Development of mass-transfer evaporation model for Lake Nasser, Egypt

Abstract

Abstract Evaporation from free water surface is considered a very important constituent in both the energy and hydrologic cycles. Precise measurement of evaporation from the free water surface is almost impossible. This is why we need a calculation model for free water evaporation. In this study, a simple mass-transfer evaporation model was developed to be applicable over Lake Nasser in the hyper-arid region located in the south of Egypt. Measured meteorological data (2011–2014) at two stations, Aswan and Abu-Simbel, were used to calculate free water surface evaporation using Priestly–Taylor equation. Priestly–Taylor equation was used because it is the most appropriate equation for Lake Nasser evaporation according to the literature. Results from this model were used to develop a simple mass-transfer evaporation model. The statistical analysis for both calibration and validation periods were very good. The slope of the regression line is about 0.9, with a coefficient of determination of 0.98. The t value is 0.6, at p value of 0.544, which is much greater than 0.05. The developed model could be used with confidence at Aswan meteorological station or on the average of the two meteorological stations, while it should be used carefully on Abu-Simbel meteorological station.