Calculation of Kinetic Fractionation of Open‐Water Evaporation Over an Upland Reservoir

Abstract

AbstractBased on the fact that many water reservoirs built in headwater catchments receive no water input during dry season, we modified the Craig‐Gordon model and proposed an approach to calculate kinetic fractionation factors in open‐water evaporation taking into account isotopic compositions of precipitation and of lake water, lake volume, and land‐based meteorological data. The approach is centered around the determination of lake water isotope enrichment rate over time during dry periods. We then applied this approach for calculating kinetic fractionation factors, turbulence index, and open‐water evaporation for a small reservoir located in a sub‐tropical monsoonal climate. We found that the kinetic fractionation factors, εK,H and εK,O are, respectively 3.11‰ ± 0.41‰ and 2.50‰ ± 2.15‰, corresponding to the turbulence index of 0.43 ± 0.19. Evaporation rates in open‐water estimated by our approach is 1.55 times of the land‐based evaporation gauged in the nearby meteorological station. Wind speed, represented by turbulence index, is proved as an important climatic factor influencing kinetic fractionation. This study confirms that wind and surface area factors, which have been neglected in several isotope mass balance models, should be included into calculation process.