Articles | Volume 30, issue 15
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-5117-2026
© 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-30-5117-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
13 Aug 2026
Research article |
| 13 Aug 2026
| 13 Aug 2026
Systematic overestimation of evapotranspiration over irrigated areas by an offline land surface model
Centre National de Recherches Météorologiques, Université de Toulouse, Météo-France, CNRS, Toulouse, France
ISPA, INRAE, Bordeaux Sciences Agro, 33140 Villenave d'Ornon, France
Belén Martí
Centre National de Recherches Météorologiques, Université de Toulouse, Météo-France, CNRS, Toulouse, France
Aaron Boone
Centre National de Recherches Météorologiques, Université de Toulouse, Météo-France, CNRS, Toulouse, France
Patrick Le Moigne
Centre National de Recherches Météorologiques, Université de Toulouse, Météo-France, CNRS, Toulouse, France
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Short summary
Modelling evapotranspiration is essential for understanding the water cycle. While irrigation is known to increase evapotranspiration, it is less known that it also modifies local weather, which can in turn partially reduce evapotranspiration. This latter phenomenon is overlooked in some land surface model configurations. This study investigates and quantifies the impact of this oversight, showing that land surface models overestimate evapotranspiration by about 25% for crops in irrigated areas.
Modelling evapotranspiration is essential for understanding the water cycle. While irrigation is...
