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Open AccessArticle
Assessing Riparian Evapotranspiration Dynamics in a Water Conflict Region in Nebraska, USA
by
Ivo Z. Gonçalves
Ivo Z. Gonçalves
Ivo Zution Goncalves is an agronomist engineer from Brazil.
He holds a doctorate in agricultural in [...]
Ivo Zution Goncalves is an agronomist engineer from Brazil.
He holds a doctorate in agricultural engineering from the State University of
Campinas in Brazil and a master’s degree in plant production from the Federal
University of Espírito Santo in Brazil. He joined the Water for Food Institute
in June 2015 as a postdoctoral researcher and is currently a Research Assistant
Professor. He is working with Director of Research Christopher Neale on
projects involving remote sensing approaches applied to water resources,
irrigation management, and crop modeling to ensure food and water security
without compromising the use of water to meet other vital human and
environmental needs. He also worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the University
of São Paulo (ESALQ) for two years, working in the areas of remote sensing and
agricultural meteorology.
,
Burdette Barker
Burdette Barker
Burdette Barker is the Extension Irrigation Specialist for
Utah. He received his BS in Biological [...]
Burdette Barker is the Extension Irrigation Specialist for
Utah. He received his BS in Biological Engineering from Utah State University
in 2009, MS in Irrigation Engineering from Utah State University in 2011, and
PhD in Biological Engineering from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2017.
He has worked throughout the Western U.S. in irrigation engineering consulting
and research. He focuses on providing information and tools to help Utah’s
agricultural producers. His areas of expertise include irrigation system design
and performance, flow measurement, crop water use measurement and modeling, and
irrigation management. He teaches courses in irrigation systems design and
evaluation, covering irrigation water supply, farm irrigation systems, and land
drainage. He was selected as an Outstanding Graduate Mentor in 2025 at Utah
State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Christopher M. U. Neale
Christopher M. U. Neale
Derrel L. Martin
Derrel L. Martin
Derrel L. Martin is Professor Emeritus of Irrigation and
Water Resources Engineering in the of the [...]
Derrel L. Martin is Professor Emeritus of Irrigation and
Water Resources Engineering in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering
at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He earned B.S. and M.S. Degrees in
Agricultural Engineering from the University of Nebraska in 1975 and 1979. He
received his PhD from Colorado State University in 1984. He has also worked for
a state agency and a consulting company before attending graduate school. He is
a Professional Engineer, a Fellow of the ASABE, and served as Chair of the Soil
and Water Division of the ASABE. He worked in the Department of Biological
Systems Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for more than forty
years. He taught courses in irrigation engineering and management, and vadose
zone hydrology. His research focused on irrigation engineering and management,
protection of groundwater quality by minimizing pollution from agricultural
chemicals, deficit irrigation due to water limitations, evapotranspiration and
crop water use, and modeling the soil-water-plant system to assess
productivity. He spent over fifteen years delivering Extension programs on
irrigation, water resources management, and energy use in irrigated
agriculture. He developed software used by state and local water management
agencies.
Sammy Z. Akasheh
Sammy Z. Akasheh
1
Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 6858, USA
2
Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA
3
Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, College of Engineering, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Water 2025, 17(20), 2949; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17202949 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 17 September 2025
/
Revised: 6 October 2025
/
Accepted: 9 October 2025
/
Published: 13 October 2025
Abstract
The escalating pressure on water resources in agricultural regions has become a catalyst for water conflicts. The adoption of innovative approaches to estimate actual evapotranspiration (ETa) offers potential solutions to mitigate conflicts related to water usage. This research presents the application of a remote sensing-based methodology for estimating actual evapotranspiration (ETa) based on a two-source energy balance model (TSEB) for riparian vegetation in Nebraska, US using the Spatial EvapoTranspiration Modeling Interface (SETMI). Estimated results through SETMI and field data using the eddy covariance system (EC) considering the period 2008–2013 were used to validate the energy balance components and ETa. Modeled energy balance components showed a strong correlation to the ground data from EC, with ET presenting R2 equal to 0.96 and RMSE of 0.73 mm.d−1. In 2012, the lowest adjusted crop coefficient (Kcadj) values were observed across all land covers, with a mean value of 0.49. The years 2013 and 2012, due to the dry conditions, recorded the highest accumulated ETa values (706 mm and 664 mm, respectively). Soybeans and corn exhibited the highest ETa values, recording 699 mm and 773 mm, respectively. Corn and soybeans, together accounting for a substantial portion of the land cover at 15% and 3%, respectively, play a significant role. Given that most fields cultivating these crops are irrigated, both pumped groundwater and surface water directly impact the water source of the Republican River. The SETMI model has generated appropriate estimated daily ETa values, thereby affirming the model’s utility as a tool for assisting water management and decision-makers in riparian zones.
Share and Cite
MDPI and ACS Style
Gonçalves, I.Z.; Barker, B.; Neale, C.M.U.; Martin, D.L.; Akasheh, S.Z.
Assessing Riparian Evapotranspiration Dynamics in a Water Conflict Region in Nebraska, USA. Water 2025, 17, 2949.
https://doi.org/10.3390/w17202949
AMA Style
Gonçalves IZ, Barker B, Neale CMU, Martin DL, Akasheh SZ.
Assessing Riparian Evapotranspiration Dynamics in a Water Conflict Region in Nebraska, USA. Water. 2025; 17(20):2949.
https://doi.org/10.3390/w17202949
Chicago/Turabian Style
Gonçalves, Ivo Z., Burdette Barker, Christopher M. U. Neale, Derrel L. Martin, and Sammy Z. Akasheh.
2025. "Assessing Riparian Evapotranspiration Dynamics in a Water Conflict Region in Nebraska, USA" Water 17, no. 20: 2949.
https://doi.org/10.3390/w17202949
APA Style
Gonçalves, I. Z., Barker, B., Neale, C. M. U., Martin, D. L., & Akasheh, S. Z.
(2025). Assessing Riparian Evapotranspiration Dynamics in a Water Conflict Region in Nebraska, USA. Water, 17(20), 2949.
https://doi.org/10.3390/w17202949
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