Comparison of SWAT and MODIS Evapotranspiration Data for Multiple Timescales

Prem B. Parajuli; Avay Risal; Ying Ouyang; Anita Thompson

doi:10.3390/hydrology9060103

Treesearch

Comparison of SWAT and MODIS Evapotranspiration Data for Multiple Timescales

Formally Refereed

Authors:

Prem B. Parajuli, Avay Risal, Ying Ouyang, Anita Thompson

Year:

2022

Type:

Scientific Journal

Station:

Southern Research Station

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology9060103

Source:

Hydrology

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Download (PDF 5.31 MB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/64549.pdf

Abstract

Evapotranspiration (ET) provides important information for hydrological studies, includingestimating plant water requirements which can be derived from remote sensing data or simulatedusing hydrological models. In this study, ET derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer(MODIS) was compared with ET simulated by the calibrated and validated Soil and WaterAssessment Tool (SWAT) model for the Big Sunflower River watershed (BSRW) in Mississippi. Thecomparisons were made based on 8-day, 1-month, seasonal, and annual timescales. The coefficientsof variation (COVs) for the 8-day, 1-month, seasonal, and annual ET simulated by SWAT were 0.42,0.40, 0.32, and 0.04, respectively, whereas the COVs for the ET derived from MODIS were 0.06, 0.12,0.08, and 0.01 for the respective time scales. Lower COVs for the ET derived from MODIS indicatedlower sensitivity to crop growth in the field. SWAT-simulated ET was the highest during crop growingseason and lowest during dormant season, but MODIS-derived ET did not vary considerablyaccording to crop growing or harvesting seasons. As MODIS-derived ET accounts for only climaticconditions and vegetation cover, SWAT-simulated ET is recommended for the short-term estimationof crop water requirements because it accounts for climatic, land use, soil, and slope conditions.

Keywords

MODIS, evapotranspiration, remote sensing, SWAT, water balance

Citation

Parajuli, Prem B.; Risal, Avay; Ouyang, Ying; Thompson, Anita. 2022. Comparison of SWAT and MODIS Evapotranspiration Data for Multiple Timescales. Hydrology. 9(6): 103-. https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology9060103.