MEASUREMENT OF

EVAPOTRANSPIRATION BY
LYSIMETER
Submitted by:Julfeekar Khan (2008UCE137)
Kapil Khandelwal(2008UCE415)

CONTENT:Introduction
Potential evapotranspiration
Construction of lysimeter
Installation
Daily routine
Calculations
Record of observations
References

INTRODUCTION:Evapotranspiration can be measured, at a site

which also measures rainfall, by using a
lysimeter which gives additional information on
soil water balance.
The lysimeter, measuring potential
evapotranspiration, is an apparatus which can
be constructed from readily available do-ityourself (DIY) materials for less than Rs. 2500

POTENTIAL
EVAPOTRANSPIRATION:What would be evaporated from a surface if
water was never a limiting factor.
PE can be calculated using empirical formulae,
from the simple needing only temperature.
PE = R + A P

R:- Rainfall

A:- Additional water

P:- Percolated water

CONSTRUCTION OF LYSIMETER:The tank was a black plastic builders' bucket (30

cm diameter and 25 cm deep)
The receiving vessel was a discarded plastic 25
litre emulsion paint container (30 cm x 42 cm)
Sufficient space must be available in the bottom
to allow collection of the percolated water.
Another discarded container (5.5 litre capacity),
holding about 80 mm rainfall, forms a large
collecting vessel

ASSEMBLY:-

INSTALLATION:Decide on the location (choose a level piece of

ground) near but not too close to the rain gauge.
Cut and remove the turf and put Tank & receiver
There should be a slight fall between tank and
receiver to allow drainage.
Use the cut off top of the bucket as a template to
shape the piece of turf to be used for the
lysimeter

Pack the tank above the gravel and below the turf with
soil
In areas subject to high and intense rainfall the soil
level should be proportionally lower.
The receiver is best placed with its top about 5 cm
above ground so that surface water cannot enter.
Measurements can begin in a few days.

DAILY ROUTINE:Measure the water percolated P in mls at the

same time as rainfall.
An amount of water A should be sprinkled on to
the lysimeter such that there is some percolation
(50 to 100 mls) each day.
Record the condition of the grass surrounding the
lysimeter.

CALCULATIONS:Rainfall observations are now returned as mm of

rain, previously inches were used. The
calculations below are based on the 5 in standard
British gauge and the modern mm measurement.
To find the dividing factor to convert mls to mm
calculate the area of the tank in cm2 and divide
by 10. Thus for a 30 cm diameter tank of radius
(r) of 15 cm
Factor = (r2 x pi) /10 = (15 x 15 x 3.142) / 10 =
706.95/10 = 70.7

To convert standard 5 in raingauge measures

(mm) to read percolate from a 30 cm diameter
lysimeter (mm) calculate the dividing factor as
area (cm2) of lysimeter/ area of raingauge
Factor = 706.95/126.69 = 5.6

Example extract from spreadsheet showing the daily

lysimeter readings for part of April 1977 at Llansadwrn,
Anglesey
Water added + Rain =
Total
Percolate
PE

(mm)

*(mls) (mm) (mm)

(mm) *(mls) (mm)

300
4.2
4.2
8.4
290
4.1
4.3 290
4.1
10.7
14.8
680
9.6
5.2
0
0.0
1.5
1.5
130
1.8
-0.3 130
1.8
4.3
6.1
370
5.2
0.9 200
2.8
7.8
10.6
408
5.8
4.9
__________________________________________
* For a 30 cm diameter tank volume (mls) is
divided by 70.7 to obtain mm

RECORD OF OBSERVATIONS:-

REFERENCES:1: PERKINS, D. F. (1996).The lysimeter: A robust

alternative apparatus to the Piche evaporimeter.
Bulletin, Climatological Observers Link., 317, 42-45.
2: PENMAN, H. L. (1948). Natural evaporation from
open water, bare soil and grass. Proc. Roy. Soc.
(London) A., 193, 120-145.
3: THORNTHWAITE, C. W. (1948). Geograph. Rev., 38,
56.
4: GREEN, F. H. W. (1960). A technique for measuring
potential evaporation and some of its applications.
Water & Water Eng., December, 3-8.
5: PERKINS, D. F. (2001). Lysimeter PE. Bulletin,
Climatological Observers Link., 371, 41.

THANK YOU