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Quantitative effects of changes in agricultural irrigation on potential evaporation
  • Congying Han,
  • Baozhong Zhang,
  • Songjun Han
Congying Han
State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Baozhong Zhang
China Agricultural University
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Songjun Han
China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research
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Abstract

Evaporation is the key to the basin’s water cycle. Agricultural irrigation has resulted in a significant variation of regional potential evaporation (Epen). The spatiotemporal variation of Epen and the influencing factors in the natural, agricultural, and desert areas in different developmental stages of irrigation in the Heihe River Basin (HRB) from 1970 to 2017 are comparatively analyzed in this study. This work focused on the correction effect of irrigation on the variation of Epen. The agricultural water consumption in HRB significantly varied around 1998 due to the agricultural development and water policy. Under the influence of irrigation, the annual variation of Epen in the agricultural, natural, and desert areas was significantly different. From 1970 to 1998, the annual trend slope of Epen in the natural area only reduced by 1 mm decade-1, while that in the agricultural area significantly decreased by 39 mm decade-1. After the implementation of water-saving irrigation, the Epen in the natural and agricultural areas increased by 11 and 54 mm decade-1, respectively, from 1998 to 2017. In contrast with the natural and agricultural areas, Epen in the desert area decreased by 80 mm decade-1 from 1970 to 1998 and continuously decreased by 41 mm decade-1 from 1998 to 2017. However, the regulatory effect of irrigation on Epen in the desert area started to manifest due to the expansion of the cultivated land area in the desert area from 2010 to 2017. Irrigation has a significant regulatory effect on the variation of Epen in HRB. The regulatory effect is mainly reflected on the aerodynamic term (Eaero). The analytical results of the main meteorological factors affecting Epen in different regions indicated that the main meteorological factors influencing the variation of Epen in each region are the wind speed 2 m above the surface (U2) and the water vapor pressure difference (VPD).
20 Aug 2020Submitted to Hydrological Processes
21 Aug 2020Submission Checks Completed
21 Aug 2020Assigned to Editor
21 Aug 2020Reviewer(s) Assigned
31 Oct 2020Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
01 Nov 2020Editorial Decision: Revise Major
15 Nov 20201st Revision Received
16 Nov 2020Assigned to Editor
16 Nov 2020Submission Checks Completed
16 Nov 2020Reviewer(s) Assigned
15 Dec 2020Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
20 Dec 2020Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
28 Dec 20202nd Revision Received
28 Dec 2020Submission Checks Completed
28 Dec 2020Assigned to Editor
28 Dec 2020Reviewer(s) Assigned
07 Jan 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
07 Jan 2021Editorial Decision: Accept
Feb 2021Published in Hydrological Processes volume 35 issue 2. 10.1002/hyp.14057