Location: Sustainable Agricultural Water Systems Research
Project Number: 2032-13220-002-006-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Aug 1, 2021
End Date: Jul 31, 2025
Objective:
The overall objective of this research is to develop and validate a satellite-based ET modeling framework using a network of micrometeorological stations within woody perennial crops indicative of unique and highly structured canopy cover to better understand the micro- and bio-meteorological properties of specific crops and how information can be ingested into the modeling framework.
Approach:
Challenges to developing a robust satellite-based ET modeling framework over woody perennial crops include the unique canopy architecture and inter row spacing indicative of crops grown in California. Research will therefore address ways to better quantify crop specific micro- and bio-meteorological conditions through the utilization of sophisticated eddy covariance flux towers installed within woody perennial crops. Complementary studies will be conducted to better understand the unique dynamics of these cropping systems using the acquired dataset while also supplementing with intermittent ground measurements made during specific crop phenological stages. A special focus of this research will be to develop methods designed to use ground-based information within the ET modeling framework to more accurately predict water use and stress for the purpose of improving irrigation efficiencies. All work will operate under an applied perspective, providing derived information in a timely manner.
