| Abstract: | There is little knowledge available about infiltration and evaporation processes in wadi channels in arid regions. This work was conducted to determine the actual evaporation from bare soils in wadi channels in the south-western region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The estimation of soil evaporation is highly dependent on the availability of moisture in the upper layers of alluvial wadis, in which the areal rainfall, flood hydrograph and soil properties play a significant part. The study was conducted by estimating the actual evaporation using soil moisture data, precipitation and runoff depths in a representative basin. The results are compared with potential rates. The actual rates were 1.5 mm/day immediately after a rainy day and then decreased to 0.42 mm/day. The minimum rate was about 0.1–0.2 mm/day during the dry season. The potential rates were about 9.5 mm/day in June and July, decreasing to 3.5 mm/day in December and January. |
