head retreat was established to assess the significance of sediment production in a drainage network that expanded rapidly by gully‐head erosion on the low‐angled alluvio‐lacustrine Njemps Flats in semi‐arid Baringo District, Kenya. This paper discusses the factors controlling the large observed spatial and temporal variation in gully‐head retreat rates, ranging from 0 to 15 m a^?1. The selected gullies differed in planform and in runoff‐contributing catchment area but soil material and land use were similar. The data were analysed at event and annual timescales. The results show that at annual timescale rainfall amount appears to be a good indicator of gully‐head retreat, while at storm‐event timescale rainfall distribution has to be taken into account. A model is proposed, including only rainfall (P) and the number of dry days (DD) between storms: which explains 56 per cent of the variation in retreat rate of the single‐headed gully of Lam1. A detailed sediment budget has been established for Lam1 and its runoff‐contributing area (RCA). By measuring sediment input from the RCA, the sediment output by channelized flow and linear retreat of the gully head for nine storms, it can be seen that erosion shifts between different components of the budget depending on the duration of the dry period (DD) between storms. Sediment input from the RCA was usually the largest component for the smaller storms. The erosion of the gully head occurred as a direct effect of runoff falling over the edge (GH_waterfall) and of the indirect destabilization of the adjacent walls by the waterfall erosion and by saturation (GH_mass/storage). The latter component (GH_mass/storage) was usually much larger that the former (GH_waterfall). The sediment output from the gully was strongly related to the runoff volume while the linear retreat, because of its complex behaviour, was not. Overall, the results show that the annual retreat is the optimal timescale to predict retreat patterns. More detailed knowledge about relevant processes and interactions is necessary if gully‐head erosion is to be included in event‐based soil erosion models. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Groundwater discharge mechanism in semi‐arid regions and the role of evapotranspiration

The present study examined groundwater recharge/discharge mechanisms in the regional Central Sudan Rift Basins (CSRB). Aquifers in CSRB constitute poorly sorted silisiclastics of sand, clay and gravels deposited in closed hydrologic systems of the Cretaceous–Pleistocene fluviolacustrine environments. CSRB are bounded to the north by the highlands of the Central African Shear Zone (CAZS) that represents the surface and groundwater divides. Sporadic recharge in the peripheries of the basins along the CASZ occurs subsequent to decadal and centennial storm events. Inflow from the Nile into the aquifers represents an additional source of recharge. Thus, groundwater resources cannot be labelled fossil nor can they be readily recharged. Closed hydrologic troughs located adjacent to the influent Nile system mark areas of main groundwater discharge characterized by lower hydraulic heads. This study has examined mechanisms that derive the discharge of the groundwater in these closed basins and concluded that only evapotranspirative discharge can provide a plausible explanation. Groundwater abstraction is mainly through deep‐rooted trees and effective evaporation. The increase of TDS along the flow indicates local recharge at the peripheries of basins and shows the influence of evaporation and rock/water interaction. The decline in groundwater level along a flow path was calculated using Darcy's law to estimate average recharge and evapotranspirative discharge, which are equal under natural equilibrium and make the only fluxes in CSRB. Steady‐state 2D flow modelling has demonstrated that an average recharge of 4–8 mm yr^?1 and evapotranspirative discharge of 1–22 mm yr^?1 will maintain natural equilibrium in CSRB. Sporadic storms provide recharge in the highlands to preserve the current hydraulic gradient and maintain aquifer dynamics. Simulated recharge from the Nile totals about 17·5 mm yr^?1 and is therefore a significant contributor to the water balance. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Multi‐model ensemble prediction of terrestrial evapotranspiration across north China using Bayesian model averaging

Using high‐quality dataset from 12 flux towers in north China, the performance of four evapotranspiration (ET) models and the multi‐model ensemble approaches including the simple averaging (SA) and Bayesian model average (BMA) were systematically evaluated in this study. The four models were the single‐layer Penman–Monteith (P–M) model, the two‐layer Shuttleworthe–Wallace (S–W) model, the advection–aridity (A–A) model, and a modified Priestley–Taylor (PT‐JPL). Based on the mean value of Taylor skill (S) and the regression slope between measured and simulated ET values across all sites, the order of overall performance of the individual models from the best to the worst were: S–W (0.88, 0.87), PT‐JPL (0.80, 1.17), P–M (0.63, 1.73) and A–A (0.60, 1.68) [statistics stated as (Taylor skill, regression slope)]. Here, all models used the same values of parameters, LAI and fractional vegetation cover as well as the forcing meteorological data. Thus, the differences in model performance were mainly attributed to errors in model structure. To the ensemble approach, the BMA method has the advantage of generating more skillful and reliable predictions than the SA scheme. However, successful implementation of BMA requires accurate estimates of its parameters, and some degradation in performance were observed when the BMA parameters generated from the training period were used for the validation period. Thus, it is necessary to explore the seasonal variations of the BMA parameters according the different growth stages. Finally, the optimal conditional density function of half‐hourly ET approximated well by the double‐exponential distribution. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effectiveness of introducing crop coefficient and leaf area index to enhance evapotranspiration simulations in hydrologic models

Evapotranspiration (ET) is an essential component of the hydrological cycle and plays a critical role in water resource management. However, ET is often overlooked in order to transform rainfall to runoff for better streamflow simulation. Hydrological models are commonly used to estimate areal actual evapotranspiration (AET) after calibration against observed discharge. However, classical approaches are often inadequate to appropriately simulate other hydrologic components. Hence, it is important to introduce natural heterogeneity to enhance hydrological processes and reduce water balance errors. In this study, the effectiveness of introducing a constant crop coefficient (K_c), flux tower‐based K_c, and leaf area index (LAI) to three hydrological models (Three‐Parametric Hydrologic Model [TPHM], Génie Rural à 4 paramètres Journalier [GR4J], and Catchment hydrologic cycle Assessment Tool [CAT]) is assessed for the simulation of daily streamflow and AET in a mountainous mixed forest watershed (8.54 km²) in South Korea. The results show that the streamflow simulations after introduction of K_c and LAI to the original models are quite similar. However, the effectiveness of the AET estimation was significantly enhanced after introduction of the flux tower‐based K_c and LAI. The information criterion computed to compare the models reveals that the flux tower‐based K_c‐simulated AET demonstrated better agreement with the observed AET. The Pearson's correlation coefficients (R²) of the TPHM (8%), GR4J (55%), and CAT (55%) models also showed improvements that were greater than the constant based K_c simulation. Similarly, the limitations of the three models with respect to capturing seasonal variation as well as high and low flows were enhanced after the introduction of the flux tower‐based K_c, which adequately reproduced hydrological processes with minimum water balance errors and bias. A regression analysis revealed the potential of estimating K_c as a linear function of LAI (R² = 0.84). The results of this study indicate that introduction of K_c and LAI to the conceptual rainfall–runoff models can be considered an effective approach to reduce water balance errors and uncertainties in hydrological models and improve the reliability of climate change studies and water resource management.     

Spatial and temporal variations in summer precipitation in Japanese mountain areas

We examined spatial and temporal variations in precipitation measured during summer season between 1976 and 2007 for 28 stations located in mountain areas across Japan using the amount of precipitation (Pr), the mean depth of precipitation events (η), and the inverse of the mean interval times (λ). We obtained positive correlations between the period mean Pr (Pr ) and the period mean η ( ) and between Pr and the period mean λ ( ) for the 28 stations. Pr was more strongly related to than to , indicating the spatial variations in Pr that are primarily related to the variations in . In addition, Pr was more strongly related to η than to λ for most stations on the basis of data for 1976–2007, indicating that the year‐to‐year variations in Pr are primarily related to η. We also examined temporal trends in Pr, η and λ for 1976–2007 and found no systematic trends for 23 of the 28 stations, suggesting long‐term trends that are not common in mountain areas of Japan. The relationships between Pr and and between Pr and η presented in this study enable us to generate a temporal precipitation distribution pattern based on only Pr and Pr data, respectively. Furthermore, probabilistic stochastic hydrological models require precipitation characteristics as input; thus, this study contributes to the determination of hydrological cycles and their possible future changes in Japanese mountain areas and therefore to water resource management. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Groundwater quality in the semi‐arid region of the Chahardouly basin,West Iran

Chahardouly basin is located in the western part of Iran and is characterized by semi‐arid climatic conditions and scarcity in water resources. The main aquifer systems are developed within alluvial deposits. The availability of groundwater is rather erratic owing to the occurrence of hard rock formation and a saline zone in some parts of the area. The aquifer systems of the area show signs of depletion, which have taken place in recent years due to a decline in water levels. Groundwater samples collected from shallow and deep wells were analysed to examine the quality characteristics of groundwater. The major ion chemistry of groundwater is dominated by Ca²⁺ and HCO₃^?, while higher values of total dissolved solids (TDS) in groundwater are associated with high concentrations of all major ions. An increase in salinity is recorded in the down‐gradient part of the basin. The occurrence of saline groundwater, as witnessed by the high electrical conductivity (EC), may be attributed to the long residence time of water and the dissolution of minerals, as well as evaporation of rainfall and irrigation return flow. Based on SAR values and sodium content (%Na), salinity appears to be responsible for the poor groundwater quality, rendering most of the samples not suitable for irrigation use. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Temporal trends and spatial characteristics of drought and rainfall in arid and semiarid regions of Iran

Drought, a normal recurrent event in arid and semiarid lands such as Iran, is typically of a temporary nature usually leaving little permanent aftermath. In the current study, the rainfall and drought severity time series were analyzed at 10 stations in the eastern half of Iran for the period 1966–2005. The drought severity was computed using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) for a 12‐month timescale. The trend analyses of the data were also performed using the Kendall and Spearman tests. The results of this study showed that the rainfall and drought severity data had high variations to average values in the study period, and these variations increased with increasing aridity towards the south of the study area. The negative serial correlations found in the seasonal and annual rainfall time series were mostly insignificant. The trend tests detected a significant decreasing trend in the spring rainfall series of Birjand station at the rate of 8.56 mm per season per decade and a significant increasing trend in the summer rainfall series of Torbateheydarieh station at the rate of 0.14 mm per season per decade, whereas the rest of the trends were insignificant. Furthermore, the 12‐month values of the standardized precipitation index decreased at all the stations except Zabol during the past four decades. During the study period, all of the stations experienced at least one extreme drought which mainly occurred in the winter season. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Influence of aquifer properties and the spatial and temporal distribution of recharge and abstraction on sustainable yields in semi‐arid regions

This paper aims to contribute to understanding the importance of four factors on the determination of sustainable yields: (i) aquifer properties; (ii) temporal distribution of recharge; (iii) temporal distribution of groundwater pumping; and (iv) spatial distribution of pumping wells. It is important to comprehend how the present‐day and future vulnerability of groundwater systems to pumping activities depend on these critical factors and what the risks are of considering sustainable yield as a fixed percentage of mean annual recharge (MAR). A numerical model of the Querença–Silves aquifer in Portugal is used to develop hypothetical scenarios with which these factors are studied. Results demonstrate the aquifer properties, particularly the storage coefficient, have an important role in determining the resilience of an aquifer and therefore to which degree it is dependent on the spatial and temporal distribution of abstraction and recharge, as well as the occurrence of extreme events. Sustainable yields are determined for the developed scenarios based on specific criteria rather than a fraction of MAR. Under simplified current recharge and abstraction conditions, the sustainable yield was determined at approximately 73% of MAR or 76 million m³. When considering a concentration of rainfall in time, as predicted by climate scenarios for the region, sustainable yield could drop to ca 70% of MAR. However, a more even distribution of pumping volumes throughout the year could increase this value. The location of the pumping wells is seen to affect the distribution of hydraulic heads in the aquifer, albeit without significant changes in sustainable yield. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial and temporal variations in soil erosion and deposition due to land‐levelling in a semi‐arid area of Basilicata (Southern Italy)

This paper examines the changes from 1955 to 2002 in soil erosion and deposition due to changes in land‐use patterns in the semi‐arid territory of Craco, which is characterized by landsliding and badland erosion. The area underwent continuous degradation during the last century due not only to its lithological vulnerability but also to the anthropic pressure favoured by the introduction of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) measures, which has led to the reclamation of scrub lands and badlands for durum wheat cultivation. Our analysis integrates the Unit Stream Power Erosion Deposition (USPED) model with a geographic information system (GIS) to quantify erosion risk and predict deposition patterns. Soil data, land use inventory, digital elevation data and climatic atlases were used as resource data sets to generate USPED factor values. The obtained results correlate well with field measured erosion data by other researchers. In the investigated 47 years, stable areas decreased by about 280 ha (3·8% of the total surface area), largely attributable to the increase of the low and moderate erosion intensity without significant change in sedimentation. Results from this study have implications related to understanding the geomorphic response of sites that were abandoned following remodelling due to the application of the F measure of Regulation CEE 2078/92. The average annual erosion rates estimated for abandoned and remodelled sites are respectively 15·99 and 10·64 t ha^?1, meaning that the total amount of erosion in 20 years could be estimated at around 100 t ha^?1. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Field assessment of surface water–groundwater connectivity in a semi‐arid river basin (Murray–Darling,Australia)

In semi‐arid and arid river basins, understanding the connectivity between rivers and alluvial aquifers is one of the key challenges for the management of groundwater resources. The type of connection present (gaining, losing‐connected, transitional and losing‐disconnected) was assessed at 12 sites along six Murray–Darling Basin river reaches. The assessments were made by measuring the hydraulic head in the riparian zone near the rivers to evaluate if the water tables intersected the riverbeds and by measuring fluid pressure (ψ) in the riverbeds. The rationale for the latter was that ψ will always be greater than or equal to zero under connected conditions (either losing or gaining) and always lesser than or equal to zero under losing‐disconnected conditions. A mixture of losing‐disconnected, losing‐connected and gaining conditions was found among the 12 sites. The losing‐disconnected sites all had a riverbed with a lower hydraulic conductivity than the underlying aquifer, usually in the form of a silty clay or clay unit 0.5–2 m in thickness. The riparian water tables were 6 to 25 m below riverbed level at the losing‐disconnected sites but never lower than 1 m below riverbed level at the losing‐connected ones. The contrast in water table depth between connected and disconnected sites was attributed to the conditions at the time of the study, when a severe regional drought had generated a widespread decline in regional water tables. This decline was apparently compensated near losing‐connected rivers by increased infiltration rates, while the decline could not be compensated at the losing‐disconnected rivers because the infiltration rates were already maximal there. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.