A Review of Methods to Estimate Irrigated Reference Crop Evapotranspiration across Australia

The National Evapotranspiration Project being undertaken by the Cooperative Research Centre for Irrigation Futures (CRC IF) aims to identify an appropriate model for the calculation of reference crop evapotranspiration which can be adopted as an Australian standard. The purpose of this report is to review the measurement and calculation methods that could be used to provide daily estimates of reference crop evapotranspiration especially appropriate to irrigated crops. For context, we have set out the derivations of the most commonly used calculation methods and in so doing have highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of various approaches. The primary reason for doing this is to develop a systematic and quantitative assessment of the appropriateness of a standardised estimation of reference evapotranspiration (ETo). Having a standardised form of ETo available will then enable compilation of regional crop coefficients, which together, allow estimates of actual crop evapotranspiration (ETc) to be made. The outcomes of this project will have application in the estimation of daily water requirements for agricultural crops grown in different climatic regions across Australia.

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