Does the accuracy of fine-scale water level measurements by vented pressure transducers permit for diurnal evapotranspiration estimation?

Abstract

Evapotranspiration (ET) estimation methods based on diurnal water level (surface or groundwater) fluctuations are sensitive to measurement accuracy (McLaughlin and Cohen, 2011; Cuevas et al., 2010). Water level fluctuations are often measured by pressure transducers of varying design and precision. Available total pressure transducers require a compensation for barometric pressure change supplied by barometric pressure transducers. Recently McLaughlin and Cohen (2011) as well as Cuevas et al. (2010) analyzed the ‘thermal artifacts’ of such transducer-pair data questioning the applicability of sub-daily water level measurements in non-buffered thermal mode for diurnal ET estimation. Similar problems should not, in principle, occur for so-called vented pressure transducers. With the help of ancillary manual measurements, this study verifies the accuracy of vented pressure transducer obtained ultra-fine scale (temporal resolution of 1–10min) stream- and groundwater level data. Thermal effects were examined by a statistical analysis of concurrent water level and temperature data. The results support the thermal artifact-free nature of vented pressure transducers and therefore their suitability for diurnal ET estimation purposes when proper maintenance and periodic calibrations are provided. In the lack of such measures, diurnal temperature changes can induce errors in vented pressure transducer readings as well.