Calibration of the Hargreaves Equation for the Reference Evapotranspiration Estimation on a Nation-Wide Scale

In this study, the daily-based reference evapotranspiration was evaluated with Hargreaves equation at the 23 meteorological stations for the time period of 1997-2006. The Hargreaves coefficient was self-calibrated to give the best fit with Penman-Monteith evapotranspiration, being regarded as a reference. On the basis of the estimated parameter set, a generalized regression was conducted to estimate the Hargreaves evapotranspiration by just using temperature data. This study will contribute to water resources planning, irrigation schedule, and environmental management.