Evapotranspiration (ET) from an arctic coastal wetland near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, was studied during the summers between 1994 and 1996. The purpose of the study was to compare different ET models and to gain a better understanding of evapotranspiration from arctic wetlands. The models used to obtain ET from the watershed were the Bowen ratio energy balance (BREB), Priestley-Taylor (PT), Penman-Monteith (PM), Penman Combination (PC), energy balance (EB), water balance (WB), and WB based on Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR). For one of the ponds, evaporation determined by the EB, PT, PC, BREB, WB, and the aerodynamic (AD) methods were also compared. ET during the summer snow-free period for the watershed averaged 1.45 mm/day obtained via the BREB model. Evaporation from all ponds after spring snowmelt averaged 3.11 mm/day (obtained via the WB). Evaporation rate from ponds was on average twice that of the tundra as a whole. Latent heat flux was the dominant energy sink in wetlands and ponds, whereas sensible heat flux dominated in the drier upland area. The PT and PM models compared well to the BREB (used as the standard of comparison for ET) for 1994 and 1995, once parameters were properly calibrated using 1996 data. The BREB compared well with independent values of ET from the water balance and eddy correlation methods. For the pond, the EB, BREB, WB, PT, and AD methods gave very similar evaporation results for the summer.
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Research Article|
August 01 1998
Evapotranspiration from a Wetland Complex on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska: Paper presented at the 11th Northern Res. Basins Symposium/Workshop (Prudhoe Bay to Fairbanks, Alaska, USA – Aug. 18-22, 1997)
Johnny Mendez;
Johnny Mendez
Water and Environmental Research Center, Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks, AK 99775, U.S.A.
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Larry D. Hinzman;
Larry D. Hinzman
Water and Environmental Research Center, Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks, AK 99775, U.S.A.
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Douglas L. Kane
Douglas L. Kane
Water and Environmental Research Center, Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks, AK 99775, U.S.A.
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Hydrology Research (1998) 29 (4-5): 303–330.
Article history
Received:
November 01 1997
Accepted:
April 01 1998
Citation
Johnny Mendez, Larry D. Hinzman, Douglas L. Kane; Evapotranspiration from a Wetland Complex on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska: Paper presented at the 11th Northern Res. Basins Symposium/Workshop (Prudhoe Bay to Fairbanks, Alaska, USA – Aug. 18-22, 1997). Hydrology Research 1 August 1998; 29 (4-5): 303–330. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/nh.1998.0020
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