Studies of Water Use by Irrigated Kentucky Bluegrass in Urban Landscapes
Location
Eccles Conference Center
Event Website
http://water.usu.edu/
Start Date
4-21-2010 10:30 AM
End Date
4-21-2010 10:35 AM
Description
Rapid population growth in urban areas in the arid regions of the western US is increasing the demand for water resources. Much of the water resources are used to irrigate golf courses, lawns and other urban landscapes. It is critical to identify how much water is used in these activities. However, few reliable measurements of water use of these landscapes exist. Quantifying the amount of water used vs. required by landscapes such as irrigated grass, would allow for significant water conservation. The goal of this study is to measure evapotranspiration (ET) rates for Kentucky bluegrass using eddy covariance techniques to quantify water use under various conditions. ET is affected by biophysical factors such as: available energy, turbulent mixing, saturation deficit, soil water and stomatal conductance. In addition, ET in these environments is often increased by the transport of warm, dry air from the arid surroundings. Determining the size of this effect on ET is a key goal of the study. The above and related measurements will be combined with biophysical models, to determine how weather, soil and plant properties control ET under various conditions. These results will help determine the most efficient water management strategies for urban landscapes.
Studies of Water Use by Irrigated Kentucky Bluegrass in Urban Landscapes
Eccles Conference Center
Rapid population growth in urban areas in the arid regions of the western US is increasing the demand for water resources. Much of the water resources are used to irrigate golf courses, lawns and other urban landscapes. It is critical to identify how much water is used in these activities. However, few reliable measurements of water use of these landscapes exist. Quantifying the amount of water used vs. required by landscapes such as irrigated grass, would allow for significant water conservation. The goal of this study is to measure evapotranspiration (ET) rates for Kentucky bluegrass using eddy covariance techniques to quantify water use under various conditions. ET is affected by biophysical factors such as: available energy, turbulent mixing, saturation deficit, soil water and stomatal conductance. In addition, ET in these environments is often increased by the transport of warm, dry air from the arid surroundings. Determining the size of this effect on ET is a key goal of the study. The above and related measurements will be combined with biophysical models, to determine how weather, soil and plant properties control ET under various conditions. These results will help determine the most efficient water management strategies for urban landscapes.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/runoff/2010/Posters/4