| Abstract: | ABSTRACT: A methodology to estimate the average monthly lake evaporation, E(τ), (month τ=1,12) for fresh water bodies located in the northeast United States is presented. The approach combines analysis of at‐site, lake‐specific vertical water temperature profile data and a previously developed regional air temperature based model approximation of the widely accepted modified Penman energy budget estimate of mean monthly potential evaporation, Ep(τ) (mm/day). The paper presents procedures to develop site‐specific estimates of Ep(τ) and to convert water temperature data to average monthly conductive heat flux, G(τ). With monthly estimates of G(τ), the average monthly potential evaporation, Ep(τ), is then convertible to estimates of the average monthly lake evaporation, E(τ). This new method permits a good estimate of site‐specific lake evaporation rates without the data and computational requirements of the Penman energy budget procedure nor the comparatively expensive, time consuming field eddy correlation approach. |
