Project Number: 6209-13000-012-04
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Sep 01, 2005
End Date: Aug 31, 2010

Objective:
The objectives of this cooperative research project are to: 1) maintain and coordinate the Northern Plains ET (evapotranspiration) network of weather stations and associated facsimile, E-mail, and Internet information data delivery; 2) provide irrigation sprinkler system design and field support for installation for an expanded turf grass for a weather station at Bushland, Texas; 3) provide cooperative regional evapotranspiration mapping research; and 4) provide cooperative regional groundwater pumping mapping with GIS (geographic information systems).

Approach:
The current Northern Plains ET network and the Southern Plains (SPET) networks of approximately 15-18 weather station sites will be maintained and the data achieved with quality control/assurance procedures and made available to facsilme subscribers, E-mail, and via Internet downloads. A 5-acre site adjoining the ARS-Bushland evapotranspiration weather station will be irrigated by sprinklers with turf grass installed to expand the fetch. Regional energy balance models will be integrated with GIS for estimating crop water use. Regional land use mapping integrated with GIS will be used to estimate groundwater pumping.