Estimation of Evapotranspiration in the Mesoregion of the Lower São Francisco

Abstract One of the most important factors in any water resource management program is having the knowledge about the natural processes that regulate the hydrological cycle. The aim of this study was to estimate the reference Evapotranspiration (ETo) in the Baixo São Francisco watershed (BSF), using the Penman-Monteith (PM) method recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in the period 2009 to 2018. The first step of the research was to fill in gaps in surface data, using the statistical predictive mean method (Predictive Mean Matching-PMM). After validation of the method, it was possible to estimate ETo using the PM-FAO method, where it was found that the temporal dynamics of ETo in most study locations follow a similar pattern, having only different values in their maximums and minimums. Regarding the average daily ETo values, Pão de Açúcar, in Alagoas, had the highest value in the study region, 4.69 mm.day−1 and Arapiraca, also in Alagoas, the lowest value with 4.18 mm.day−1. The average of the accumulated annual total of ETo of the BSF for the period was 1635.23 mm.year−1. The low ETo observed during the rainy season (April to July) is associated with lower temperatures. The work obtained good results, if compared with other studies already conducted in lower San Francisco.