18. Introduction
Reservoirs play a crucial role in water resource management but face significant challenges due to evaporation losses. Understanding the factors that influence reservoir evaporation, as well as methods for estimating and reducing these losses, is vital for sustainable management. Various strategies such as floating covers, wind breaks, and operational adjustments have been developed to mitigate evaporation's impacts, leading to improved economic and environmental outcomes.
Enroll to start learning
You've not yet enrolled in this course. Please enroll for free to listen to audio lessons, classroom podcasts and take practice test.
Sections
Navigate through the learning materials and practice exercises.
What we have learnt
- Reservoir evaporation significantly reduces water availability and affects water quality.
- Accurate estimation of evaporation is essential for effective management and planning.
- Multiple methods exist for reducing evaporation, including surface covers, wind barriers, and operational changes.
Key Concepts
- -- Reservoir Evaporation
- The loss of water from the surface of a reservoir to the atmosphere caused by evaporation and vapor transport.
- -- Pan Evaporation Method
- A commonly used method for estimating evaporation from shallow water bodies, utilizing a pan to collect and measure evaporation data.
- -- Energy Budget Method
- A detailed approach to estimate evaporation based on measuring heat fluxes across a reservoir.
- -- Floating Covers
- Materials placed on the surface of a reservoir to reduce evaporation, such as monomolecular films or floating plastic modules.
Additional Learning Materials
Supplementary resources to enhance your learning experience.