Articles | Volume 30, issue 13
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-4383-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-4383-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
16 Jul 2026
Research article |
| 16 Jul 2026
| 16 Jul 2026
Evaluation of four remote sensing algorithms in estimating actual evapotranspiration in agricultural environments
Phathutshedzo Eugene Ratshiedana
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg Private Bag x3, Wits, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa
Agricultural Research Council-Natural Resources and Engineering–South Africa, 600 Belvedere Street, Arcadia, Pretoria 0083, South Africa
Mohamed A. M. Abd Elbasit
Arid Region Water Research Centre, Sol Plaatje University, Kimberley 8301, South Africa
Elhadi Adam
School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg Private Bag x3, Wits, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa
Johannes George Chirima
Agricultural Research Council-Natural Resources and Engineering–South Africa, 600 Belvedere Street, Arcadia, Pretoria 0083, South Africa
Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
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Short summary
We explored the use of remote sensing for improving water use monitoring in agricultural areas by estimating evapotranspiration and validating it against smart field weighing lysimeter data. We found that Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) was the most accurate approach for estimating actual evapotranspiration to help farmers understand crop water needs. Our results support smart tools in irrigation water management and monitoring with the aim to save the scarce water resources.
We explored the use of remote sensing for improving water use monitoring in agricultural areas...
