Analysis of the potential evapotranspiration demands in the Czech Republic between 1961–1990

Abstract

Dynamics of the evapotranspirational demands in the Czech Republic within three decades from 1961 to 1990 has been studied. The determination of the levels of influence of the respective natural components depends on the regionalized modelling techniques. The project of regionalized modelling is theoretically based on the potential evapotranspiration values (ET0) calculated by FAO methodology (eqs. 1, 2) and the series of temperature and rainfall observations obtained by climatologic stations during a 30-year period from 1961 to 1990 and its relation to the absolute altimetric. The DMR-2 military digital elevation model of the Czech Republic relief consisting of a regular network of points with their altitudes specified in meters was used for the purpose of regionalized modelling. One step of the network in the S-42 coordinate system with the Gauss conforms cylindrical projection is equal to 100 meters; this implies that the smallest area for which the data can be processed is 1 hectare. The digital relief model can be linked to both direct (temperature, precipitation) and derived (evapotranspiration) quantities, which is one of the many novelties of regionalized modelling. The climatic data used in regionalized modelling records daily measurements were obtained by 85 climatologic and rainfall-monitoring stations from 1961 to 1990. Our results showed an appreciable decrease of the most drying area (ratio P/ET0 up to 0.755) in the last decade 1981-90; half as less amounts compared with the previous decade 1971-80 (about 500,000 hectares). On the other hand, an apparent increase (more than 500,000 hectares in comparison with the previous decade 1971-80) of the wettest area (ratio P/ET0 over 1.508) through the last decade was observed. Both first decades 1961-70 and 1971-80 look similar. The project mentioned in this article has made it possible to create models for the different time intervals which have showed higher reliability for heterogeneous application.