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111111.25 ""'1.4 111111.6 111111.25 11111 1.4 111111.6

MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART

MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART
NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS-1963-A
NArIQNAL BUREAU OF SrANDA~DS-196l-A
 Determining Consumptive Use
If

and
Irrigation Water Requirements

Technical Bulletin No" 1275

Agricultural Research Service

UNITE() STATES ()EI'ARTMENT OF AGRICVLTURE

in cooperation with

The Office of Utah State Engineer

 CONTENTS
Pa,.
1;Ulnmnry ______ o- 1
Need for l\lethod __ , 2

Past Investigatioll:;_ 3

U('lIoral Studio,;. - ~

U~H. Departll\I'nt of Agrit'IIILlln' Stllclip:;

;)

i\lr'ihocls ___ . _• ~ _ • __ - 6

i\[cmmrNI Consllmptive Fs!'. . 8

fntllll'nee of Varioll~ Flll'lol's 011 Irrigation W;l-t~~ -Usp 11

I'n'cipitation 1l

Tr'mperaturl' 13

Hllrniditv._ l'l

Wind l\lowment 14-

Growing Sl'asoll . L4

Latilude and 8unlight. 14

Available Irrigation WflU'r SlIpply 15

QUlllity of Wa[PI' Iii

Hoil Fertility__ __ - 15

Plant Pe;;ts ;In(\ I )j;;('f\.-;('S_ t5

I~~tirnatillg Watpr i{f'qllirt'lItplIli', 16

ConslIlIlpLlw C;p of WaiN 16

COII:;Ull1ptivl'-l-"p Formlll:L li

Assumptions in Applying FOl'lllllla

H)
Trrigntion J{('qUlrpnH'llh;_ 22

r rrigalion Etricien<:lps 22

(T,mble PrecipitatiOIl_ -' - --- - 25

\\'intel' Hoil-i\[oi,;tllrp (';\ITI'O\'('r CunlriblllioJl 25

(;round Watpr Contributioll_ 26

AppliclLtion of ('oni'lllnptiw'-LS(' Forrnllin to Spl'eific ,\I'I'a" 26

Cou$t:ll Arc'a in SOlllhprrt Californi,\ 26

Salt River VallC'~-, Ariz

28

Caldwell Arp;l, Idrlho 28

Altm;ArC'a,Okltl . _ --------­ 29

i:-iolllh AUnntic COfl:·:tal Arpa, (,har\('slon, H.C 29

i\rolltro:;p An'a, Colo ~I

II lLwaii __ a5

LitNUt lire Cit('d :36

Apppnclix____ • ___ , - 39

\)cfinili(lns of COnSlIlJlptin' l',,(, IWci Trrig:ltioll 'l\-rlll,,__ .. 39

List of Bullptins on Wall'.I' RequirPII\('nts for Cel'taill Western Statl';:' 40

T:Li)\('s 15 to 18.. _ _ _. ... - - - - -. - - - - ". - - -- -- -. - • 41

;\~ri(,lIltllr:l1 Wat!'1' Hl'qllil'l'II1l'llt .HLu(\I(,H in Otllf'1' Couutrie:i __ --- 52

Washington, i).C. Jsslwd December 1002

Iror sale by tha Superintendent or Documents, I':.S. Government Printing Oflic-o

Wnshlngton 2.5, D.C. - Price 25 cents
(m)
 LIST OF TABLES
Page
I. r'}xample<j of lIl('t!~un'd sP:l!;onal con:;ulllptive lISC and COIll­
puted avenlge daily and pcak consumptivc lise of water for \"llriOllS

crops ut differcnt locations in Western United States___________ _

\1
2. Examples of meai'un'd lllonthly consumptive use of water for irrigatNI \
crops at selected locations in Wrst('rn United States____________ . .

:). Exumple of total and ('Irecti\"(' llIonthly precipitation for a given arra_

4. Seasonal con$lImpthop-lI~(, ('oelficirllts (K) for irrigated crops ill

Western United Statp:; __ . ____________________________ . ___ . __ _
li.

n. Typical watrr-application
"r
Examples of slIggrsted lIlonthly cOPslImptivp-use co('tf1<:irllts (k) for

some irrigatC'd crop;; al: \'ariolls 10l'atiops in estern Slab';; ____ . __ •

lo,;se:; und irrigation C'fficiPIH:ipi' for difff'rpnt

20
soil condition:; ___________________ . _______________________ . _
23
7. ComplltC'd normal lI.onthly consl.lmpth·c lIRP and irrigatioll r('(jldn'­
ments of all or:lIIgp gro\'(·. H:LIIta Ana, CaliL_ .. ____________ . .

8. Complltt'd normal lllonthly eonSlIrnptin' liSt' and irrig:ltion rpqllir!'­

mpnts for ('otton in thC' \'icil1ity of :\[e;w, Salt Rh'er \-allpy, Ariz_ .. 28
.­
(J. Computed normal monthly conslimpth'c UHf' and irrigation n'quirf'­
mcnts for gm~s-alfalfa ncar Caldll"f'll, Idaho __________________ ._

LO. Computed 1I0rmai monthly ('ou::Hlmpti\'(' u~e and irrigation lI"atC'r

rrquin:n\('nt..--; for alfalfa for the lIlajor growing :;pa~on, Altus arpa,

Okla ______________ .___ ________________________ •. _. . _._ .

tI. Computed monthly copsumpt h'c us(' and irri!-\"tltion rpquin'lIIpn( for

gra1:'" plL'5ture, Charlpslon, l-'.C., for dry ypar 1\}2.) _____ . ___ • _._

12. EXample. of Ob~f'IT('(1 lIlomhl.\' tplIll)('mturps ani prcl'ipita{ion and

calculated cousump{:ive-usp fa('tor~ and ('If('(.'tivp r:linfnll for tht'
:Montrosp ar('a, Colo ________________________ _
1:3. Examplr of computation '.If ~(·'I.~()lIal conslIlIlpli\"p 1I~(, and irriga{ion

rcquirpnwnt,; for crops in.llll' '\[oni:ro,;c arpa, Colo __ . ___ _ _..

I·L Example' of till' n1l'thod URNI to ('ompu{c til(' normal alllount of

irrigation wat{'f n'quir('(1 af: IH'adgate at a typieal SO-aere farm Ill'ar
:\Iontrosc, Colo .... _____ • _____ • ____________________ .
15. Hecords of lIleasurt'd seasonal ('onslIll'lptin' lise of \\'atpr by irriga(pd
crops and cakuiat('d eOIl~ulllpth-p-use fal'i:ors (F) and e<op co('lTi­
c:ients (1\) at \-arious sitc>; in Wel'tC'rnGnited Stat('s ____ , __ ..
16. l\[onthly pC'rcC'ntagC' of daytinH' hours of thp }"par ________ ... ____ ._
17. X ormal monthly consulIlp!iw·-u:;c faetors (f) and 1l\'PrfLg(' Illonthly
precipitation (r) in inche:; for \OariUUR locations in \\\':-;(('rn enitl'd
Statrs and Hawaii ______________________ • _____. ___ ._
18. SuggC'sted monthly crop eopfD('i<'nt" (k) for ~('Il't't('d IOt'ationH ___ ._
19. Normal monthly eon~umpti\·p-lI"p f:l!.'t or;: (J) m,d lW('mgp IIlonthly
precipitation (r) in in('IH'~ in \'ariou,; furpigll ('olllttrif'~ _. ___ •
20. Irrigation walf'r n'quirf'mt'llts at (Hint, nf'ar Bp('r:-;!\('bit, I~nwl
21. Irrig:l.(ioTl wat!'r r('quirpnlents :Lt Lak(' Tilll'rill,;, l:-;r:lpl __ • __ _

(IV)
 . ' ,

Determining Consumptive Use

and

Irrigation Water R,equirements

By HARRY F. BLA~EY,irrig(/tion engineer, SoU and IValcr Conservation ne.~earch

Division, ftgriculillral Research Service, United Stales De7Jartment of flgriculture,
and WAy:m D. CRlDDL~}, Utah Slale c/lgilleer

SUIvIMARY
~1an.'· factors influencc the ilmoun t of watcr consumed by plants.
'l'he more illl port 1m t nat ul'l11 influencE'S ilre clinmte, \VU tel' supply,
soil, Hlld topography. The dilllutie factors believed to Illn-e the
grC'atC'st effC'('t Oil eOllsllmptive usc on which data arc generally llvniL­
It hIe un' (eIll pertlt urp, precipi t n tion, h lIrn ieli ty, wind mow'men t, ilnd
growing senSOll. IITigl1tion pL'IlC'tices, as wC'll as kind of crops grown,
thC'ir SttlgC' of growth, and spC'cies,. also influence the alllount of water
consumed.
This report indudes results of experinHmtill studies ill the cnited
SUltC'S and sen-rnl forC'ip:n eoun triC's. An elll piricilL form ula is devel­
oPNI from these rC'su\ts, sLlOwing the rt'lationship betweC'n tC'll1pemture,
length of growing Sl'llSnn, monthly percent.age or .UlIlUlll dnytillle bours,
nnd consulllpLin usC' of wntC'r. Frolll this relntionship, ('onsllmptin'
usc of ,,"uter by crops llllt! nntuml Yl'gctation and an irrigation require­
llH'nt (,1ll1 reildilv be ('stinlnlcd for ony .lrea where the bnsic dimilto­
logical diltrl nrc 'llYililable. ­
'The pro(wlure wns de\-('loped by con·elating rnensured ("OIlSlIlllpti\-e­
use dilltl with monlldy telllperflture, IllOllthly percelltages of yellrly
daytime hours, precipitation, lllld ~rowing or irrigatioll S('llSOII. Th('
('o('ffkiellts thus dcye)oped allow for the ('olliputntion of ("onsulllplivc
usC' of ('adl crop if the monthly l(,llIp('rature, latitude, Ilnd ~ro\\'illg
period of the crop nrc kllowlland ir the (·olllpulrd IIlonthly pC'reentnge
or HlllHlill daytillle hours arc it vailtthle.
Estimated- s(,llsoll111 ('OnslllllptiYe use ill ill('h{'" (·illl 1)(' tOlllplltC'd
rrOIll the ronlluln.
U=f{Ii'
•
where U=usc or wflter in illchC's;
J(=elll pirical seasonal c:opflicielll;
F=sum o[ the 1I10llthly factors en
for the seasoll (sum of
the products of Illeall 1II0llthly tpr1Iperllture (I) in
degTC'C's Fn hrt'll hei Land mOllth Iy ppr('Plllnge of .ulIlunl
.. daytillle hours (p)) .
The eq ualion for Ilion t hly or shOl"t-p('riod ('onsulll ptin' use ill inelH's
jS1~=kf.

1
2 TECHNICAL BULLE'PIN 1275, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

The seasonal coefficient (If) for etlch crop iLppears to be approxi­

lllately constant for most areas where irrigation is practiced. How­
ever, the coeflicicnts do not appeal" to be constant for consecuti\-e
short periods during the growing senson. Adjustments can be mnde
in areas whem dab\' are~ availn.ble. :tror short periods imd higher
temperatures, the coefficient k appears to be largel·. But temperature
is not the only factor nffeeting consumpti\ye-uso reintions. Each erop
hns its own pnrticular growth and water-usc pattern. Thus, for short
periods, use co<'ffici<'nts vary, d<'p<'IHling upon tell1p<'rtlture and stage
of growth.
The net flmount of irrigation \\"ILler ll('("essnry to satisfy ('onsurnplin~
use during t1l1y period is found by subtracting lhe dfecti,-e precipila­
tion nnd other !lvIlibble wIlter frolll the total requirement for the
period. This net requiremcnt of irrig!llion wlll<'l", diYided by lhe
irrigation eflieiellcy, is the oventll wILt<'r requircll1C'nt to sn,tisfy the
needs of the crop. If oHic-jolley ll1C'aSUl"Ollli.'nts nrC' not nvailabk, the.\­
can be estimnted by taking into nc("ount irrig.ttion prndiees, soil
cilnrncteristies, topogmphy, skill or lIle irrig.ltor. (it-gree of lund
preparntion, nnd it\-ailability and {'ost or \ml('r suppli('s. Irrigation
efficiency mlLy be measured in the :field, but suc·h lIleasurell1C'nts arc
expensive find llre oftpli cstilllated. by lIIaking nllo\\-.ul("{,s for ccrltlin
wastes such as ditch S('ep.lp;(" doep percoi:ltion, [tlld. sm-raee runofr.
The nct conSUl11 ptivp irrigation req Uil"CIlICn t correetrti I'or <"Oil \"P.\'fUlCt'
nnd application losses is the irl"iglltion di n'rsioll rrq uirrnl('l1 t. 'I'll<'
terms used in this report .u·r also ddillrti.

NEED FOR METHOD

COllsernltion ol'wakr supplies, as Wl'lI as ;:;oils, is of firsl illJportnll("p
ill the ngricultuml ('conolllY or thc' Wpst. Allhough irrigatioll hns
bcen uSNI in YlLrious parts or the wodd for C"l'lIturi('s, lllotiern irrigll.t iOll
WitS not practieed in \Yesterll l'lIil<'t1 Slatc's unlil nbout 1:-'50. During
the Inst ("('ntur}" the scienc(' of irl"iglttion has IUh-IlIJ(·C'd rapidl."- This
is esp(,l"ially true \\"itlt resped to slnwtures uSl'd in sloring, (·011 \"rying,
and controlling irrigation waters. Cliforlulllllely, inlprO\"('III('lIt or
11letilOds and pmdi("('s of applying waler 10 the lalld has 1I0t hpl Pl\(·('
with the de\-rlopIllNlt of larg<' irrig.tlioll strudurl's.
A knowledgl' of tOllSlllllptin~ usC' (C'nlpotntnspimtion) I is IH'(·t'S­
sary in plnllning farlll irrigation systPlIls nlld for illlpro\-ing irrigll.lioll
pl"lleti(;es. hrigation alld ("Ollsllillplin' \\-alpl"-l"l'CfuirC'III!'nt dlltll art.'
used lllorC' ilnd mOr(' \\-icidy ill pl:tnnillg wlII('r distribution. B.\­
using ilJfol"lllation foulld in tbis bull<'lill and ill SillJiillr repods, ('ngi­
lIeers and lC'ehni('inns CIlIl rp/Hlil.\- ('st in Ilit (' irrigatioll wl1.[('r II ('('d5.
COllll110n wlltt'r-llleasurillg d('vi,·(,s sllppl.v infol"lllll,tioll OIL thl' quuntity
of walC'r Itclually dl'iin'l"l'ci to the' fal"llJ.With this knowlC'dgt',
evaluation or the 10ss('s otTulTing het \\"el'lI the farlll 11<'adp;nlt' and
the plllllt roots is possibl('. :-iwh lOSS('H' fl'NllI('lItly ilion' lhnn :j(j
PC'l"{'l'Ilt--mny 1)(' Iwlu("l'd Jllnt('rilllly wilh illlPl"()\'l'd "-Iltpr (·ollspr­
valioll pl"lldic·l'S.

I See appendix, Jl. 3fJ, for dpfinitions of terlllS used ill lllb bulletin.
 CONSUMPTIVE USE Alii!) WATER REQUIREMENTS 3
l'here is i1 need to correlilt(' eVllpol'!ttion from water llnd land
surfaces and trallspimtioll fronl phUllS with the climn,tological .factors
ilnd soil conditions. If longtime metlSUremellts of fill tbe climatie
faetors affecting consumptive use were available, all empirical fonl1uin,
taking illto account the efl'ect ot' l'flch factor eould be de,rel{)ped llnd
npplied with l'easonable iH'curac,f for ilNemge conditions ill any' llreft.
Howeyer, eyen in the more intensi\Tely settled n.reas, onl~~ part of
the influol1eing flLetors hllYO heen mensUL'l'Cl. On new project lands
tlmt nrc still sparsely settled, it is 1ll1USUill to have nlly l'nctors mens­
UJ'od pxcept precipitation {md tempomturo. Anti, in mnny instances,
reconls of these inHuences nre limitrcl 01' not n.vailable.
X ew SOUL'ces of irriglltioll water.' supplies nre becoming limited,
whel'ens the m'(':t of underdeyelopcd irrignble In,lId is still extensin'.
As the ('ost of water illl'reas{'s, mon' cilI,t'ful estinllltes of wnter re­
quircllH'nts 011 projects nn' lIecessmT. Only the lnlld tbnt cnn be
sPITod acl(,C[lHltply tind ('conomicall.r can now bc l)l'ought under
irriglttioll, For some of the nlOl'e rec('nt large pl.'ojects, the construc­
tion costs ehnq!eabl(' Ilgainst ilTig:lti.Oll are well n,bove $500 pel' acrc.
'With ('osts so high, lurgt' errol'S in estimating tite nCl'eage of land
suit:lble for continued il'l'i~iltion ill1d the 1111l0lmt of watel.' requircd
for it Illust be a,-oided. If insufllcient watpr is allowed 1'01' maximull1
produdioll, the proje('t lands will not producc prolwri,\" and will not
be abll' to pa~" the ('harges; but il' tht' supply eX('t'eds the Ileed.;, watt'l'
costs ll1a,\~ ex('t'('(\ the ability of the users to pny.
As :1 l't'sult, Statr, FeciPl'llI, llnd other a~t'n('ies rt'sponsible Jor tho
pl:\'lIl1in~, ('Ollsll'll('tion, oIwrntion, ll1itintt'na.II('C, n,nd ndministrntioll
of IlIllltiplt'-pUl'poSP projects, and thost' r('sl)Qllsibh· 1'01' guiding :Ind
assistillg f1\1'I\1('I's ill tht' solution of their irrig:ltioll probkllls Iwt'd
basic ,nltt'I'-n'(IIlirt'lllpnt data.
If eedain dilllatologicni dn.tn, UI'P ayaililhIP, lhis hull<,till desc'ribt's
It method for ('stillwting lhe irri~:llioll IIt'PtiS and tht' ('onsull1ptin~
liSt' of Wlltpr by ('rop, and tllll;; tl\(, irrignlioll rNluir(,IIH'lIts for a
g! '"('II Itl.'Pll.

PAST INVESTIGATIONS
'J'ra.nspil'ation of wlltpr b,'- plallts has bt'(,11 studi('(l for till' past
t.wo ('('nturips, and likp\\~is(' (,Yllporatioll of Wilt('r hni=; bcc'li sludied
on'r II. long p('riod (/).2 HO\\'('ypr, it wns 1I0t until thp first part of
this ('('lItUI',\" thnt the' \('1'1115 "C'OIlSlllllptin' US(," alld "t'nlpolr:l.Ilspi­
rlltion" (':tlll(' illto gl'11<'1'Il1 usagc'. AII(l it has b('{'n olll,\~ sill('(' 1\J:{:"j
thllt sufii('iPllt dal:l hll"(' 1>('('11 :I,·a.ilnbiP on this sllhj('ct so that dlL
sigllPl'S or irrig:llioll Iliid dmillnge 5.n;tt'l1ls and hydrologists h:lY(!
hnd cOIl(id,'Il('(' in til(' liS!' of sll('h IIllltp['ial.

GENERAL STl'DIES
TIt(' <,fl'(,(,t or sUllsililll' and 11(':t( ill stilll\dH(in~ (rallspinttioll WitS
studied ill EIl~la.lId liS (1:ldy as HiHl, 11('('ol'ding to Abb(' (1). \Ip:tsllr('­
lI1ents or trnllspil'lltioll or \'i1l'ious kinds or pl:llltS indicate 11 ('Ios('

2 Itnlic nUlIlbers ill parentiles('s rCrl'l' tn Li\('r:i.llit'l' Cil<!r1, p. :{(i.

 4 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 12i5, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICUI,TURE

correlation beLween tl'itllSpil'fLtion und eVflporation ft'om fL'ee-wat,er

smfaces, njI' temperntut'e, sobr l'fidiation, nnd wet-bulb depressi.on
readings, .
Several formulas have been developed in the pust for determining
evnpot'Htion and eonsnrnptivc usc of water by crops and other' vegc::­
tation from meteorological data. Some methods for determining
consumptive use, based on climatic factors, lillY(' l)('en founel to
give reasonably fi(,ClU·n.te results.
For many year's irrigation engineers hnyc lIsed temperntUt'e daJa
in ('stimfl,ting ynney consumptive usc in arid and semiarid lu'e!ls of
the ,rest. In 1924 Hedke, as (,pported by Blrtney nncl co,,"orkel's
(13), denloped the effe('tin-hellt method 011 tll(> Rio Grnnde. By
this method, ('onslllnpti\"(' USl' is estirnnted from n stud~- of t11P jwat
units nvuilnbil' to the ('rops of lL pnr'tieuJlll' ndley. rt aSSUI\H'S n
linear relation bel\\-een till' ,U110UIlL of waLet· ('ollsUIllPd ,lncl the qunJI­
tity of iwailablc hpat. Frolll studies hy the 'C.S. Bl\l'l'au of Rl'dallllt­
lio'n conducted intermittently front 19:37 to 1940 h,- Lo,nT alld
.Johllson (35). n sOl1ll'whllt slllli1:tr llH'tb::>d ,nlS den'loped th;,! has
been wid('ly used h~- the Bmrilu in making its rstimutl'S ol'ntlJ('y
C'onsumptive usc. This ll1('thod also assllllled 11 dil'l'd rrl:ltionship
bctween tt'rnpemturcs [lnd ,'onsum ptivc ust'. It assumes 11 lineiu'
relation betwe(~n eOl1sumptin~ lIsr and H('('ull1ulatell dail.,- maximum
temperaturcs above 32° F. dUl'ing the growing senson. In ]947,
Hn.rgl'eaves, also of the BUI'('ftll of Rrc'ialllntion, suggps(rcl It I1wlhod
of ('aleuln.ting consumptiv(' use for the Crntl'lll Vall('y of ('nlifol'nin.
This method was bnsed on lo('nl 1'('('oI'(]s of r,"apol'ution, (t'mprl'Hlu('(',
lLnd Jllllnidit.," (iZ.rJ).
Thornthwnite (4.n, wOl'killg ill gast:l'I'1I Cnitpd Stll.tps, (lc,"('loprd It
IIldllOcl that sr(,IIIS I'nthpl' ",PI1 adaptrd to the 1lI0l'C humid IIrras.
In 1948, PPIIJlIUIl (8/J) of Engl:tlld led in thr denlopll1Plll or
some of the 11101'(' fundn.mrntul and rntiollfll flppl'onC'hrs to thc problrlll.
Howevpl', fiJi methods presrntl.,- kno\\"11 hl"'c their limitations find
require em pil'iC'nl ('oeffi('i('n ts, to eor'l'l'('t for plan t gl'Owth proel's:'PS
and physiologiC'al e1inl'llcteristies,
In 1955, Hallmis,\-cihmryrt', lind Hendl'i.C'kson (28) rrportrd on It
st ud." of till' rrl:ttion betwPl'n ("-11POt'fl tion frOIll a till om rt('rs nlid
eonsumptive watrr ('rquircmrJlts of crops. Thl',\" eluill1Nl thfl.t all rlll­
pil'icnl relationship existrd bcb\'rt'll mOllthly ('Ollslllllptin liSP nnd tll!'
difl'rl'CII('r in rvnpomtion from hla('k nnd \Vllile utlllollletrrs.
Tn 1960, ;-'[III1S01l (37) of t!H' B111'pilU or 1\(·clnlllH (iOIl d('\'('lo(J!'d tll!'
"1'. E. III(/l'x ~Irthod" JOI' ('Stillllltillg 1I10llthly lIlId allnual ('OIlSlIIllf)­
ti,'e wat.('l· J'C<jllirrlllellts hllspd Oil "PI'P('ipilat i()n-(~'"lIpnl'llti()II" I'll tios,
tCll1prmtUl'rs, ilnd fj('ld (·()ndilions.
~rany otiwt's ill llIp Cnib'd Sln lrs hnTc, from time to till1p, w()l'k('d
on the pt'obJ<.m or d(,n'loping a IlIPtllOd rot' rstimll.lillg ('OIlSLJlllptin
use or ~wnt('l' b.,- (TOPS alld othl'l'\'('gC'tatioll. OI'U"lltilllPS. n nl('{lIod
that .is d('yl'lOPNI ror 011(' an'fl, 1111(/ aplH'lIrs to 1)(' pl'lIdimbl('. hilS
little npp1irnlioll in otllel' III'PII8. Ho\\"('\'('I', sludip,.; ill .Tnpllll. '('lIp
:PhiJippirH'S, Tn<lill. Pakistall, .Jordall, ISI':lpl (8), SPllill, (;1'('('('(" 'l'lIl'k(',\",
Fml1C'(" lI'nq, Hlll,", Ellglund (8i/), Ilolllllld, Cuhll. \"(IIH'IIII('II1, BI'i1l1il,
OhiIP, ('olol'lIl>in, lllld Illall,\' otllrl' ('olllltl'i('s h:1\'(' :Iddpd to 0111' g(II1('I':d
fund or kl1()wlpdge on this fHll>jprt.
 COSSU':-:lPTIVI~ USg A~D WA'l'm, HEQUIREMEN'l'S 5
u.s. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE STUDIES
At various tiLllC:.'il since 1900, the research ngencies of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture, ill coopel'ittioll with State agricultural
experimel1 t stlLtion::. and other agencies, hlwe me!lsured evapo­
t I"flllSpirfl tion of d i1l"('ro11 t fl,gricultural crops alld natural vegetatioll
ill many sections of the Cui ted States. Often evaporatioll, tempent­
tlll.·e, hUlllidity, precipitntion, :Lnd \\-inc!. mo,'ement were all recorded
a t the snllll' time. Ho\\-eyer, sllch complete rlttta nrc not availttbl(,
rOl" IlUlIlY Ul"('as. Thus, lrrmsposing consmnpti,-e-use measurements
IlIUst be hns~'d on flVftilnble climatologie:tl ObSel"V1Ltions tlHtt usuallr
indulle only temperature ftlld prceipitation. .
One or the :Iirst studies (24) or evapotmnspimtionlosses or irriO"nted
("rops WilS m,llie in 190:3 b.,' the (T.S. Departmellt or Agricultl~'e in
Cn1irornin. Extensive studies (7) or eY:tpomlion, eyapotranspira­
lion, tellljWrnture, humidity, Hlld wind movement were conducted
by the SPllior author in 1919 nl the Irrign,tion Field Laboratory
lor-:tted. itt Dpl\\-pr, Colo.
In l!):~O thl' prneti(":tbility of usillg the evapoTflLioll pan alld tempem­
t urp rc("o("(l,; :IS ,tn in<i('x for estill1ating ('vu.potrallspirntion losses frOll!
ll10ist arp,lS WItS dl'tll.Onslratccl ill sOllth('I'n C:t1ifornia (18); similnr
U::ll' or ::lueh llttt..l W,tS mad('.in 1\):3li in the Joint Uppcr Rio (;ralldl'
Investi~:diotl (18), Studics in 1!)a1--!4 in northcrn Idnho indicaled
a re1n tionship bl'tw('('l1 l'ntpOl"<t tion, lem pcrn Lure, and eonsulll pti n~
IISC (;2,2).
~lpHSUren1l'tlls of Wit! of W:Ll('r by alfalfa .in Sail Ji'el"U/ln<io Yalley,
Cali!"., in 1\):~9-4() showed:t gooclrplalionship between CV:lpotr:tIlSpim­
tion, eva por:ltion from ,t waler surface, lWei tent pel"H lure (17).
Slurii(''; or use of \\',ltp1" by crops Ilt ~cotlsblulr, Xebr., from 19:32
to 19:~() can bl' t"olTl'latecl with tClllp!'nttul"es flnd evapomtion (20),
Studies conducted 1)\- the Huthors ltnd olhers in 19:·Hl-40. in COllIU'C­
lion with the ,Joint 1)pcos RiYel" Inn'stig:ltion of the Xnlional R(,­
soun'ps Planning BOlud (3Rl, indicaled that dala 011 p,-npomlion,
evapotnlnspimlion, mean monthly tempemturp. monthly p('rCenlilgr
of daytimc hour;;, growing SCilSOIl. mOil thly preeipi t.ltion, :uld eflkieney
of irrigntion could 1)(' used to ostililittl' irrigltlion 1"('quireIlH'llts, Lilter,
empirical formulas \q're dpn'lop('d [mill the Pecos HiYer studies for
eslilllating unit annual ntlll('s or c\'aporaLion from fl"l'e-wnter su.rfaces
fInd ('Ollsumpti,-e liSP b.\- Ilatin' \'l'g<'tatioll hfn-illg ,t('('C'ss to II. plentiful
snppl.\- of ground ,,'n leI" (7, Un. 'rhis l1ll'thod gin'S ("ollsid('l"lltion to
lempl'rature, daylilll(' !tour:;, and.hulllidity 1"l'C'ords, <lnd iil llPplicn.ble
to areas ",.11('1"(' t!tel"(' is t1l1lpll' waler lo take ("II"l\ of (,\-:lporalioll find
lrnllspir:Ltion. It waS 11[;;0 s!town Itow l!tp:;(' rOl"llllll,l:'l Illight be lIsl'd
in ('stilllating l'Ollillllllpli\'u lISI' b.\' irrig:ll('d crop:; lun-illg nC("l'SS to nil
ample wnlpr :-H1PP.lY. Rl'!'nllil(' of lit!' p:('Il('rnl I.tck of IllUllidiLy tlntn.
till' tlut!tors ill I (j·Hi (I/! silllplili('d till' P!'COS fOl"lnlll,IS by ('lilllillUlillg
tile hlll1lidit" r,I<"lOr.
,,-jUI t!tl' 'iIHTPlIS('d t'llIj)lllIsis !lll irrip:nlioll ill E:lstpl"Il l'lIiU'd Slut!'s
aftl'r "-odd W:u' IT, lhl'\"(' dl'\'P\o!l('d ill('n'ns!'d I}('('d for illformatioll
.~
on watN' reqllin'IlIl'l1t, parlielliarly by til(' :-:loil (\HI:;PITiltioll ;o;{,I"\'i('c,
\\-hose respollsibility ilH"lll<i!'d a:;sisLillg f:\ I"ItH'r:; in till' (ksigll nllt! ("Oll­
strueLi.oll of suilable irrigiLtion :'lyst('l1ls. Bl'l':llIS(' or Llw inek of dala
for the morc hUll1id :\I'PHS, rl'senrch was IH'gllll Oil \\",Iter reqllirPIllPIlt.s
045203-62-2

-.
6 'L'ECHXICAL Bl'LLETIX 1275,t:.~, DEPT, Ob' AGIUCeL'lTHI~

of crops by the Dcpartment of Agriculturc, . But mcnsurell1pnl.s fll'C

somewhat more difficult to obtnin in humid an'flS becn.lIsl' of the
heavier ilncl more freq uell t l'nillfal l. Although wu tel' a ppliC'a tion
('ould be l:Ilthel' wC'll controlled und('l' western ('onditions, thC' irrigatOl'
nnd C'XPel'imen tel' hns lilt1e or no ('on trol of' 110"" 11111('h und how 1'1'('­
q llC'l1 tly 'wn tel', through pl'('C'ipitatioll, is IlppliN] to C'nstC'l'I1 hlllels,
..
X('v('rtheless, considerable timc and mOHl',\' ltaYC 1>('('11 ('XjWIHI('d in
nil nttl'lIlpt to mcnsUl'c Wl11.e1' requircments or emp::; in thl' Ellstel'll
StatlPS Hnd ,dtll considcrable SllC('eSS,
In gelleml, lin tn fll'e no,,- nyuilnble so UlIl L irJ'ign I ion ::;,,-steills (',1I1
\,(' plllnned and opC'l'!lted with il rC'usollllblC' dC'gTPe of C'fficiell('Y ('n'll
UIHI('.I' the higher rainfall ('onditions, And, C""C'11 I hough ollly slllHII
amounts of iJ'rig!llion ,,"n.tC'r arc I'C'quil'C'd in <;11('11 aretls to get high
(,l'Op yields, t1lC'se small amollnt" often IIll'iln thp dif}'C'ren('C' bet \\'('ell
profit and loss, ~lany crops, if n.Ilo\\'C'd to hC'colllc' too dry just OIl('C'
during thC' ('ntire gl'o\\-ing senson, Illny PI'OdtH'C' little or no 1Il11l'kptllble
yield., The wilter l'Pquil'C'l11pnts 0[' ('I'OPS, lIS \\"pIl us drought condi­
tions, in E!IStC'1'Il rnited ~t:LtC's 11I1YO b('ell stucliC'd In- ::;C'\,(,J'aI in n'st i­
gtltors, ineluding \"IUl Bu\"('} Ci8). ,
111 lin attempt to dC'H'lop a uSl1ble 1l1PlliOd or dl'tl'l'lliinillg ('OIl:-lUIIIP­
ti"I' usC' and WHtpl' rC'quil'pnll'llls 1'01' llllwuii ill IDUO, BIP\\'itl I'pll1tl'd
pun e,'npol'lllion (,llipil'i('nII,r with illdi,'idllid ('rop ('OnSlllllplin' rp­
qllil'(~IIl(,lItS (ill),
From the pC'riod 1!)-I-~ tlll'ou;.dl 1\)5-1-, til(' authors :ls,;i,;t('d ill tIll' prep­
amtion, 01' pl'C'paJ'('d, bulletins ~,','I ting lip \\',llpr l'l'quil'l'lIll'nt figun's
1'01' C('rtllill ,,'('stem ~tutl'S, n list of wJli('h is ilH'lut/('d in I hl' npPplHlix,
p,40,
METHODS
As prc,-iously statpd, nrl'ious 1l1C'(hods 11tl,"(, })('('n u,;pd to nH'aSllrC'
the [llllOtmt of watpr ('onsllllll'd by agriC'lIituntl ('l'Op,; lind !latin'
(01' "nfLluml") Yeg('tntion. H('gllrdll'ss of 111(' n1('thod lIspd, nUllll'I'OUS
problems Hl'e C'l1counl('I'NI. 'I'he sour('p of \\":11.('1' lIspd h," plnnt lire,
wl1('(hC'I' ]lI'C'('ipilllliol1 nlonC', in'igntioll pIll::; !'aini',t1I, 01' ground wull'l'
plus precipitation, is a i'ador influl'lll'ing tlll'sl']P('(ion or It Illpthod
(6),
ThC' pl'i!leipal approllclips uSl'd ill dl'lC'I'I11ining ('onsumptin use
havC' been lilllk rI,n';illl('lC'r) C'x])('ril11l'nts, ;;;tudil's of soil Illoi,;lul'l',
and ObSPITutiolls of ([rollnd-wntl'l' fIlIduntion;::.; Hnd. ['oJ' l.lr([(' ,1I'e1lS,
thl' :inflow-outflow, e'f}'C'(,ti\"p-hplll, 11.l1d int!'gl'11lioll Illplhods' (fi, 18).
OIl(' of till' lllorC' ('onllllOn lIH'thods of df'tpl'Illinillg till' u,;(' or watl'!'
by indiviclunl ('1'OPS 01' 0[\]('1' plant;:; i>l 10 grow Ih(,l11 'in tl1llk;:;, 01.' 1,">liIJl('­
[PI'S, nnd nH'HSlIrl' tIll' qu,tntil," of \\'nl('r IlP('('SSItI'Y to IIlnill[aill thC'
gro\\'th sn.tisrnctoril,'"' For YPllrs Ilwllll (nllk;:; as Jnl'gp liS 10 i'p('t in
diulIlPt('I', Illld mon' l'e('C'l1tl)' pblsti(' tllllks llll\'ing J ,non ;:;qu:l.rC' r('l't
of smfn('p urea 01' In1'gl'r, hn\'p 1>('('11 u::;('d, III 11IO,;t pllsl (,OIlSlIlilplin'­
lIS(' studi('s s(C'el tilllks h,t,,!, 1>('('11 about 2 to n fpp( ill dillllll'tpr llnd "1
to U 1'('(,( d('('p, J)oubk (nllk;:; (}y::;.i III l'I (. 1';'; I or galnllli7.pd iron hnyp
frequent]," bN'll used (8), The illll('1' tllllk, \\'hi('h i,; 1I0t wat('rtig-Itl,
1101<ls the column or ulldislul'lwd soi.! ill pl:\('(', Th(' outcr lank .is
wn.tel'tigltL 1111<1 usual1\- 2 Or :1 in<'llC's ",id('1' ill dinJll('lpl' ullcl s(','C'ntl
inchC's 10ngC'I', The- o'lltel', 01' br!,(PI', tnllk js ::;pt jn (Ii!' !!I'ouIHI flush
wi th the J~ll1d sUl'1'n('('. Tll(' 1",:< Ag-rieuIlur,ll .J{l'sP!lITli' S('r\'i('c Ilnd
 COX8c~rpTIn: r:-:I, AXD ,YATER REQrIRE~mNTS i
ttl(' C~, Geologieal SUlTe)rbnYl' used plnslie lnnks of nll'ious si7.(,s,
An instnJl'llion, using piastie lining, is illustrated in ilgul'e 1.
AllothC'1' ('01111110n mC'thod used in deterl1lining the consumptin
usC' or indi\'idunl CI'OpS eJllploys soii-moisture depletiol1 studies (.1, 0),

FJ(dHl'; I. ',\11 "\'aporalioll pl:'~li,' 1;lIlk ill~lall<'d Oil II ... Irwltj,oldt Hhf'r proj­
('('I, Ilf'at' Witllli'IlII1I't'a, :\ I'Y, ,I, II!~I all ill!!; pla~1 it, 11l"11I!J1'!\IH'~ I :!·illl'h hoard,.;
atoll!!; ~id,' of pit !lllililll' IIlf' ~i"l'~ o( Ib,' 1:lIIk; IIWlllhralw "I. Ill!' ral' ~i(h' i~ (oldpci
i>nl'i-; to ~how Illf' hOHrd-, \vill'/"f'''- Ill! Ih" h'(1 il i~ "l':q)l.r1 u""!' Ilu· IHwrd-.
,";nnrl \\,:1" ~pl'I'lJd "n'lJI~' '" a ""I'll! of ,I 10 ii il1('hl'~ (II! lop or 11I1'1ll1,nlllf', Ii,
(;I'P:l.,'wIH,,1 plaul- l.!1',,\lilll.! ill II", I'Y:lpol/'all-pil'alioll lauk ·~Iu>wll ill A IIIHI,,/'
1'011.1 l'1ll'1 illlJ , :-:"1'11'1111)1'1' an, HUill. ()f Ii... lOii plalil. ~I't II11 ,\pril :~n, IllIiO,
'in 1'00\('([ aIHi Ihrin·r{. ~Olll" l'I'pl:1C"'IIIi'1l1 plalltillg \\:l~ rill'''' ill,rorl' tit,. IllIil
gJ'tl\\'ill~ .... t·a...oll. PlIolIH!l"aph-. 1~f)llrlf'~Y l ....~. (;"ologi('al ~~lIrvfty.
 8 T.ECHNICAII BULLETIN 1275., U.S. DEP'!,. OF AGRICULTURE

In those areas not affected by high ground water, the change ill the
moistme content of the soil within tlierbot zone of the crop is measured
periodically. Samples are taken in I-foot increments to depths of
3 to 10 feet, depending upon the crop nnd root zone. Equipment
has been developed in southern Cnlifornill, consisting of n compressed­
nil' unit, soil tube, and soil-tube jllck (18) to obtllin sllmples. For
shallow depths, either a soil. tube or auger may be used. Soil blocks
for measming electrically the moistme content 01' neutron-scnlter
moisture meter readings (38) may nlso be used to measure moisture
content.

MEASURED CONSUMPTIVE USE

After centuries of irrigation in yarious countries of the world find

with modern ciyiJi..::aLion c1epenc.ipnt upon foods and flbprs produced
under irrigation, it seems strange thnt more is 1101, kllown about
actual water l"(~quiremen ts or crops grown under Y[l1'ious 8i tt, conditions.
However, sinee 19:35, intensi\'c studies lliWC been UIHlenr:lY through­
out the Vnited States alld many other countries in nn dl'ort to find tht'
basic watet' requirellH'nts or plants. The 1ll0rP ('Ollllllon crops,
including alfa.1l'a, cotton, slllall grn.ins, nnt! gnlss pnstul't', iHn-t' bet'll
studied most intensely. Ji'rom an oycmli fleI'r:lge nlld totnl \\'atpr
l'equircmen t strrndpoin t, t hrse rrops flrc hy riU' the 11I0st il11 portnn t.
Information 011 sCflsonnl LISPS of water ullder :tvrl'n~t' {iplll eOl1ditiollS
ayailable on such ('I'OPS is belie\"cd to he fairly ('oll1pldt' now, and
considcl'ablc is knowll on thr yariflbility in usp-ra(rs thllt frpqupnl1y
.

occlIr.
\Vith respt'et to /lInny minor nops, nnd those 1I0t ('OIlIIlIOllly growll
in the Unitt'd Slates, It P:1UC'i(y or daltt still exists. Yrars or study of
the behavior of suell (TOPS llndt'r different site ('onditions \\"ill probnbl.\'
he neeessary hprore mles of ('ollsumptiyp lISC' (':lIl bc' drfinilply
determined.

Seasonal Vses

:Many cady studics on ('onslImptin lise or wntt'l' \\"(,I'e made only

on It sensonal bnsis, with Jilt1c eOllsilkrntion ginn 1'01' monthly,
weekly, or daily use-rales. For mallY purposes, dnta on :1 seasonlll .
basis lire sufficient. ('rl'lninl,\' Illuny stoI'lIge n's('IToirs (':tn br sarely
nnd efficiently dC'signC'd willt 11 kllowl('dgr or 0111,\' spnsonnl wnll'l'
rcquirPlIlenls. And, in g('IWl'al, s('nsonti! f'onsLllllptin' wnlpl.' I'rquil'('­
!nellIs do not YfUT too widrlj" 1'1'0111 :vpHI' tu yenr, "'hrJ'C' growing-­
period TllinfnlL nll'ies widl'ly l)('tw('('1l spnsons, till' lolHI sC'nsonnJ
consumptin' wntel' requircll1ellt will l'rlllnin reasoll:dJly ('ollslllllt,
but jrri,gntioll wl\trr rl'quil'Pl11pnl mfly be d('lpl'Illined Inl'g-<,Iy by tile ...
rainrall.' The IlleHslln'd lise of \\'a(el' by vnl.'iolls ('rops lInd('1' widrl,\'
Yfll',Ying dill1l1tie ('ol]<litioIl5 is sh()\n\ in I.nhh· ]. :\101'(' ('0111]>1('(' dn,ln.
on tl)(,11Sll.l'ed IIsp-rat('s IlI'P goi \"('n in nPP('J)<iix, lllhlP J 5.
~Jost dl'n.illngr 8),S(,1I1S ('HIl br drsignt'd without drlaih'd :;hol'l-liIll0
usc of watrl' I'ates Ilnd dr\('/'ll1jnation of bnsin-wide \\'utr/, sllpplit's,
flnd watcl' illYellloJ'ips 11l1rdh' nppd mol'P thnn S('usoll:d and HIlIIIWI
consumpliYC IIsp-rn tr:;. .
 CONSUMPTIVE USE A.L~D WATER REQUIREMENTS 9
TABLE l.-Examl)les oj measured seasonal consumptive use and com­
puted average daily and peak c0'1u3umptive use oj water jor vaJ'ious
crops at dijJerent locations in tVestern United States 1
I Consumptive use
I
II
Year Growing Computed
Crop llnd location of season daily
study 01' period '.rotal Peak
month
Aver- Peak
age

Allmf" ut- I
I

Mesa, Ariz_________ 1945-46\

San Fernando, CaliL 1940
Davis, C,lliL _______ I_________
I n
4/1 -10/31
Inches
51. 0
37.4
---
IlIclles
O. 20
· 17
Inclles
O. 35
.25
july
July
4/1 -10/31 37.0 · 17 .27
St. Geol'ge, Utah ____ i 1956-57
Logan, Utah _______ : 1002-27 I 4/1 - 9/30
5/7 -10/11
42. 2
25.0
.23
.16
.31
.27
Jun!'
July
Beans at-
Davis, CaliL _______
,
!____
c ___ ., (j/l - 0/30 14. 4 .12 . 22 Aug .
Lompoc, CaliL - - - - - 105\)
Corn l l . tCahL
-. i
I ti/I - 9/30 14.4 I''> · 15 July
DaY1~, _______ , _________ , nIl - 9/30 12.0 .10 . 14 Aug .
Vernal, Utah _______ !_________ 0/10- 9/20 19.4 .20 ------
Redfield, S. Dllk----!---------l 5/ I - 9/30 20. 7 .13 .25 Aug.
Cotton at- i
Mesa, Ariz _________ : _________ !, ?-
4/1 -10/31 34. 9 · 16 · -I Aug.
Shafter, CnliL .. ____ ;· ________ t 4/l -10/31 29. 8 .14 .31 Aug.
Flax at- ,I
Mesll, Ariz _________ : Hl5l ! 10!1 - 0/20
?- Apr.
37. 0 · 14 • -OJ
Redfield, S. Dak ____ 1954
Grains, small, at-
5:1 - 8/3 1 17.8 .14 • 'ZcE Aug.

Sail Lui~ Valley,

I

193t) i 6f\ - 8/31 14.0 ! .15 ------

Colo. !

Logan, Ulah ______ . . - -, ... - ... -.. 5/25- 8/21 16. (j · 17 .24 .TlIlll'
- --.26
~

Da vi:;, Calif. ______ . -----~~., 3/1 6/7 12.0 .12 ---

....
Garden City) Kalls .. _ -_ .. . ", Ii] - 5/31 22. 2 .15 JIIIle'
Orchards:
Avocados at Fall- 1953 -l,'1 ~IO!31 23. 2 · 11 .19 .fuly
brook, Calif.
Oml1~es nt--
SaIl Fernando, 19-10 1'1 -10/31 22. I .10 l2 Aug.
Calif. !
Phoenix, Ariz ___ '_, 1931-a-1 If! -12/31 38. (j I · 13 .Ii Julv
Grnpefruit tlt 1931-34 1/1 -12/31 I, 47. (j .13 .2.1 Aug.
Phoenix, Ariz.
Lemons at San
Fernando, Calif. !
Deciduous fruit:; at·--;
194.0
!
4;'1 -10/31 21. 8
I
,
i
.11 .13 July

Ontario, CaliL - __ ) 193:~ 4/1 - 9/30 !

28.4 · 15
San .Joaquin, --------- 1 4/1 -10/31 27.2 .14 , .22 July
Cillif. i

"'ailluts at- i
.Justin, CuliL_____ 1930 4'1 - 9/80 : 27. 4 ; .15 ' -----­
!

Dad::;, CaIiL_____ 1933--35 '1jl - 9/30 2,1. 0 ' · 15

I .27 .fuly

Pasture nt­ 1
~1erced, Calif ______ • 1955-5(j (iJl -10/31 ')4 4 .19 _ July
· 1tl \ _____
Columbia Basill ____ ' ________ .' 4/5 -10/15 il: 0 .13
Vernal, Dtah _______ :_________ : 5i17-10;G 25.0 .18 _____ _

Sec footnotes at end oC table.

 10 'l'ECHNICAL BULLETIN 1275, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE I.-Examples of measu,red seasonal consumptive use and com­

,( puted average daily and peak consumptive use of water fol' various
crops at d~tJerent locations in Wester'n United States I-Continued

Consumptive usc

Year Growing Computed

Crop and location of season daily
study or 1Wl'iod Total 1_ _ _ _ _ _1 Peak
Illonth
Ayer- Peak I
age
l
'--,---il-- - ­
Potatoes at­
Bonner's FelTY, 1947 5/8 - 9/27
~Icltes
_3.0 ,j Jllclle"
0.19 I,_____ _!
[/lches
Idaho. I i

Deep River I ] 954-5(; 5/1 - 9/30 18.4 i .12; 0.20 , July

N. Dak. _

Redfield, S. DaL ___ l 1954

Logan, Utnh ______ +_______ _ 5/1 - 9/30

5/20- 9/15
20. 2
15. 0 I
I. 13:
. 13
I
.:'w Allg.
. 25 f Au~.
SaIl Juaquin, Calif. _1 ________ _ 5/1 - 9/30 18.0! .12 .21 I JUly
f-' ----. -­
I

Surg!llIlll, grain (hl:g- 7/1 -11/30 21.4! .17 I .23! Sep\.

an), at :\lesa, Anz. ,
Soyb~'ans at :\[e:;a,
ArIZ.
i 1931-54
I 6/1 -10/31 23. 2 I .15 i . 23 ! Aug.
Sugar beets f~t- .
San .JoaqUIn, Calif. _________ _ 4/1 - 9/30 :".)7.• 6 , .15 I .23 i ,JulY
Scottsbluff, N"ebr____ 1932-35 5/1 -10/31 24.3 .14 I .22 j f\H~.
Redfield, S. Dak____ 1954 5/1 -10/31 30. 1 . Ill: .25! Aug .
Logan, Utah ____. _____ ... ___ _ 4/15-10/15 25.0 i . 14 i __ .AlI~ .
Tomatoes at Davis, 1933-35 Oft -10/31 t 22. S 1 . 15' .20 July
Calif. I i
Vegebtbles:
Asparagus at SaIl 4/1 -10/31 ! 27. 8 I . 1;3 .2b i Aug.
,Joaquin, Calif.
Onions at San 3/1 - 8/31 19.2 f' .11 .20 .TlIlle
.Joaquin, Calif. I
Truck crops, misccl- 1- __ 4/1 -10/31 2ft 41 .12 . :'w .June
laneous, at San I
,Joaquin, Calif. I
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _-c________________

------.­ -'-'-~

J See referenees eontailled in appendix, table 15.

2 Annual period.

Shott-Time Use-Rates
vVith the growing use of sprinkler irrigat.ion systems and need for
better information on the most economical capal'it.ies of irrigation
systems, there has been all increased need for monthly, weekly, and
even daily consumptive use of water mtes. Thus, beginning nbout
1950, considerable effort has been directed by the Agricu1ttlrol ll£.'­
search Service (14) and ot.her flgencies towilrd gathering such dota.
Several investigators have reported highly variable mles of usc on H
short-time basis. The data are probahly con'ect but flfrect£.'d by
many influencing Jaetors, mOllY of which have not been undel' t.he
control or or measured by tbe investigator. Variations in soltu'
radiation probably account'for part of tllis variiltion. Consumptive
use is not well correlated with tempemture for short-t.ime pel:iods,
illthough for long-time periods the correlation is higb. Howevel',

........ ­
 CONSUMPTIVE USE AND WATER REQUIREMENTS 11
data on solar radiation were 110t aVllihtble for this report. Some
measured monthly rates of use of water by various crops at selected
sites are shown in table 2.
Observations indicate that the use of water by crops varies widely
throughout the season ttnd such variation cannot be explained by
climatic data generally aVftilable. For instance, work in TeXilS (14)
suggests that the average rate of consumptive use by grain sorghum
plnnted June 15 is about 0.06 inch pel' day during the emergence
period in the latter part of June. By the middle of July the use rate
is up to n,bout 0.20 inch per day, and the mte reaches n, peak at about
0.30 inch per day about August 7 when the sorghum is in the boot
stage. By the time the plitnt blooms-n,bout August l5-the mte
has decl'ensecL per dRY, tmel it continues to decreilse until the sorghum
is completely mature about the middle of October. The rnte then
holds constant at Rbout 0.05 inch per day until hn,rvested.

INFLUENCE OF VARIOUS FACTORS ON

IRRIGATION WATER USE

~hny fadol"s operate singly or in ('ombinn,tion to influence the

:tmounts or water consumed by plants. Their effects are not neces­
sllrily constant, but the factors may differ with locality and water
(·onsull1ption lll11y fluctuate fl"Om yenr to yenr. Some effects involve
the human faetor; others are related to the naluml influences of the
erwironment and to tbe growth eharncteristics of the plants.
1'Jle more important of the natut"H.I influences aTe climate, water
suppl.r, soils, il.lHi topogrnphy. The climatic factors that particularly
aifect ('onsulnptive use are temperature, solltr nl.diation, pre{"ipitntion,
humidity, wind. mon:!menL, len~th or growing season, latitude, and
sunlight. Data ,,-cre not :l\-:lilnble for solnr radiation.

PRECIPITATION

TIlt' all10llnt nlld rilte of precipitittionrnay hil\"e some minor effect

011 the a1l10Ull t of water conSUll1 pti \Tely used during n,ny summer.
Ullder certnill cOlldi Lions, prccipitation lllny OCCUl" as a series of
frequent, Jight showers during the hot SllnU11er. Such showers may
add little or nothing to the soil moisture for usc hy' the phtnts through
tmnspimtioll bu t do deereilse the \\-i thdmwnl from the stored IlloistuL"('.
Such preei pi tation m ity be lost largely by evaporn,tion directly from
the sUl"face or the phnt foliage and the lnnd surface.
Part 01' the precipitation from heavy storms may he lost by surface
runoff. Other storms llln,y be of sudl intensity and amount that a
large percen luge of the moisture will en tcr.· the soil and hecome avail­
able for plan L (mnspir:ltion. '1'his fL\-ailable soilllloisture may materi­
all y r('duee the amOlln t of irrigntion water needed. Various methods
ha·ve b('ell used to ('stinHl.te \\"Iutt the efreetive precipitation is under
t.he difrerent climate, soil, and crop conditiOlls. Table ~j shows one
of (,he methods used.
 ....
l\:)

TABLE 2.-E:m.mpZe8 oj mea8uredmonthly (,01l81unptil!e1l8e <d waiel' jol' irl'i(!ated crops at seleci(!d locations inlYesiel'n
Un ited Stales ~
o
Upfl'r­
ellcu
~
o
:.­
t'
b:i
(15) q
(14) ~
trj
(9)
(20)
(14)
(14)
"'
52
.....
5. ·.1 (14,31) '"<:>.
"'I
:l.1 (9)
q
.1. 0 ; (14.30)
.1. 0 1 (.9) fn
.. oj
I). . . . (14) t:I
t;i
_. J "d
(4.9) !-:l
,I. 2 (14.)
,I. n (14)
~
:3. [) t 1.2 1. :3 (14j :.­
C')
5. aI n. ·1 ., (. ,
' - - - ---1-----" (14) ....~
1 I .1. 1 a. (j
.). I
1______ -----. (14) o
q
t'
I Ht';;t pprio<i fmlll ,\ II/-(. 1 t () ;-ippl.
~ \'nlul' fur Spp\. Ifi to ;\() lIlIl,\'.
I.i. d
~
trj

.i .. A .. . .. lo.
 (f

CONSUMPTIVE USE AND 'VATER REQUIREMENTS 13

TABLE 3.-Exa-mple of total and effective -monthly precipitation for a
giL'en area 1

Monthly rainfall considered

effective
Total monthly precipitation that might
OCClir
(inches) PUrt of each ACClUllulated
inch increment total

Inches Inches
1-------~ _________________________ · ___ 1 1
0.95 0.9.j
') ;
,90 1. 85
3====::=~=:=======:===~===========:=:=1
4 _____________________________________ :
5 __________________________________ _
.82
.65
:!.07
3. 32
6. ____________________________________ . .45 :3. 77
• 'J-
_D 4. 02
Ovpr 6 __ ___________________________ ;
~.

,05

Dl'finition gi.\·ell in appendix, p. 30 .

•• 1

TEMPERATURE

The nlle of rOllsumpli\Te use of "-Ilter by trop" in Imy pllrlieuluf

locillity is probably Ilffcetcd Illore by tcmpcmturc, which for long-tillle.
periods is a good measure. or sohu' mdiation, thiln by iUlY other fac~Ol'.
Abnormnlly low temperatures reb1.l'd plant growth ilnd UllUSUlll1y lugh
temperatures mny produce dormllllcy. Consumptive use may vary
widely evell ill years of equal ilccu/llulntcd tcmperntures because of
de\-intiolls from the normnl sensonnl distribution. Tmnspiration is
influenced not only by tempemture but nlso by the arClL of leaf surface
nnd the physiologic needs of the plilnt, both of which nre related to
stnge of mntlU'ity.
The following is. quoted. from "Olim!lte Hnt! Orops in Humid
Areas" by Riley and Grissom (41):
BjJcct of tlw/perature 'on :crops.-Each crop has it;; own optimum, maximum
und minimum tNnpPrtltur(' ;:;tandard:;, howC\'('r, most !:rops make t1wir best
de\-c1opllwllt betwl'en liOo F and \)0° F. ~ltlny plant:! rllak(' no growth when the
temperature is dowll to .1()O ..b' whereas all !'xtn'lIlP cas!', sorghulIl, pmctically
stop:; growth when the temperaturpis dO\\"11 to 60° F. j)ppenciing on Ill:lturity
and condition, most plilnts arc killed by :L tl'Jl1()l'mtllre of :~2° F or lower, and
0
ll1any others by 100 P or over.
The relation of temperature to crop production has l'\"ol\'('d inlo t\\"O frequently
quot(>d laws. According to A. D. Hopkin's Bioclimatic Law; starting in the
southwpst part. of the country, ::iuch events as speding tinH' are generally delayed
4 day,; by each acl\'ancp of one d('grpc north latitudp, fi,'p d('gref's of eastern
longitude', amI 400 ft. of incrptt;;ecl altitude (·1).
\'an Hoff-Arrhenius' law for monomolecular clH'rniC:ll rNlCtions holds true
within normal t('mppratut'C mngcs and plant growth incrl'ilse:; with each .risc in
tcmpcmtun', appfoxilnatl'ly doubling for e:lch 10° C illcrea:le. An ext('o..;ion of
this law makes po,,;sible the "growing degn'e day" that i:; \\'idely lls('d by the
vegC'tablc packing industry :10; it guide for all phn,;p,; of oprr:ltioll from the day
of seedling to the fillid day or han"est.

(4) n~' A. D. I fopkins," lIioclimat!cs, As<'irnt'C ofHfe anll dlmat!' r"lali'l!l~," U.S. Dept. of A~ri. l>l.sc(,I­
Inncolls Publication Xo. 2SO, 1938, pp. J -1.'>8.
14 'I'ECHlo.'1CAL BlfLLgTlN 1275, U.S. DEP'.r. OF AGRICULTURE

HUMIDITY

Evaporation and transpiration nre nccelerated OIl da:ys of low

humidity and slowed dming periods of high humidity. Dming periods
of low relative humidity, greater rate of use of wnter by yegetation
may be e~1)ected (1).

WIND MOVEMENT
Ji~nlpol"H lion or wa tel" fl"om land llnd plant surfac('s (:Ikl's pl:\(:e
1I10l"e mpidly whell then' is moying nil' tillul undl'l' cnlm ilir conditions.
Hot, dry winds :111(1 otht'l" unusual wind conll iLions d ul'ing the gl'owing
j){'riod will ntreet tllc' IUllount of wlltl'r conslllllptivdy us{'(1. Howenr,
thcl'e is it. limit til tbe Hmount o( wnt('1" tillit c:tn be utilized. As soon
as the bnd surface is dry, ('\":Ipom.tioll pl"adicall.r stops llnd tml1S­
pimtion is lilllited by the ability of the pllllltS (0 extmct :lIld cOln'fly
thl' soil moisture through tilt' plltll ts.

GROWING SEASON
TJIt' growiJlg spaBOIl, wltidl is tied I'a t!l('r ('los('ly to lplllJ)('ra ture,
IIHB a rnnjor (>(f(·et on thl' s('asollHl U::1(, or Wllll'l" hy plan ts. It is fre­
quelltl~- eonBidt~rt'd to hl' till' period betWl'l'll killing frosts, but, for
IJlnny anuulIl ('roPB, it i" ,;horter thall till' fl'ost-frcc Iwriod, as sueh
(TOPS are uSlIIllly plttnt('d :lftpr fro;:;ts :tn' p:tBI alld IllatuJ'(' befol'c thl'y
reCur.
For most Pl'I'('LlllillJ ('rops, growth st:uts us soon aB thp Ill:lXillllllll ..

[em p('m tUI'P SblyS wdl :1 IJo \'(. thp freezillg poin t ror Ull l'x(pll(l<>d
!)(>riod of days, illld eontinm's throughout the season despite iatpr
freezes, Sometimes growth persists nfter the Jirst so-cnlled killing
frost in the f:dl. In the spring, Hnd to less extent in the Jail, daily
lIIinimum tNn pt'L'il.tures Illa.\- lluctl/ate se\'l'l'iIl (/egrl'es :tbon' and
below :32°F. for sl'VPml days before H'Ulllilling gellC'rally ll.bon~ or
lwlo\\' thl' fl'ppzing poill t. The lw I'd ipr Cl'OpS sun·i n' thC'se fluetUll lions
:wel continue unharrllPd during :1, few hours of subfrN'zing \(llIIpent­
Lure. In fact, many hardy (TOPS, l'BI)('ci:t!ly gl'llSS(,S, 1l1~1.\· matul'c
eyell though growing S(,IISOIl tempel'a turesl·Plwa.ted 1,\- d wp Iwlow
rreezillg. :1 n sou tJl('rn Arizona a Ild C:11 irom ill It! f:t/fa lind ('i trw; (re'('s
gl'O\V throughout tll(' year (J, /·5).
Although the frost-fr('l' SPIlson Illay be UB('(I as a· guidp ror ('o,nputing
.
('onslllllpti\-p use, Hetunl dates of planting :uld IlHl'n'sting of the (TOPS
lInd :IYN'age :ulIIunl datl's o( !:lIP Jirst :111.1 !aRt irrig:ltion ar!' illlportunt
in deh'l'Il1inil1g the ('onsUlllptin' irrigatioll rC'quin'IlJ('nts or til(' (TOpS.
Sludips or tlu' drl'ct of ('Iilll:ll(' OIl plnllt lift' W(>I'(' I"l'portpd H~ rnriy n.s
..
190,5 (1). Pht'lIologiClll sludi!';; "ucl! liS tllosl' lIJl(krwny in the Wt'stcrn
l'rgioll of tltc l~lIitl'<1 Stnlp:" witlt Itt'lltiqll:lrtpr;; a.t BOZ(,11I1111, ~IOlIl.,
will gr(liltly nssist ill IlInking proP('L' ('\'It/un tioJl of !.h(' gl'Owing S('ni;OI1S.

tATITl'DE AND SrNUGIJT

Although InliLlldl' mayhnl'lll", \,(. (':1I1c.t! :l climatic rndor, it dot,;;
lliwe eOl1sideritbll' influl'n('(' on lite rate or consumptin' lise of Wi! tel'
by yarious plitnts. BC('11USe of UIC earth's nIO\-CnlC'nt lInd nxinl in­
 CONSUMPTJYE USE AND WATER REQUIREMENTS 15
clilHttion, the hours of dnylight during the surnnl('r are much greater
in the northern latitudes than nt the Equntor, tlince the sun is the
source of nIl energy used in emp growth find ('vaporation of wuter,
titis longer day mny nllo\\" plnllt transpiration lo continue (or illongcr
period each dny IWd. to produce lln efred simi1l11' to that of lengthening
the growing s('ason, .

AVAILABLE IRRIGATION WATER SUPPLY

All til(' Hhove-Ill ('ntioIll'd dill1iltic fllttors infilwlI("l' the nlllollllt of
wfli('r Hull pot('ntinlly ("an he consull1('d in It gin'n area, Ho\\"e \"('1" ,
1\1('r(' ar(' other rndors thllt also ("nUS(, importHnt diffel'elH'(,s in th!'
("onslIlllpliy(' use-rates, Saturally, unless ,,"ater is It\'aibtblc frolll
SOIll(' s01lrce (preeipibl.tion, natural gmund ,,'atl'r, 01' irrigation),
then' ('Iln be 110 ('0I1811I11pliv(' usc, In thosl' nr('aS of the arid Hncl
Rem iarid "'('st wht'l'(' the miljor SOlll'Cl' is irrigll tion, both the qunn ti ty
and s('asonal d islribu Lion o( the n va iln bh' suppl,\' will nfrl'ct ("onsul1l p­
tiYe lIS(" Whl'r(' watl'r is picntiful Ilnd cheap, there is :t tl'ndency for
fitl'l1H'I'S to overirrigtlt(', If tll(, soil surface is [requel1 tty wel nncl thl'
resulting ('\'npomtion is high, the ('ombinl'<1 eYilpomtioIl nlld trans­
piration or ('onsumpti\'e use lIlil."lik('wiRl' in('rmse. Also, unc\('l' mor('
optimuIll soiL moisture conditiolls, yields of CI'OpS such as :llfal[ll
mit,\" be highN' tlt:1I1 II \'N'age .uHI 11I0f'(' w:tt:l'1' l'OIlSUll1ed, III irl'igl\ling
SOllll' t'rops, such tiS potntoes, watl'!.' is applipc\ to the fi('ld Ilot only
1'01' llH' purpose' of suppLying the ('OI1SUlllpli\'1' "'lIt('1' Ill'f.'lls of the crop
but nlso to he'lp Il1nint:lilt a [axorahl(' lIli(,l'Odilllali(' <"olldition.

QUALITY OF WATER
SOli\(' ill\"pstigaliolls h:I\'e showil tllllt thp qll1t1ily of til(' w/ltel'
supply 1l111~\' hll \'l' :lJl :lppn'('i:lb\(' effeet on (,OIlSlIllIptin' use, \\lleth('r
or not plalltS netunll,\' tr,lnspirp 11101'(' 01' ks::; il' w:itl'r i8 highl,\' snlil1e
IlItlY iH' dl'i>at:lble. HO\\'('\'PI', if it i::; n('('('ssnI'Y to I1Pply additiol1itl
wnte-l' to till' 1:lnd 1:0 lea('h thc' saLts LlO\nl through the soil, l1Jorc
W:ttf'l' will pro!>:lbL,\' 1)(' lost Ii,\' e\":1 poral iOIl 1'1'01\1 tlH' soil surl'u('p and
sueh loss will he- ('ll:ll'gl'llble ngnillst fhp ('onsulllptin' j'('quil'elllcnt
of the' ('roPIH'd a r{'It,
SOIL FERTILITY
11' :1 soil is IlI:uLe II H) J'(' fertile throu~h the .1 pplie:ltion of III1lIlUL'l1
or hy SOIl1(' otlH'r IIlt':II1S, tll(' yi(,lds Illay be <'xIW('ted to ill('['(,1I8(, with
all aeeolllpan:vingsll1all in('I'('as(' in IIS(' or \\":II:{'I'. UoWe\'('I', an increllse
ill fertilit\" or the soil C,LUS('S It d('(T(',IS(' ill the amoullt of Wftl('l' ('011-
sUIlle<l p(:r lInit or erop yield,

j>tANT PESTS AND DISEASES

Whc't'(' plant pests :llId <liSl':lSt'S til'riollsiy a.fl'cet til(' u:ltuml gl'owth
of the pl:lllt::;, it is J'('asollnblt, In :u;sume th:it tL':lnspimtion williilwwisC'
del'I'ellsC', II is l'('('ogllizet\ lhat SOJllP dnllltlge to (TOP" i~ eaus('d ('\'(II'Y
yeaI' b,\' Pl'sts nJld dis(':lSl':5, Ordil1:ll'ily t\te loss('s 11111,\' not \'IlI',\'
greatly frOIl1 .\'(':11' to .\'('1)1', but ill those yr:IL'S \\'\t('11 thl'Y aI'(' 1II1USlIltlly
:5C\'(,L'e ('oJ1sUllIpli\'(\ us(' 11111.)' 1)(' 10wC'red IJln\l'l'iall,\',
16 'l'ECHNICAL BULLETIN 1275) U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULT'URE

ESTIMATING WATER REQUIREMENTS

In planning irrigalion projects or farm irrigntion systems and
practices where few or no measuremellts of water requirements ilrc ...
a nlibble, one usually finds it necessnry lo estill1il tc wn tCI" ncrds
fronl bnsic dimn.tologicnl ilnd irrigation data.
The procrdure described in this bulletin mnT be us('{l to lmnsposr
ObSCITCd cOllsumptivc-usc clata from onc urca. to othcl' l11'raS for whidl
only elinmtologieal data nrc n:vnibble. After totn1 COllSUIllptiH1 llsr is
("olllputed, thr nd iUllollnt of irriglltion wfller 11 {'('('SSH 1'.\- to sntisl\
l'OllSUm pt in' usc is found by subtracting the nm01lll t or Wn (PI' SlIpp\iNI
from 1t;1.IUl"lll sourcrs from the total consumpti\-r W1\trr rpquil'rlllrilt.
This Ilet requircment for iU1Y period divided by the ilTigal iOIl C'ffi{"iC'Il('Y,
gi veB th(, irrigation WHirI' ref! uil'rmrn t or (he crop for tll1l t IlPriod.
Adlla.l nH.'ftsUI"rtncnts of ('onsumptive usc undcr Cil£'h of till' ph~'si('al
and clinll1tic ('onditions of any brgr HI'(~1l are CXlwllBin' alld till1(,­
eOllsumillg, Thr results of l'cseat'{'h nnd rneasurcrncIIls or tilt' ('011­
SUlllpti\-r usr of \\-,ltel', I1l0ng wit h meteorologic-al obsel'vatiolls, pl'o\-id!'
basic dlttlt I'('qnircd 1'01' rstin1Hting wttlcr requirements for il'rigated
lallds \\"h(,l'r fr\\- 01' 110 dllta, rxerpt climatologiclll, ma,~- be a '-11iln bh'.
Tltr Illdhod lkn'[oprd by the lU1tilol's in 1945 (1[), und re\-ised ill
1950 (12), to rstiml1te ('OllslIll1ptiyo USc oj' waleI' by il'l'igatpd l'rops
from l'iill1atologieul dahl has br('n usrd in most of thr rniled Slnt('~
alld in I11nl1\' forC'ign ('olllltrics, It hfls bern foulld to bC' sntisf:l!'loIT
1'01' ('OIllPlltii·lg S('11 iOIl a I liSP wlH'l'c IlIl'nslIlwl usr-dtllfl I1re not in-nibblc',
'I'll(' ('ollslIlnpti\Tp-lIs(' I'ormula (F=I{f) WaS first drHlop('d prilll:lrily ..
1'01' c\('l/'I'lllining SC'Hsolln.i C'orfficicllts (K). Howr\"cl', it is l"('('oglliz(ld
thilt ('orffir'il'llts 1'01' ('olllputil)g monthl,\- and pcnk riltes of watpr
('onsulllptioll HI'(' I1rp(\('(1 to mee( the drlnnllds of Hc-lion IlgrlwiC's.
:-iillC'c 10:)0 1110l'r datil l11tH h('rn obtnined b\' 1'('1'C':lI'('11 stuciiN; 011
('011511111 pti H' liSP by III 011 t hs a lid for shol'(rl' pC'l'lods.

CONSrMPTIVE USE OF WATER

Although it is rr('ognized lhut 1H11l1('rous ftletol's must he taken into
('onsi(\rl'1ltion to ddcl"lninc' HCCul'iltrly ('onsumptin' USe or WilleI', thr
rfl'cct of tr!l1prnlturc ilnd sunshine upon pltlllt growth as mettSlll'eS of
sollu' radiation 1s, \\-ithout don!>t, (he Illost 1mportant of the dimntic
fn('tol's. 'J'01ll[lrrtttul'c nncl pf'('cipillllion records fll'e more rrlldiL,\­
nv:tilablp tlJunrnost othcr climatic datil throughout prC's('nL nllc!
potcntinlngri('ullurftl arcHS or tlw \\·orl(!. Hc('orcis or ndunl sun;;\tilt('
are not gencl'11l1,\- Hy:\ilablr, bllt thp prl'pel or tlun,.,lrinp is \'('1'.\- important ..
on til(' mt(' of pl:lnl growth nnd t h,) alllount of Wl11C'/" pl:tnt,., will
C'onSunH',
The crl'c'd of sunBhinr Clln be illll'odu('('(1 by using (11(' 1(lng-tll or days
during the cl'op-growing SCllson :It \-arious I:ttitud(,s. "\s nn example,
the kngth of tho cliwlilllr nt thc Equator vnrips littlP throughout the'
~'enl', Wh(,I'(':lS nt 50° X. Intillldl', thc length of the dny in SlIllllll('r is
much longrl' tllnn in wiutpl'. Thus, ;1.1 cquill tplllprrn.tur(·s, photo­
s.\Tnthesis ('all tnke phtC'c for 5('V('I'111 hourB 10ngC'r e:tdl .Jul1r c1a.rat !lIP
north latitud(' than ftt the Equatol', Crop gl'owth nnd \nLtPI' cOn­
sumption nllT with the opportunity for photosynthesis.
 CQXSUMPTIYE USE AXD WA'l'E.R REQUIRKMENTS 1.7
~Jlonlhly pcrcentages of annual cln.yLirne hours compuled 1'1'0111
possible sunshine hours (1) for latitudes covering most cropland areas
of the world nrc shown in appcndix, table 16. It is realizcd that COIl1­
puted daytime hours may be somewhat lllislcltcling, pnrticulnrly in
areas where hCILVY fog or stormy weathcr exists during tbe crop­
growing seasonj ho,rever, tempcmtures tend to correct this effeet.
Lr hUll1 idity records nrc n vailable, thesc' may also br llsed ilS 11 corre('tion
(/6). It is to be understood that if fwlual data IU'(' uYltiJnbk, thes('
should be proprl"l.r correluted and. used. Undoubtedly, as records 111'('
illlpro,'ed in the future, tlte t1woreti('ltl ,";tiues will be replaced by adual
nllues in nUll1Y computations.

CONSUMPTIVE-USE FORMULA
Disregarding many influencing factors, cOllsumptive USe varies with
the tempC'rn.tul'C', lcngth or clay, nnd avaibbk moisture regardless of
its Source (precipitation, irriglltion \nltl'r, or Ilfltul"Hl groulld watpr).
~[ultiplying thr mettll monthl.,- tpmpC'l"lttUl"r (t) by thc possibk
1110llthly l}(,lTl'lltnge of daytillw hOllrs or lhc yetll' (p) gi\-C's a mOllthly
(~OIlSUlllpti\"C-use ftlctor U). It is flSSllll1ed that crop consuillptin usC'
\-;lries direetiy as this factor \\-hc'n ;lllllll1plt' Witter suppl.,' is availablr.
IDxprrssrd nlathclnllticnlly in Ellglish units 1L=I.:j twd C=SUIll or
kj=K.P whcrr,
t=~lcall monthly temppmtuH" ill degrers F;thrrnhcit.
p=~lonthly perccntage of d;lytime hOlll'S or tlte .\'CaT.
f=l~g=lIlonthlY eOllsumptivp-us(' factor.
u=~lolltld.\' eonsumpti,-p liSP, in illchl's.
('=Srllson;11 consulllptin~ use (or ('\'llpotI"aIlSpimtioll), in ill("lws.
F=Sulll or the monthly ('onsllll1ptive-us(' radors for thl' lll'riod
(SUIIl of thC' products or llH'nll 1l10lltltly (elnprl"lltUI"(' and
mOllthl.\" prrC"clltage of d:I.,-tillH' hours of the .'"pur).
f(= Empirictll rOllsumplin-llse crop ("oeflieient ror irrigatioll
S('llS011 or growing period. ('I'ltis hns b('('11 roulld to be
I"l';tsollably eonstlUl L ror ail ;tl"('ns.)
III IIlPlri(' till ils,
/ (-t;j.7t+~i1:))
II=/,:p
. I . '11'
- J ()()-- =~loll[hy l"OIISlllllptL\'(' Lise, III 1111 IIIlP(('rR.
I,:::~rl'all Illonthly (l'IIlI)('nliul"l', in dl'gl'('PS ('{,Iltigrade.
Thr COIlSlIlllptiw'-lise rll('(Or (F) Illtty bl' (,OlllputNI ror ILl'pnS for
whieh monthly tClllperature re("oL'(\s lIre ;l\";lilllblc, ir lI1(' pC'ITPlllnge of
hours thaL llre shown in app(·ndix litblc Hi are used. Theil, tlte totnl
erop consumptive usc ([T) is oiltnilH'(\ bX IIluilipi.\-ing (P') by tlte
('Inpirical consull1ptin-lIsl' crop ('odf.i(:iellt ([(). This rl'i:ttiollship
allows the cOlllpultttion of ('OIlSlllllptin' ww :lllywhl'I'(' in till' \\'orld for
nops for whieh coeffieim(s 1m\'(' b('('I.l ('xlwrillll'lltnil.\' ('s(ablisIH,d 01'
which can be estilllated. .\PIWlld ix t II Ilks 17 11 lid I f) COil til ill ('It\eu In ted
1I0nrHtl monlhl.\- eonsull1ptin~-us(' fnctorR CO iLnd fl\'C'l"ltg(' 1110I1thl.\'
precipitation (1") ror arellsin,res(C'rn CnitC'd :-;(;\lrs and in \-arious
1l1"l'nS or the world. From t1H'sl' dlltt\' til!' R('asonal r;w(or (F) (';UI Il(,
d('ll'rlllilled ror nlly growing p('riod nl tbes(' IO(,;ltioll::;.
18 TECHNICAL BULL1!~TIX 1275, U,S, DEPT, Oli' AGHICULTURE

Seasonal Consumptive-Use Coefficients

A snmnuu'y of mcasured consumptive-usc yalucs (U) for important
crops at various locations, ('alcnln trd consumptive-use fnctors (F), nnd
the computed crop coefficients ([0, is gin~n in nppcndi.'I: blble 15, As ....
U
mn,y he obscrved, the computed coefficients by the formuh [(== F show
some vtuiation, Such mcnSUl'emcnts nre diHicult (0 mnkc twel may
lw Rubject to crror bceallse 01' the IlltlLl,V diversf' conditions untiPl' which
the studies were conducted b,\" the various investigators, Not only
did climate YtllT, but uSllllll,Y the soils, waleI' supplies tlVllihtbll' to thl'
crop, mcthods of measuring consumptive use, crop yiclds, and OtlH'I'
influencing Jnciors also ,aril'cL widely from plilce to plnce, Thus, a
vHl'i!llion in tbe computl'd coefficients (K) is to be expected, How­
en~l', bnsed on a personal knolcLedge of the physical conditions uncll'r
which many of the studies wcre conducted, the authol's han nnttlyzed
nil the avnilable chltn and prepared table 4, This table lists coefficien(R
l'f'coUlmended 1'01' vilTious crops growlI undcl' nOt'lll ill conditions,
I'('gardless of location, The iH1.thors rl'cognille the Pllueity of datIl
itvfliln,ble, particularl~~ for mtlll,\' crops of lltl' world, FUl'thf'1' studies
IlIll\" yc'ril'v 01' modil\r these coeffi('ien ts, In those areas ",hel'f' I'eliablf'
('x,)el'imeI1tal clllta a'j,l' availnbk, consumptin-use eoefflt'il'llls !lilly hI'
Ildjusted to fit local ('oll<iitioIlS 01' lhe basie eonsulllplin'-us(' dlltn. 11111,'"
Il(' uSNI directly,
Monthly Consumptive-Use Coefficients
.<

Although settsonal eoefTieiC'llts ([{) :lS I'('porl('(/ by \'Ilrious innsti­

gators show \":11'in tion, mOil tll 1,\" ('oefJiC'il'n ts show gl'en tC'1' vlll'ilttion,
"l1('n denling with mOllthly or shol't-limf' eOl'(fi('iC'nts, one IIlUst
recognize the number ot' flletors thllt lIlight inflll('Ij('(' gl'owth beside's
climille, FOT instance, it CI'OP IIlIly bl' tlttileked by illsect,; Hnd lo:w
Illueh 01' its foliage, theTf'hy gn'lltly I'f'dll<"ing thf' alllount of ('\-llPO­
tmnspimtion that will take place 1'01' ao dll,'-';' :\('n'l'thdeilS, if tllf'
insl'('ls IIl'e ('ontl'olledln" 1ll11l1 01' natUl'nlh-, nnd il' othel' I'II('\OI'S l'l'llltlill
I'll\"ol'llble, the ('I'OP yi('l('! at t1lf' (lilt! ot' thl:Sf'tlSOn nlld thp total SPllsollal
wilter ('onslllllption Illay b(' IH'IU' normal. III1ll1edintdy IIl't('I' ('uttillg
11U'all'ti 1'01'hl\Y, :the tl'nllspimtion !';lte dl'('I'('ns('s, Clldf'l' 8uch ('ondi­
lions, tllp ('ompute(l seasonal ('om,unlplin'-us(' ('ol'ffi('iC'nL Illay h('
nOl'mal, Whl'l'OllS the Illonthly \"a!ll('S will YIll',\" widPly 1'1'0111 nOl'llIld,
The tlllthors hnnl nnllh"IIf'<1 thl' most I'di:lb!e Illonthh" dlLta IL\~ailahle
and pn'pu1'C'd table 5 tln'd appC'ndix tahlp J~, which s'ugg('st mOllthly
('oeffieien Is (It:) 1'01' \"ill'ious ('I'OPS grown ullder norma I il'l'ignt ion
prneticl' 1'01' difl'('I'('nt. eiill1nt('s n.nd 1I1'('IIS in \\"('sl('1'11 l-Ilit('d Sln,h's,
These vldues \\"PI'e tllk('11 1'1'01\\ sll100titrd ('111'\"('5 bllSt'd on1idd nlf'HSUI'('­
ments, The tnhulatiolls inriic'lttc' IhtLl: alfalfa grows the n'nl' around
in southl'L'I1 Arizonil alld C'alil'ol'llin III'('as, Wh(,I:('HS the growing seHSOIl
does not start until April in cold ('I' nortllC'1'I1 dimlltes, sueh liS XOl'lh
DakobL nndCtnh, It is the Iluthors' opinion lhat considel'llbly 1ll01'C'
l'eseul'C'h ""ill be Ilt'f'ele(l bdol'e dilily ot' shol't-tinj(' ('onsumpli\'c ww
I11ll,\' be ne('umt(']y pl'f'di('\('d, Howevpl', lablf' I. inciimtc's thnt dnily
pellk use may be l'lllploYl'd lo ('stilllnle capa('ity 01' SPl'illkll'I' irrigation
systems,
 CONSUMPTIVE USE AND WATER REQUIREMENTS 19
l'AI~Lr; 4.-Seasonal consumptive-use coe./ficients CK) for i1"l'i[/ated crops
in Western United States

Crop Length of normal growing Consmnpth'e-use

season or period 1
!
I coefficient (K) 2

Alfalfa___ _ Between frosts __ . _____ ..•. ' 0.80 to 0.90 I

Banana.<;_ ... Full year___ . . . . ., • _,. . ' .80 to 1.00
Beans___ .o . .., __ .. , :~ months ___ .. '. .HO to .70
Cocoa_. _. 0,' I Full year .. - .. - ..... . .70 to .80
Coffee _____ _ , Full year•.. .70 to .80

Corn (Maize) -l months_, .. _ .75 to .85

Cotton __ . _ .. 7 months.. .HO to .70

Dates_ o. __
Full year __ . _ . .H5 to .80

Flax_____ • ___ . 7 to 8 months .. .70 to .80

o'

Grains, small. ... ,_ 3 months_. _. •

j .75 to .85
Grain, sorghums 0' -1 to 5 months , .70 to .80
Oilseeds _____ . __ :3 to 5 months_. .H5 to .75
Orchard crops:
Avocadu ___ .. _ . Full year. o' 0 •••
.50 to .55
Grapefruit. _ _I Full year- 0" 0 .55 to .H5
Orange and 1('111On . o '; Full year_ 0 • _ •• .45 to .55
Walnuts __ _ BC'tween frosts .60 to .70

Dl'ciduOllS _ Between frosts .60 to .70

Pasture crops:

Gr:I$S_ .. , __
r BC't\w[!n frosts. .75 to .85
Ladino whitrcio\'pr _ Betw('ell frosts .80 to .85
Potatol'i; .. . :~ to 5 months_ .H5 to ./;)
Rice __ .... . :3 to 5 l110nth~_ 1.00 to 1.10
HisaL _. _._ Full vear
0 .H5 to .70
Hugar beets 6 moilthRo .(i5 to ,75
HugarclInt'0 . Full I'ear. . .SO to .!l0
Tobacco_ .~ lllo·nths. .70to .80
Tomatop;; __ . , ·t months. .H510 .70
Truck erops, small. :! to 4 months .. .(iC) to .70
Yin('yard __ 5 to 7 monUIf' .50 to .(ii)

1 Ll'n~th of ~I'ason dPIJPllcig lHrg('ly on \':triply :llld t imp of yl'ar \\'11('11 1 l!l' (TOP is
~rowll. Anllll'li crops ~rO\I'n tlurini( the wintl'r Ill'riod lIlay takC' lllllel! longf'r than
if grown ill the ,;ulllllwrtirne.
2 The lo\\"pr I'lllu('s of K for lise in tht' BJ:uJ('y-Criddl(' forlllub, C=KF, arc fur
thl' more hUlllid area», :t1Id til(' higlH'r \'aillps are for tilt! lIlorl' arid clillla(ps.

ASSUMPTIONS IN APPLYING FORMULA

III onll'l" to :Ippl", I"(':::uits or a ('onsulllptin'-usp-or-wall'1" study ill
(llle area: to olllrl" :u'pas, it is usuall\' 11('('('SS:II"\" 10 Illakp ('rrinin Illinol'
assulllptiollS. ~\s pl"l,\·iousl.\' ineIi"lttNI, ir su(li(·iNtI l>asi(' inrormatioll
is available, such aetual datil should Iw lIsrd. But rarely al'p all
needed dlLta known in sufIi('irnt eIptnil. Tn grll('rnJ, 1I1r more actual
datiL available, the mOl"e IH'('umtc slrould 1)(, Ilrc ('slilllntcs 01" assulllp­
tions. Wh('l"e Ilc('essar.v inrormation is laeking, {hr rollowing ilssump­
tions IllUSt bp madc in applying thc conslIlI1pti,'r-lIsP rOl"llllll:l to
tl'ansrel" d a tIL betwcpn arcas:
1. Spasoll:d ("onslIllIptivc usc ([') or walpl" varies din'elly willr
tlr(, ('OIlSlllllpl iH-us(l r:letol' (r).
2. ('1'01' growth and yields arc 1I0t lillliit'd hy illfuil'qullil' \\'Itfpr
:IL_llny tilllc,<iuring,thc growing SPIISOII.
20 'rECENICAL BULUJ>:.!IN 1275, U.S. DEP'l? OF AGRICULTUHEl
, ,
I ~ I :~ ;:
,00 , , I I

,I,It":>-:o ,,
! ,

,,
1,-,-.~I" '-'----;--,--; --;-~I
1 I
,~,

.
I.
_ _ _-'-_1
I
I I I
j.

" . - - - " - - - - ,- , - - ­
I
I

, z,
-
0
10. 10.
QU'";)

0
I
!
"
Itt
~
:,
f
tOtO
I~-r.

I
1
,
t
I
I
,
I

f
,
I

,
I
t 1

,
.
t

l---'-'--I-- 10.000 IClO :00 :!: , ,,

I --; cr.; U; l - 10 l-- 1- Il- Ie":) f 1 1
j 0 I d
~.,~~ ~-_. ___ ___ ._____
~
: ..
~
f
'~2-! __ ~.I_

_ I
~I
X!
----:--l~~----- - -, --,-------,­
:I; I' 000100
-OO·~'JJ
OOOICIO­
OO':r.:I-iO

< f
'---1-'-' , - - - -----,--------­
~-o'
-_
I I:': 0 0 0 In
-0-01-
0010 L': 10
C~OCI""IO
-:! ..... . ....
~ --~,~-------.-"-- .. ----,.. "-.-.- I
g

00000 o In 00
~:'t':'I-I-IO ':t;
,l-t Clr::

­
'-

o·

=
, ,
'f,

.~
 CONSUMPTIVE USE AND 'VATER REQUIRE"-IEN'l'S 21
3. The fNtility and producti"ity of the soils ill the ,'arious
locntious nrc similnr.
4. Growing periods for alf:IIra, pasture, on·hard ('wps, nnd
"natural" vegetation, although usually extemling beyond the
I'rost-free IH'riods, nrc usunlly indicated by suC'h periods.
Yields of crops dependent upon vege(:ltiye growth only v!try
with the length of the growing period.
Figure 2 is u nomograph dc\~cloped for the solution of lIlC consump­
t i\'C'-uSC' 1'0rll1uln,u= kf, in the English nncL metriC' systems. H the
Illean lllonthly tempNl1tlll'C nnd the latitude of the area are known,
it is possible to cstim:ltc the nOl'lllnl montbly consumptive USc (u) of
any ('rop for ",11i('h (k) is known"
As :1I1 cxnmple, :lSSUllle lhnt it is desired to know whilt tlte July
t'onsulllptin. usc of \\,:lter hy sugHr beets might be in llll area of lnl.
:36 0 X., \\'bere the menu tempel'll.iul·p during thp month \\':lS 70 0 F.
For this condition, the .Tuly eonsumptin-use coefIieient for sugilr
bp('ts is estim:lted to be 0.70. From appendix table Hi, l' is 9.99
pe('(·('nt. Entering the nomograph (fig. 2) "'itlt the ilboye vnlues of
lane! jJ, \\'P find. thtlt f=(UJ. With a k or 0.70 the usc of wllt('r by
8llg:u' bt'C'ls during ,Tul,\' wilt be about 4.8 incil('s. Had the (TOP been
nIr:IU':1 with a k or 1.00, til(' normal ,Tuh' use would be about 6.9 inch('s.
tn OthCl' wOI'lI,;, 7 ineill's of wn.t('r lllllst be lIlade anlilablc for el'op use
during the month. This l'cquil'clIH'nl nllly be llJet frolll precipitatioll,

Jl: Monthly consumptiv. un (evapotranspiration)

.1,= Emptrlcal coefficient 'or crop

.1..'= Mean rn 01'1'1 hly temperature

..E.': Monthly percent of doytlme hours of the y.or

:~ 34

T
1·...2,
.1.'100 12 30
II
10 ?o6
24
~) 9 22
8 20
2. 7 -t 18
16
~ 40
IIOf45
100 6
35 14
20
90 .30 5
3 15 12
80 25 4
70' 20 5 4 10
6 ·10
4 9
7 8
.e 7

:
3 8

::1-::
40 5 15
10
12
~ 6
6
5
r6
7

I
3
Z L5

I
30 0 2.

~
9
JO
I'
12
13
f·
,

FII;l-HI, 2.~-·X()J1I()!-(ntJlh for ";Ollitioll of lIIolithlr f'(JIl~1I1Jlpl i\'fHI~P fo['l II lib:

{j·1'02G~~ 02 -I
22 j'ECHNICAL BULLE'l'IN 1275, U,S, DEP'l', OF AGRICULTURE

carryover soil moisture stored prc\'iously, ground wllter, and irrigation,

In the hot, (lry westcrn tu'cns, most, if not all, of this rcquil'cment
must be mct by irrigation, .As we move cnstwnrd, morc ftnd morc of
the crop nceds may be met by sumnll'r precipitation,
IRRIGATION REQUIREMENTS
Bnsic consulnptin~-use dllhl Ul'(' used ill N;timating th(' in'iglltion
wulrl' requil'cll1cnt of existing 01' propose<L proje(·ts Hnd for crop
pI'odllC'lion 011 indi \7idunl I'lll'mS, The ('onSIIIII ptive il'l'iga lion wllt!.'r
I'oquil'elllcnt is deprndent not only 011 the total ('ollsllmptiv(' need,
bu t also on that {'on t l'ibu tt'd 1'1'0111 ;.;u('h lIa t u I'll I SOlll'('rs lIS uSltble
SUlllmcr prccipitatioll, soiIIIlOistlll'(' ('Ollll'ihut(,d by \\-illtl'I' l'llins, UIlt!
any contl'ibutioll from ground \\'111('1',
In SOllie nl'('llS of 10\\' pl'e('ipitlltion it .is IIl'CeSSllI'Y to il'l'igllle beron'
It crop is piflllted, III other areas t11('l'e lIlIl,\' hc sufficient moisturt,
slorcd from pl'e('ipitutioll not only to gel'lllilllllc the seed but also to
stnl't nnd maintain plant growth during Jhll't of the SUllllllel', I/'l'iga­
lion water is only Ilrcd l'd to sllpplelilent Illoistlll'e Il\'aiinble from otlH'1'
sOU!'('ps, 110\\,('\'(,1', th(· Ilpt (,OIlSulllptin' irrigation 1'('C(lIin'lHPnt call
be llIPt Oil II pl'lldi{'ablP bllSis 0111,\' by hll.\'illg a\'ailable lIt the' fal'II1
h('lldgllte IIH)l'l' WIlll'I' I han is Ill'(,ded b,\' tlw ('I'Op, The pxc'pssis that
ll('et/pt\ to lake nU'(' of Ill'I'PS;';ar,\' distribution and applieatioll losses
that Ol'Cur, This lOtll1 i,.; ('stillla[('d IJY di\'idillg- !ll(' 11('( ('OIISUlllpti\'('
il'l'igil [ioll l'('q Uil'l'II1PIl I b,\' til(' il'l'ig-a [iOll pf!ieic'Il(,Y,

IRRIGATION EFFICIENCIES
.Kllowlpdgl' of ('OIlSulllptin' USl'S is illlporlanl ill Ihl' (':1"P of a 1111'g'l'
irrigatioll projl'd, lInd e"pl'l'ially 1'01' rin'I' S,\"':;[(,1118 as a \\'1t()Jp,Ho\\'~
('\'PI', it IIlU,\' not b(·;.;o important to till' illdi\'idual farlll as [It(' pllieiPII('Y
with whie-h thp Wl1(('1' is ('Ul\\'p,\'(,d, distl'ii>u(('(I, Illld appli('(1, PSp('C'illlly
on it long, nnrl'Ow proj('('t. Jl'rigatioll Hutiloritil's 11lI\'(' ('stil11at('(1 tlllll
IPss thall :30 Ill'I'('Pllt of till' water <ii\'pr!("1 froll1 til(' soun't' ilcluIlII,\'
1)('('ol11('s a\'nilllble for LISP h,\' till' plant ill SOIlI(' arl':lS, This, for
example, 1l1l'11I1S thllt ill orcipr to supply 11 27-ill('il dt'pth of wIlte'1' 1)('1.' •
11(,I'P to aLfnLfa 1'01 ac:tUHI (,()IlSUnlptin~ uSP, at leHst 90 :l('l'('-in('hes
(7\; H('I'P-fppt) would hnn' 10 be din'I'INI fl'onl the rin'l.' 01' Otll!'1'
SOUI'(,p, Of the unused 70 1)('I'('(,llt, H. Jnl'gP PIll't is usually Illl\(k up of
tmllsnlissioll nnd distributioll IOSSl'S in ulliined (':lllal,;, latel'als, and
flll'lll ditdl('s, ,\pplie:l,tion loss('S'{'\'llporntioll, c\Pl'P P('I'('nlatioll, IIl1d
sUl'fa('(' I'unoff' -a('count 1'01' the I'PSt, Such loss('s indi('all' It 11('('(\ 1'01'
impI'On'lll('llt ill tilp us!' of Il\'ail:tble \\'11(('1.' 1'('SOlll'!'('S,
Tl'l'igntioll pfli.('iellC'Y is tlH' IWI'('entag(' or il.'l'igltliOIl watpl' tlta! i;.;
tnlHle ll.\'llilable 1'01' ('OIlSlI III pt in' uSe hy crops, \Vhl'll tl\(, \\'atpr
delivPI'p(\ is Illl'IlSlll'('(1 nl tlte flu'lll IIt'ndgntl', it is ('Itlled "fal'm" irrig-n­
lion d!i('if'I1(',\'; \\'11('11 Ill('asul'('d at thp field or plot, it I11n,\'I)(, d('sig'natl'd
lIS "lipid" il'l'ig-illioll pffi('it'l1t,\-. (S('(, ll.(lPPllciix, p, :Hl.' ({('spnrdl
work('I's 11:1\'(' ('ollsi<i(,I'('(\ eff.i('il'IH',\' of irrig-ntioll (willrl'-Ilppli('alioil
effl('i('n('y) as I IIp PI'\'f'('Ill:Ig-P of watp!.' lilllt ('1111 1)(, aC'colllllNI for as tll('
illerease of IllOisllll'l' ill lh(' soil oC'('llpil,d h,\" the prillc'ipal I'ootill~
system of thp ('I'OP, alld liH'Y 1t1l\'P nSSllllll'(\ thnl tllf' 111l101111t of watpl'
stored by tlte irl'igator in the ::loil i::l IwuilalJlt' for lrllllSpil'lltion Or
 CONSU~IP'.rI\'E USE AND W A'l'ER REQUIREMENTS 23
consumptive llse. Ir-l'igf1tion efficiency determillittions hilve been
made by the U.S. Depltrtment of Agriculture in cooperation with
State agric:ultuml expel'imen t sbltions and other agencies in 'Vestern
Shltes, particul:u·l.v ('ltiifol'llin, (1), Xew Mexico (36), Utilh (33), and
vVnshin cr ton. 3
If th~ filnn llltemis al'e relatively short, if they are lined, or if the
water is deliwred to the field hy pipelines, farm transmission losses
nmy become negligible nnd field-irrigation efficiency may be approx­
imiltel\r the Sllllle as the fnrll1-il'rig:ttion efliciencv. Skill in the
handli~lg or the water by the il'rigntor, proper land preparation, and
lldeqUilte I'llI'm irrigation structures mny greutly increuse the efficiency.
This \dll allow 1'01' fl corresponding decrease in the total amount of
water that must be r\pli,'ered to the lnnd 1'01' crop production.
~[ethods or detprmining irrigiltion effieiency have been described
in other rrports (4, 33). To dptermine the field-irrigation efficiency,
it is essential to know the 1lI0isturl' content of the soil before and
Ilfter irrigation, liS well as the quantity of water delivered to the
fidd or plot. Additional inrOl'llllltion on irrigation efficiencies is
needed 1'01' \"Ill'ious irrigation site conditions.

Effect of Soils
Prohnbly the f:tdor h:t\'ing the gre:ltcst effect on irrigntion effi­
('ieney, aside from the handlillg- by the irrig-ator himself, is the soil
on the flU'Il1 n.nd thaI soil through which the ('anals lind ditches run.
This applies parti('ularly 10 oldcr projects, where fnnn irrigation
systcms wen' not IH'C'('ss:lrily Inid out n('('ording 10 soil characteristics.
III geneml, ('onsid('l'ilhlc loss of \\'nl('[' b.,· dccp pe['coilition occurs in
tile lighter soils. On lit(> hca\'ic[' soils, llllWIr watcr lllll)' he lost
through surrnec !'llllo!L T~'pi('al irrigation (,fljeiencics 1'0[, se"cral
difrcretlt soil eonditiolls aI'(' shown in lithic (i.

TAlll,); G.. Typical ll'alo'-applicalion [1)88('8 ((lid il'l'iyation r:.tjiciellcie.~

for rh:tfaellt soil cOllrlition8

Op('Il, ~r('di\llll He'l\'\'

!l0I'OUS 10Hm Ci;lY'
J'aeol/l Percellt Percent
Fnrm-latrral los:; I .. J5 )0 ; 5
Surfaec runofr lo~s. ,; 10 ; 25
Deep per~'oln Hon lo~~ __ 35 I 15 I to
Ficld-irricrlllioll cfliei!'IH'\" 2 £i0 75 ' 65
Farm-irrigatioll ctrieiclH:Y 2. .);:; (;5 GO

t ('lliined diteit('s (io~~ in II(,w-lincri dilcitP!< nnc! pipplincs is uiiually nhollt

1 pe1'eent).
2 i:'ce appendix rOl' d('finil ion:', p. :l\l.

3 ~rprh. ;i. ,J. 1'IWtm~;ii" HEl'tJ!(1'. 11'l'ignliC)n BnuH'h ExperilllPn! :;!atioll,

1'1'0:'::;('1'1 Wash. J ()18. (Typewritten.)
24 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 1275, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE'

One of the major reasons for low ilTigation efficiencies is the change
of intake rate that oecurs throughout the irrigation season Iwd from
year to year within the crop rotation period. Becnuse of this rate­
of-intake variation, which might range from one to four within any
one season and at least double between seasons, considerable flexi- ~
bility must be built into the irrigation system if high efficiencies are II

to be obtained. The size of stream per unit are!L must be large •

when in take rates nTe high and sma11er ns t.he intake Tutes decrease.

Effect of Crops
As II, nile, it is possible to gethighet· efl-iciency or il'l'igation with ...
close-growing crops than with those growlI in rows. Also, applicntion
efficiencies 1'01' deep-rooted crops nre usually higher than JOl' SI1l111ow­
rooted crops. In large fields or shallow-rooted crops, n substnntinl
pnl't of the water applied mny be lost because lhe upper' end of the
field becomes "oversoaked" alld the water sinks below the root zOlle
before the 10weL' end has received enongh water.
In a similar mtumer, the age or the crop likewise nfl'eets inig[ttion
efficiency, especially with row crops when the plants al'e young.
The root zone of young plants is extt'emely shallow, iwd much ·water
is usually lost through deep per('olntion or' smfaee runoff before
enough water moves hori7.ontally from the fmrow to the hill under
young plants. 1\.s the plants develop and the root systems grow,
this loss can be reduced n,ppreciably.
•
Effect of Methods of Irrigation
'rhe method of iuign,tion hns considerahle efred 011 LllP efliciellP\'
of application. UncleI' some couditions, the highest nppliclItioil
efficiency can be attained by the usc or sprinklet's. Borclerirl'igiltion,
where adapted, is condueiye to relatively high efficiency 111 the usc
of Wtlter. At th(' other end or the scale, "'ild flooding is probably
the least efficiel1 t of nIl methods iwd is usually not justified where
the cost of water is high. Flooding J't"equentiy results in nonuniform
distribution and excessive waste of wiLter nnd is lIkely to create
serious (iI'ainage problems.

High Efficiencies Essential

.Many naLuml factol's enter into ohtaining higll application em­
cieney. They should be earefulljT considered when basi(' conSlun pli'Te­
use d[LttL ond irrigation-efficiency figlll'es are used to determine tolal
irrigation W[ltet· l'eq uirern en ts. ..
Effieien t water npplien lion not only eonscrves the protlucti\'i ty of
soils but also helps to keep the Witter under ('ontrol. These arC major
goals in irrigation agriculture. In the intt'rest or the individunl in'i­
gator and the public, . the~'erore, high irrigation. efJicienyies should be
the rule. Lower effictCnCles may be tolerated III pnrlIeulal' areilS 0 1 ' ' 1
good natural drainage and where deeply percoittting wfltcr will not
wnterlog producti,'e soil and will soon be recoYered ns return flow, ....
or by pumping. In some arens, water must be applied for leaching
 CONSUMPTIVE USE AND WATER REQUIREMENTS 25
purposes to decrease the accumuln,tion of harmful salts in surface
soils, But efficient water application on the higher lands delays the
time when drainage of adjH,cent lower lands may be required,

USABLE PRECIPITATION
The amount of growing-season precipitation thnt is usable by
plants is difficult to predict because of the many conditions enCOUll­
tere(\. Undoubtedly, not all rainwater will enter and be stored in
the soil. In some areas of light rainfall, practically all summer pre­
cipitation may be lost by evaporation from the foliage and adjacent
land surfilce, None may be retained in the soil for transpiration by
the CTOP, Howey-er, in such areas, the total summer precipitation
is pl'obilbly a relatively small amount of the seasonal consumptive
requirements of the crops, The showers, although adding little or
nothing to the usable soil moisture supply, are commonly accompa­
nied by doudy weather, during which evapotmnspiratioll is slowed
down. Thus, sllch storms may be of value in meeting the wiLter
needs of crops.
In those nl'eas where growing-season rainfall is heavy and ill tense,
SOIUC will be lost, depending upon the intnke rate and stol'llge capnc­
ity or the soil in the root zone or the crop use, Likewise, eyell though
tIte soil nU1Y nbsorb the rfLinl'all, any in excess of tllilC which the root.
zone will retain is lost to the crop above,
Unless ([etailed inl'ormation is fLVailable on the chanLCLer or the
storms ancl the surface Tunofr and deep percolation that occurs I'rom
eaeh, the authors recommend that "efrective Snl11lner precipitation"
be estilllnted, using monthly precipitiltion dilta and the relationship
as shown in table 3, But here again, local experience may ue more
lIsel'ul than ,wy ilrbitmry Jormulil that might be set up to covel' nJI
eonditiof1[3 of rninfall, soils, CL'OPS, topogl'fLphy, and climate.

WINTER SOIL-MOISTURE CARRYOVER CONTRIBUTION

As with precipitn.tion, tile contribution or earryovet' soil moisture
!o the seasonal witter l'l'Cjuirelllent is difficult to e\~nhHttc. III SOIllC
arens, winter precipiltltion is suffieie.nt to. hring the soil Jllois\.ut'C ill
the root zone or the plillltS up to :~ield cflpncity (4), 'Yhel'c Illte­
season wilter supplies ilre short, the soil moisture is usually well
below field capacity itnd possibly down to the wilting point in the fall.
POl' CL'OpS with it 6-1'00t root zone, lhe illlloun t or uSilble water that
('ould be stored might range from 1. to 2 inches or wn,ter pet' foot
depth of soil, or 6 to 1.2 inches in the 6-1'00t root zone, This is it
l)Uljor pitrt or the annuall'equirelllent or somc crops fl.nd CHIl be sup­
plied by winter precipitation in some m.'eilS in wet years. However,
in ill'eflS where irrigation wnter is plentiful, it is not unusunl to :lind
the soil moisture content itt the elld of the senson nearly ns high as
itt the begilllling. Thus, there is no slomge cnpa('ity left in the 1'00!i
lIone and the contribution from winter precipitntion is negligible.
X everthe1ess, the qUfln tily of moisture cflJ'l'ied o\'er in the soil 1'1'0111
\vinter precipitntion tellds to ofl'set flny deficiency in the estill1ated
irrigation wflter requirements,
26 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 12i5) U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

GROUND WATER CONTRIBUTION

In areas of high natural ground water) the irrigl1tioll requirement
may be 11l1terially less than if ground Wl1ter were not aVl1ilable.
However) if the high ground Wl1ter is the result of excess irrigation,
the overall demand 011 the irrigation supply by the crops is not
decreased. In such a case, part of the irrigl1tion is obtained by
underground methods. As an exam pIe, studies ill Sail Fernando
VaUe:r in southern ('aliforni:1, indicated n ("onsulllpti\-e use of waler
by alfalfa of 37 inches during the irrigation seilson (17). In are:1S
of high Wilter table in this valley only 24 inches of surface irrigiltion
water was required to produce a good yield or alfalfa. The addi­
tiona113 inches callle h01l1 undergwund water supplies and :1 small "

amount of sUlllmer precipitation. Alfillf:1" which is a phreatophyte,

will produce a crop in some areas of high water with \-ery little
irrigation.

APPLICATION OF CONSUMPTIVE-USE

FORMULA TO SPECIFIC AREAS

The amounts of wilter required to irrigate ill I indh-idual ("wp, :~

single farm, or ill1Y entire irrigation projed mlL.\' b(' estillHlt('d by the
procedure described by Bbney (10).
In the following section this procedure has been Ilpplied 1IIld('r
sevenll different climatic conditiolls found ill tilt' Cllited St:l.tl'S.
Five difl"eren t cXiunples for illdi\'id lIIll erops are presen ted, co\~ering
coastal areas to hot humid interior areas. An example showing USl'
of the method for computillg total fann irrigation requil'{'ments for an
intermounblin :lrea is induded. This latter proceduro can be l'xp:lmled
to cover illl entire irrigation projed or a eomplete valley. The v:dllP';
for sprinkler irrigation systems in Hllwnii need to be Illodified.

COASTAL AREA IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Irrig:ltion is tlte most essential itl'llI in the prodlletio[) of citrus
fruits in southel'Il Califol'lli:l. The total lllHHlal minfall in thaL are:l
is insufflcient to meet the Ileeds of tlte crops. ~orll1ally, rninf:tll
occurs from No\rember to April, ill('\usiYl', and pro\-ides moisture for ~
winter use. Ho\\-e\rer, rainfall distributioll in sOllle .\-earS llllly be sueh
as to make sonle winter irrigation lIecessary. 'Yater is uSllillly deli\-­
ered to the farm heildgiLte through pipe or ('ollcretf'-lillE'd eanals,
'l'heL"C is pmctically no convcyance loss frolll thl' undNground pipe
distribution system between the fnl'lll Iwndgttte and till' field to he ...
irrigated. Thus the farm-irrigiltion eflicieltey is usually about the
same llS the field-irrigiltion efficiency. '111
The procedure for computing the nOL'llIid Illonlltl.\r irrigation require­
ments of :1, mature orange grove in Omnge COUllty is ginll in table i.
On },{arch 31 about 3.7 inches of rnoistul'c is stored ill the soil fronl
winter rains, so no inigiltion is required in April. The tot:11 irrigation
requirement for the period April :'W to Odober:U is estimated lit 21.9
inches. In ye!lrS of normal distribution of l'Ilinfllll, V('ry little irrigation
is needed until ~hy. In wet years 18 inchps of irrigation w:ller Hilly be ....
suftieient to meet the needs of the crop.
 .,: "­

'l.'.\.Ii[,E I ..... ('ompllll'd I/ol'lilalliloltthly COl/81WlptiL'e 1/8(' (lild irri!lation /'I'lj!tiremenls of nIL ol'anye wove, Sa,nla, ..lna, Oalif.
;(~-"'--"~--r ------­
('(lIl~l"IlPI h'l' 11;-;1' A\'prag;1' I ,OIlSIIIIl pt 1\'1'-, lrri' l" 1I ('j
i o
~llJlltll
~Ipall D" \'l i III!'
1I;l\II'~
('OIl:;III1IP- I
th°l' 11:;(\ ~
AV('I'Hgt'
mill":dl
(,Ifl'('\h','
I':ti II r:dl ~
11,';<' lIIillUS"
! ('fr('l'th'p I gil. JO
l'I'qllll'~-
g
!I.
IPlllP"I':I­
IlIn' I,'al'llli' ('()('fIi l'il' II I
.
r:lll1fnll
.
I 1Il('lIl .!
....
til (,I) en (kl J (II) (,.) (1',,) (u r ..) . (i)
~
....
.,-:
t':l
~ 1'. /"'J'('t'111 il/(·it(',~ /III'II'<S /tlt:/I(W i t/(·itl'.~ illcit(w
~
,J:lIll1i1I'\' ii:~. 0 ,. \J!l :~. 'Ii (J. :::0 O.S2 'J .)­
.... _I 2. on I. 27 UJ
It'ebI'IIU'I'\' ii·1, Ii 0. 110 :~. Ii' • :{O I. 1:1 a. 25 2.11·1 I. ~! j t':l
;'Inl'ch . ,ii. I S. :{ii
,,-
.1. Ii'
- · ;{.j I. (i, 2. 57 2. ;{2 ". til) I ,:.­L..­,
,\pril
:\'1 n \'
,J!). !J
In. ,j
S .Il
II. il
11. _I
Ii. I, , ·It)
· ·10
2. II
2. ·Ii'
· !IS
· as
· !/5
· :'I(i
I. III
2. II !
(1)
2. Ii t::1
.Julli· _
Ii" I II. !HI {i. 50 .50 :{. :?ii · (}·I «(,) a.25 l .1. 0 :;j
.JlIh'
.\1I~1I~1
~I'J1t(,lIlb,'1'
,1.1
71. \1
till. ij
0.1'\7
II. :t3
1'\. :~Ii
,. 05
(i. ,I
;i 1'\ I
· ;j5
· iiO
• ii·1
:l. SS
:1. ali
a, I·'
!
.01 I
,05
,22
(Il
(;)
(I')
a. S,";
a. :.15
a. 14
.1. S
4, 1
3.7 ~
Ol'tubl'l' (i.1, , 7. no 5. II ,,10 ' 2.0·' ,71 · liS I. au L 7
~
X (1\'('111\)('1' ,In, I
" lI2
,I. Iii , ,10 I. (j(i · HI · S(i .80 1.0 ~

1)""('l11hel' .jl, , n.112 a, 71'\ , :l5 I. a2 :.1.01 2.71i •••.1. ,1-1... ________ _ t':l
o
T{Jlul, 'lI' IIIt'UIl Ii:? :? 2U,I;.I 1·1. ·10 la.27 21. !)
~
........ ----" ............-- .. ---~ g3

I k fOl' IIlllll! II,; of Apl'ill'o ;.\0\'1'1111)('1' un' (I'OllllulJll' Ii of l'('f(,I'('II('1' 3 B:t;;l'd 011 in.ig;at iun t'f1it'il'lIc,r of SO pr:'r(,l'11t ullder good busin t;3
Vl,l IJn:<p(\ 011 IIH'U:illn'd \'nlll"s; k fol' .JnllllulT, F,'/)nlnI'Y, ~I an' II , nllrl inip;lltioll pl'netiel' ill Ol'llllg;(~ COIIIILy with l'OIl(iIlIlOIlS t.n'(' gl·owth. 2!
1 Willlt'l' rlllTyO\'l'r soil IIlOi~tlln', :'Illlrl'1I a 1= a.7 illdlt's. Th('I'('­ >-3
UJ
'1)('('('1111)1'1' an' ,'xlmpolnll'c!, wh,'1'1' k.",,!':.· fon', 110 irrigatioll r<'(jllirt'd in Apl·il.
~ /)Ptl'l'lIlilll'd ill :l1·I·Ol'd:tIH.'!' witll !:thl:! (,:\l'('pl fOl'lllilloJ'l'lIillfull s '1'11(' ,mlllll :11 1\ e,11I II I.. of millfnll is 1\('g;ligiblc.
as i IIdil'all'l1.

t1
28 '.rECHNICAL BULLETIN 12 i 5, U ,S, DEPT, OF AG UICUL'rUUE

SALT RIVER VALl,BY, ARIZ,

The climnte or the 8nlt River Vlllley is Chfu'llderizl'd by high
temperatures, long hot summers ilnc! mild winters, 10\\" anlHHLil'llinfnll,
illld low hllll1idih", Rese:1I'e11 studies hnxe been milde on usc of Wlttel'
by aUlllra, cotton, citrus, sorghum, 1111e! other e!'Ops in this \"l1l1e,\",
The ('flnsumptin Wl1tet' l'equil'emcnts of cdton ill the \"ieinity of 41
Phoenix I1l'e geneI'lllly typical of the wlItel' needs or this (,I'OP in other
hot int('l'iol' valleys of the "'est und in 0111('1' areas of the \\'orl(L How­
('H'I', summel' pi'('cipitntioll IllIlY lllilkc II rnnl'ked difl'('I'('nee ill tilt'
eonsumplive irl'iglltion l'equil'eIllellt (/6),
The computed mOllth1,\" irl'iglltion n'quil'eJJlents of cOttOIl ill tll(~
Slllt River Ynlley or AJ'izolln nl'e sho\\-n ill hlble~, This table shows
j}, total consumptive use o[ about 36 indll's, of whieh :32 IlIust be sup­

plied f!'OIll irrigation, "'ith nn irrigtltion effieiel1e,\' of '/0 pel'Cellt,

Itbout 46 in('hes, or 8,8 1l('l'e-f('et, of \\':1.tel.' II1USt IH' deliVC'l'c'd for ('otton
grown in this dimlttc,

TABI;]'; K--('ompllter/ I/Of'l)W! Illlmthly CO/l-,</wljJlh'e lise (Uul h'rigation

l'elf u 'il'(-mfJlts jor cotton!1! the ricill it!! oj J[('.WI, Salt Itirer "(llley, .,\7-iz.
I
('()n~tllllpti\'C' Hainfall

I
('OI1:'III1lP­
11:'1' ( 'Olt­ [h'I'II:'p Irri.!!H­
,
:\lonth
"'"llP­
ti\'(~
llIil)lI'; (,f­
f('('l i\'p
tiOIt
I'('«uin'­
FlIl'tnr C'o('lli· U:O-:P Tnt:,1 EfT!'I'- rninfnll 11)('11 ( I
('il'lI! I in· •

(J)I fl.)' I'll) (r) '1'.)3 (1/-1'.1 (tJ

_ _ _ _c ___;

i Indu., fur-he.Of lllrlte.'f 1/1'/'(" Inch"

ApriL .•. 5. XO o. In I. I:! O. 40 O,3S O. i4 1,05
;\lay__ . -I .. "H~
_u . a8 'J ii I:! .\ II !!.. ii a. (Hi
.Tun('...... X. Ii ,01 ,I. 9S _ Oi ';,Oi 4. OS I. II
July _ S. S5 , SO i. 88 I. Oi I. 0 I Ii. Hi O,S:!
AlIgu:;!. So :!5 . \'8 S. as . !l5 .00 i. IS 10.:W
S<,ptemlwr r n. 91 ,07 (i.iO i5 . il 5, !ll) S. 55
Ot't:obC'r _. 5.58 i7 4. ao ,47 .4,5 8,85 ii,50
'('ut:li :35. X:3 :~, X:3 3. (j:) :3:!.O:! 41L 25

I Sec appendix tablp Ii.

2 SC'(, ap(l('nciix tnbl(' IS.
~ St'e l:lblc :3,
j I3ns('d 011 a· field irrig;a( ion pfli(,jPIt(,y of iO pPl'cl'ni.
5 The :;lIlall :lII1OllnL of rainfall L" IH".di!!;ihl",

CALDWELL AREA, IDAHO

In tile nOl'tli('I'n ;[1'(';[ of til(' l-lIiU'd Stalp:; mid~1I111111('I' d:lih' W:lfl'I'
requirements of the crops aI'(' high, p:tl'tially IW(,:llIse of thl' IOllg('I' dnys
nt the northern latitudes: Th(' IlI(JIltld,v ('onslIlllptin' U,,(' by It grnss­
alfalfa mixture IWIll' C:t1d w(lll , Tdllho, nlld till' Illontld," il'rig-Illion
rcquil'ement 111'(' showll in lltblc 9, Tllp ('olllJw('d il'rigatioll rf'quil'('- ..

III eu t to th c fnl'rn is :~H n('I'('-i II ('h ('s.

 CONSUMPTIVE USE AND WATER REQUIRE:MENTS 29
'l'AllLE 9.-Computed normal monthly consumptiL'c 1£8e ctnd irrigcttion
requirements for gra,s8-aifaifa, nea,r Oaldwell, Idaho
.. ~ "~--~-------~"-'-~ ~------

Consumptivc Rnillfall: ConsulllP-1

usc COII- j ti.ve use 1 Irr:igll­

Month
Factor
_.,--_ _ _!

COl'm­
tivc
lise Total EfTec-
I
Rump- ;__.. _.,..-___ III III us ef- I tlOIl
feclive ; require-
":tiJlfall! ment;'
rient tin' !
I
(J)I {k)2 (It) I (r) ! (It-r.) U)
-----I---:------f­
! j : 1I/che.. j-;:;::--1-1-lIc-,,,-'..-1 1I/ell/,..
"

I Illehes
~layi-315l .l, 30 0.83 i :3. 5 i I I. OS I I. 02 \ 2.55 i 4.25
.r u ne. ~ __ ~ l Ii. liS . Sf! ; 5. 05 . 92, . Si 5. OS'S. 4i
,J uly _. _~! ~. 5§ . O~ () S') , ')4 ' . 23 G.50 1.O.9S
AugusL ___ , 6.8, .S3 5: iO : I!) I . IS 5.52 9.20
September J 5. 15 . (i\) 3. 55 . 53 ; . 50 3.05 . 5.08
Ortob~'r 1- i .3S .35 I .13 . 12 i . IJ
.02 , _______ _
3. ' , .
j ~. __ ~ ________--....--__ .....-! ~ ..___ ~ ........__ "___._ ~4 • • • ~ ~~ _ _ .,....- _ _ •_ _ .

_ ._ _ _ •

25. i2:t 3. OS I
i
2.01 22. SI, 3S.01

I See appC'ndix table 1i.

2 See appC'nd ix til ble IS.
a See table 3.
., Ba:5ed on GO prrccnt f:trlll-irrigation rfIh:iency.
;, A;:;:ulI1('d to be thrpp-fourth:; of il1110unt for the full month.

ALTlTS AREA, OKLA.

~[ost crops,ineiuding gl'flin, cotton, ftnd alfnil'n, ftre grown without
irrigittion in mitl1y scmihul1l id sou thcl'n Hrcas of tlw ~lid west. How­
C'"et·, in d r~' ycnrs, yields I'rcq uentl.r nrc low. Pn rtieubrLy, nil'lllfn.
wjll show jlJereascd production undcr irri 0',ltioll. One such nrelt is
lhe Altus BurCiLll or Reelnmation Projeet, 5 klahoma.
Annual prceipitntion nt Altus rilnges rront about 14 to 48 ill ('hes.
The ll1ellll IUlnual preeipibltion is 26 inches. Of this 26, about 20
inches falls during the period April to Oetolwr, indusi'-e. TIlble 10
ilLustm U's It pro('cd un' slIggestpd in estilllnting the normal Wit tel'
requirements und the distribution or irrigation Witt('[· for a field of
nHnll'n. In YPIll'S of an~mge rninrnll, with it iipld-irrigation pfficiency
01'75 perccnt, the totnl irriglltion wnit'l' requin'd ror nn alfall'n. field
'J?
would hCO~;5 01' 29 i1lches. During periods or hi~h-intcnsity rainfall,
usually some water will be nOllefl'(,etin' bt'CliUSC or surflH'e rLlllof!'.
endel:' the cOllditions of relati,'cly h~'Il\"y winter prc('ipitntion, it waS
assllmed that llt~nrl'y:~ ill('h('s of willler pn'C'ipitnlion ('an be stored ill
the soil for use by all'nll'a. during tlt(' following SU 1\1 111('1'. This wus
tnken into cOl1sidenltioll in IH'C'pHrillg tahle 10, whi('h shows it total
cOllsu.mptiYe irrigation l'C'quil'cll1ent of only 22 inC'h(';';.
SOlTTll ATLANTIC COASTAL ARRA. CHARLESTON, S.C.
In l'C('('nt .rC'm·s, n.pplien,tioll of irrigation wiLleI' to sllppl('lllellt mill­
fulL hfl.s greatly incrcnsNI along the Atln.ntie coast. ~[[l('h or the
il'l'ign.tioll in the Enst is done by the sprinkl('r ll1ethod, tLnd eslilllfttes
 TADLE lO.-Computed normal monthly COn8'lUltptive '!lise and irri(lat'ion water reguil'ementsjor alfalfajor the major growing
season, .I1lf.lI.,~ aren, Okla. IJ.:I
o
C(;IlSIlIllPti\.~ I:S(~ . .. . . . .. ~.- -;:~I~II-"~---'-'--"-I Irrigation requircmcnt

MOllth
., "---~~:I~~!:'~~~~:~;~~'-i- . - ····/~~IIJl:t
I'ador ('~:)('Ih-; 1'(''11111'1'- Mont.hly pl~I'(,-
;Elft'l:ti\'{,/;"".
i dllJ'l!lg
Willt('I~!-~lltlll'llll~OI' C~lIl-11
(:VllPOru-, SlIllIptl\"('
CllJ'J'j'-
At thc
Iwudgute '
fi~ld
8
t-l
Ci
fD
!i,
....
('1('nI 2 , 1111'111. t "'f' : groWIIIg ILIOII frolll! ov('r us lise of t
, ' : S('USOII I soil ~ isoillllOis- crops u I ~
(1',) . tlln' r. t t"
(j'J I {k)2 (II - A:fl (1') (I' )'1 , I t:Ij
------~ ! . , . _ - ~ .. -, .L ~- -- ___ 1_ _ _ __
I ~
- --.. --

,lanulIl'\' _ 2.74
lucltt';f IlId'f.1
O. 7fi
I"rlle.,
0.71i
1Ilcllr.v '/IIcll,.
O. 50
IlItlle,'
O. 2(i
I IIICIIl'. l' IlIc'ttx
. _ _. _ _.. _ _
Peel t'j
~
F('brtl:1rr
MIII'l'h.
a. on .1;4. .1;4 , 5~ . ~4 !-- 1 _1 __ ." Z
ApriL.
.1. 4a
5. 'II) O. 50 2.74
I. 54
2. 78
1.44
2. 41) 2. 40 j _
· 7;) . (,0 1_

1 (S)
I
I ._
__
'1_ - .-- ...
~
Mny_ fi.8f) . RI) 5. ·In ;3.50 a. 0 I 3.01 : I (.II) _ . _ _,. _ .._ 'I
.filliP 7.78 1. On 7.78 3. 18 2. SO 2. SO 10 4. 77 n. 3(; O. 53 0.
,Iuly R 33 I. 10 O. Iii I. 84 1. 71 I. 71 7. 45 O. !)3 I • 83
August 7.82 1. 05 8.21 2. ·10 2.2U 2.2U I 5.05 7.03 i .66 d
S('ph'III bt'r fi.:H I. 00 ti. :34 2.1;3 2. f3 2.53 3. 8 L 5. 08 1 • 42 ~
Octoll!'r 5.07 . 50 2.54 3.21 2.82 II 2. 54 .28 I ~ ... _" __
X oVl'IIlIll'1'
DI'('(·llIiJl'r.
:3. ti5 I. 24 I. 17 · 50, . li7 i, ,- ... .,' . _. -,. . ._.'_ ~
2. 88 1. 21; I. 20
. . . -- .. · 50. . 70 I - .,j.... ... -i . .
____,___

."
~
I
--~ --~- -----I-~~

Toinl 01' n\'l'l'Hgl' ti4. ·IS , R5 ·12.2fi 25.40 2:3.0a 17. 34 2. 75' 2. 04 21. !IS I 20. ao I 2. 4.1 o
,1_ f . ____ ~__ _ ":1
I Fl'olll ilp(lendix tnhll' 17. .1 COllsulllptin' 1'['(luin'mellt, of 2.74 iuches millus effective :.­
2 A~~\I1I1('d fl'OIll ('Xlwl'illll'ntal data ill oihl'l' al'(,H~.
3 COlllput\'d fl'ollllaiJle a.
, AssllIlIl'rl.
plw,jpijut iou of 2.4!) would I'<'fluir!' withelm,wIII of 0.25 inches froll\
thl' soil lIIoist,1I1'1' l'eSPI'V(' of 2.!)'~ inehofi aL t.llt! I'lld of Murch, but
"
~
8
wOllld lIot, require irl'igatioll. Th(' soil Illoisi;ul'c rest'rv(\ ut the c::
1 Dilf P J'('lIi'l' I){'l \1'('1'11 l'1J'('dh'p pl'l'eipitntiull alld 1(1';'; by (','apol'u­ (,1Ir1 of April would th(,'11 IJ(' 2.(;1) illchl's. t"
tiOIl.
a COlIslIllIpti\'(' wHir'r r!'quiJ'('III('IIL IlIillllS pl'I'eipitntioll alld
o 5.40 IIdllUS :J.n I 2.48 t.o (:omo fl'OIll soil moistlll'll carryover of
2,fiH II'H\'iIl/-( 0.21 ineh liS earryOVl'r Ilt the eml of May.
d
~
I'('siduul (':1ITYO\'1'1' soil lIIoistul'l' Iwailuhh' dllrin/-( tlw IIhllllh. 10 7.78 iut'h('s millus 2.RO=4.08 illches to comc frolll carryover t-l
; BH~\'d Oil n fipld ilTigation dliei('Jl('Y of 75 ppn'I'lIt. This Illay soil lIIoistun' (0.21 ill.) alld irrigatioll (4.77). .
Iw npplil'(l durillg I hI' lIIouth liS showlI, UI' S(lIII(, IlIH I' ht.' s[ol'l'd II Ollly 2.54 illehes is 1I['('ded to sntisfy consumptivc requirement
IIIH'Hd of ti 11\('. . and 0.28 illl'h to rl'plellish soil 1lI0il)t,ure .

oi. 1 ... ...J. .(

" .. ..
 CONSl;MPTIYE USE AND WA'l'ER REQUIRE:MEN'l'S 31
o[ both monthly and seasonal requirements 01' water are needed in
designing the sprinklcr system and other structures. In such irrigated
areas, monthly and seasonal distribution of precipitation is all ex­
tremely important factor. Precipitation records for tbe growing
season during t}1)ical yenTs should l)c analyzed by storms in order
that irriglllioll requirements Cim be properly estimn,ted. Also,
surface runoff should 1)(' considered when the rainfall rates exceed the
infiltration cupncity o[ the soil. It llliLy be that the slandnrd redut'­
tion to obtain l'ffecti,-e precipitn.tion, as shown in table 3, will not
nhntys appl.,- without sOl1le further correction [or the site conditioll.
Howenl'. only local data ('an show this.
Owillg'to the high humidit.,- in the Enstel'll coustnl area, conSlllllp­
tin-usC' coefficients dC'veloped ror arid nne! srminriti regions should
b(' rC'dllC(,(\. Fll1'thel' research is needed to ,-erify the relation of
monthly tempemture ,dth monthly consumpti,:e use in humid
dimatC's. ~Ieanwhi\(', the tentn.ti'-e cocfficients indicnted in table 5
Illll'- be used for bumid iLJ'('ltS ILnd fllrtiwr refined if local dn.tn so
incl·ien,tl's.
Thr Ilormni mean mon tltl.,- prl'eipitn,lion r(>('ords nt. Ch a!'\C's tOil ,
S.( '., intii('u,tt' slIf[lcient rainl'nJI to producl' SOllll' ('rops during til('
g-ruwing s('n~OI1, w.it('t'('tlS OtllN ('rops will 1'eq uin' supplell1clI tnl in'igu­
(ion ill til(' SlIlllllll'r mouths 1'01' uptimum yidd nlld qualit.\-. III dr.\­
SUl1Illlf'rS (h('l'l' is il. definite Ill'l'd for irrigation o[ most ('!'Ops. 'l'nblP
U illustmtl's til(' mdhod oJ mnking tcntatin> ('stinHLtt's o[ mont.hly
consullllHin' USt' and irrigation requirements for it dr.,- yNI.I' Ilt Chnrit's­
ton for all illlpron'd grnss pasture bnsed on ILII nnnlysis of tl'mpl'rittUI'l"
t'nLpomtion, nnd preeipitDtion. The tolal irrigation rC'quin'IlH'nt
of this ('!'OJ) from ~[n,r('h 1 to Oetobl'r a1 is eomputNI :lS ubout 21-) inchr·s.

MONTROSE AREA, COLO.

An pXillllPIP or ('ol1lputing watC'I' requirclIlents is illusLrllted in
tables 12 to H. The cnielliations necessary to dl't('l'lllinc mOlllhh­
consulllptin'-us(' fnetol's (j) nnd efl'ecti\-c nlinrnll Cre) nrc shown i'n
tnble 12. ThesC' ('omputations do not include an~r eurryovcr soil
moisturC' from winlc'r pr('eipitatioll or nny contribution from gl'OUlIc!
,,-aLer.
In SOJll(' fnrlll-plnllning progr:IIIlS it is nce('ssnry to estilllute irrigil­
lion requireJlH'nts or tll(1 ::w\'('rnl ('rops nt Uw point of wut('r delin~ry
to th(' firltL. This II\ny bt, nc('olllplisht'd by dividing thc llC't COllsump­
ti\ c usc ,lotnl eonsUllIpti\"(\ lIS(, 11IiJluS dl'c('live pl'('(:ipilation) by
field irrigation eflieit'lley, as shown in tabl(' 1:3. For example, thC'
il'l'ign.tion wntC't' l'(\qllirN\ to Rutisfy the eOIlRulIlptivP llS(' of alfalfn is
26.45-4.46, or 22 inches. Assullling a field irrigatioll C'tnciency of
??
70 percent, then (;~O =31 inches, the alllount of irrigation wuler thut
would be t'C'quil'cd nt U)(' field fot' the Sl'llson, ~Iay () to O<:lob('l' O.
This is equi\-alcnt to 2.7;') nCI'p-r(,pl IWI' flcre. The totnl alllount; of
wllter thnL should 1)(' dl'lin'lw\ to tltl' f:1rl11 hen(\gntc, to irrigilte the
n\(alra ma\, be t'slill1ntN\ by making nn nIlOWfllH't' for Illl\' con\-('\'nl1('C
loss from the fnl'lll hcadgntr to tllC"fieid. .,
32 'l'ECHNICAL BULLETIN 12i5, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

,5 9....:J
I .. ~~f6~~;i~~~i~
-En=::;
._
-'----
.:: -: -,:,i ,:- ~i d ~ ~ . { ct5
._ C";::
;... .:;
.,:; ....
­ j
i
I
":'1

~~f::g~~;6~~~~
~....: ....: ~i ....: -:= -r ,:"i , _. ~

~~::d~~~;~~~ I ~
~-:-i~-iIr5~~~C'i Ie ~

.£ ~ =- r--c:: 00- 00..,. -~ Ie- r-=: In-:"1

~,":,J
; CI)
.::
Ii
=-' ~ ~ .:: -= -= . . : ~ -:-i ....: ....: ~i .::s i
~ t ~ -­
2 I--=-~ __ t._.. __~.. "_

:::;.
,­
I:,!
. =:
i~

.~

~'r: -:.::: ~ oc. -r::.= ·:"1-:­

"E::: oc Z ~ - .::: ~ -:
.:; -7 I:: == I"': oc •...: ~ I"';

s~:~~~ti;;;:;;
..,..t:.i:r..~~==~~I":

7'1:r.;=::r..':F.;7'I~tr..

.=-:'".3....: ~·':'"i --= I"':OC

:;,. Ie ::; 1- 1- oc u; I-':"=­

.~

S(

-= :..
'"
~

f-'S2 E~~
:.. ~t=;.~...::4 ~
~ . or. -::
-::::...
...= ~ =;; ... "-. ~ :::;:.;
;:
~I~'~~'~~~ ~
;-;-::~":;":;<riio
 « 4
~~-(.

rL\.lIJ,I~ 12.-1!.'.rample oj obsel'cedmonfhly tempera/unll:,. and precipitation and calculated cOH811lnptive-use jactol's and
".[{('clive rainjallfol' the JIonll'v8e area" Colo.
1 . l'I'CC~;ilat iOI~~ T~:I~~~I~;:~~~~:;' c:et ::~;-dr!)Clive. minCall for crops
g
z
] COn~III1lI.)- . f during" Ihe CI'OHtJl'l'C 01' growing period

I
I
;,'[ollih
l\ll'ill!
1('1111)('1'11-
lUI'('
I'cl't::cnt
cia ,'limc
hOll1'8
th'p 1I:i(1
Cndol',
x
l l'
t

1--
'
I "'~I------------l'-'--'
Alflllf:l, ~I':IS';, hll.y, COl'll IIlId olh!:1' Gmill and bcalls,
100- ! :\ol'lllni Elree- alld ol'chHl:d, 5f{) lllllllWls, 5/0 5/(j Lo 8/6
(i\'('. to Wi(j to 'Jj6 m
I ; --.'--
1- (n I ('.)'
c:i
(~_I__ ~_j _
. _~~J.~~~L_(f)_I. Cr.) 2 U1
(0 (p) J til m

.lal1l1:1n'
'!';',
:;'1. ~
_. .
l~. ~.\
!,- ..
;~. (,~
l,'clle~~
O.;)~
[lIclle~.)
O.
I - -,!
n: ,-
111 cll e. ,/1

,
I
1_
1I1c/lc. I c_. _.. __ [1Iche.
>
Z
t;
1~!:bl'lIn'n' .)1. I (l. IS _.1;) . '\1 . ·In '. I : :;J
;\lnn'h _' :l!l. S R a·\ . ;{. :U . 70 . 72 ; _ . _,. ; >
Apl'iI_ ,I.S.·I So!!:! I ,t.;{2 1.00 .U51_ .__ .... _1 _ _..... • __________ _ l-3
;\II1Y _
.funt'
~~. :~
btl. :)
itJ. p.\US 1r ~. ~o
0. h·\
I. o~
..11..
1. oq
. ·In
,!. (~O
h. b.J. I
o. R! 1 ,!. (~O
. ·In I h. (j·l
I 0.81' ~. ~o
b. 64.
0.81
,45
tol
::<l
.Iuly _
AII~II~t
7:!.2
Ii!). S '
1O.1a
n. ,I\)
I,
7.al
(j. 02 I
.79
I. :{ I,
.751
J. 2;3 •
7.:31:
Ii. Ii:! i
.75
I. 22
7.al
0. 1l2,
II •

.75
J. 22
,15

I, 28
7.31
. 24
.75 ::<l
m
I I
~

Hepil'lItlll'1' Ii:!. 0 So :jS 5.:!O. I. \1 I. 05 : 5.:W I. 05 I. 0·1: .2L _______________ _

"'0 I ,." ",:!2 .,/q'

Ol'i 0 1)('1' -0 0 - ·C' 'j "'(I . 'Ii' () I ' -- \ ' j
I . ~
;\1) \'P III bl'l'
1)('('('111 hpl'
l> • ('
:>t: ~
'j-
_ I.,
t (;,>
"I. I,'
I. 1_ I
.j -('
. Ii
,I
,
.
. )..
('0I
. f{I,.-
.•
. II
j'
j....,,,
• In
.. -----'I' •.• ---- -.-._ ••--, ,
.----.-.-
•• ___ ..... _, __ . . . . . ,..
'0'_' -------',.--.----
-.------ --------
. . . . _. _____ • __________ _
----.--­

~
1;3
TotaL __ _ - .-.: ---100.-00-!-·' 5L-IG-:'~l):7!i' \J. 26 1--:i;~-12-j---:i ..10'; -~;;:~ll-a'-'I'-I I 10. sa 2.25 ~
__ ._.___.._ ......_ _ .• _____ •__ .....!_____ .. __ • __ • ____ ~ ___ i_._ _.______ .~_-_•• __ ___ ._._:.l___ ~...l.- _ __ rJl

I r=tl\'el'!\ge pl'('cipitalion.

"r,=pfTcctivl' ]ll·et.:ipilution, :;('(l Ln!)lc 3.

Col:!

Col:!

 ~
~

'l'AIILt} 13.-]l':t(l:mp[l' IIj l'ompulat-ion (if sl'nsollal con8umptiL'ellSI' nud irrigatiun rellU'irementlljol' crops in the J11ontl'ose

Land lise ,
l~roRtfl'l>f' or I
I
:
growing 1-'" .-- -
area, Colo. I

COllSlllllpt.h'c 1I8(~
I
ComplltNI
erT('cti Vl'
rainfull
.~e·_.

U minlls
/(
__ ~__. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Pield irri­
gil tiOll effi­
ciency
Irrigation
require­
ment
I
~
~
I seaSOll I
Faetnr CUl'ffieil'nt Amollnt l':l

_________.___I:_ _ _ _ J__~. __,. (l() (C') 1__ {/(.) 1_ __

(B) (I) ~
Alfalfa . 5/(H 0!6'
I 3J. 121
: O. 85
lucile.,
2(;. ·J5
I II/che.,
4. 46
IUc/le.,
21. g\)
Percell/.
70
[I/chts
31. 3
....
t.::l
-l
'"~
Unlsl-i hal'
COl"ll __ <­

Small grain
5i6 <10;U
5!li- Il/li
5Jli- S!6
31.
2U.
lll.
12
21. 1
83 1
. 75
• 75

• 75
23. 34
Ill. U6
14. 87
I 4.
:3.
2.
4U
H
25
IS. S8
lH. 22
12. 62
60
65
65
31. 5
25. 0
I\). 4
cl
~
Orchards•...
SCPIW(\ land
Dl'nsc naturnl vl'gp\ati()n
MHO/U
5/6·10/6
5f{HO/(;
31. 13
31. 12
31. 12
. (i5
. SO
1. 20
20. 23
24. 110
37.34 ,
I 4. 4H
4. ,W
4.4(;
15.77
20. 4.4
32. 88
70 22.5
~
t'j

U "" KFc;;conSllmpth'C lise fUl" growing or irrigation ~e:lson.

._'--- _.---._.
R.=sum of monthly cfTccth'c prccipitlltion for growing or
'1:1
!"3
~
1
K =t'l1lpirical URI'-cOl'/liciont detC'I'Ininpd exp(!rinwnlally, (8ee irrigation ,,('ason,
tablc 4.) >­o
/t'=~lInl of mont.hly USt' fa('(or:; (J) for the growing 01' irrigation I=Uj-:)(,=irrigaliOIl rcquirement at head of the field; no
senson,
:- ::>j
c:llTyOYel' of Roil mois\;nl'(' from wint~'r prel!ipitution, considered liS
('ITI'dive in this eXMnpl!',

I
::>j
l':l

... ---i :.II>. ~ ~ -'"

i, CONSUMPTIVE USE AND WATER REQUIREMENTS 35
'l'ABLE 14.-Exam1Jie oj the method 1lsed to compute the normal amount
oj irrigation 1cater 1'equire(l at headgate at a typical SO-acre Jarm near
llfontrose, Colo.

: i
Irrigation water
l'e Q uired for con- I Farm ir-'
I ! Wllter required
for crops at
Land liSt' Land sumplh'e use 1 I I'igation I farm heaclgate
/
aren f 'I'
efficiency 2 '
t j 1'('1' acl'() ; Total
1 31 Total
, Pel' acre
--.--",------- - - - -'--~-'" ---I-~- ---,-----1--­
rrri!/(I/(>ri 'i i Acre- I Acre·
Alfalf:l __
I .lere.,! ~Icre-[e<l !ut I Pacellt .'Icr.-/ttt /ett
35 I I. 83 > 04 60 3.05 107
Grass hav
COI'll ___ •
20 r I. 57,' ;~ 1 'I 50 :3.14 6:3
10 ' 1. ;{5 Il 55 2.45 24
Ol'chnnL __ 10 I I.:H 1 1!31 60 2.18 22
i/tr'ii/en/fll •
I
Road:; ~ .1 o I o
I)PI1iW lIatural
\"(~gl>l:ltioll_
~('P ped Ian d,; 6 -r
!I I'
1.
I
us I ~
'J
-.
I.
-',-)1' .) ;
., I

:---j----:---(-
Total 01' :l\'(>l'a!!;l'

fOl'1I01'lllai i j ('

.::ien";Oll . - -I SO! I. 5!J I I~7

1 Consumptive U~l' (G) minus ('ff"eli\'!' pl'f'eipit.ation (R,) for growing season.
(See table 3.)
2 Assul11cd reasonable for this area. (See table 6.)
3 Amount of water to be delh-ered althe farm headgatf', in acre-feet. to satisfy
crop requirl'ment:::.
~ ~[ost of this use might bl' clirninatNI by lanrl leveling fmd better water maTl­
agement, and the water put to a higher or more beneficial usc.
5 Vegetation along ditchbllnks and on low land.

The sult1mation of the headgate requirements 1'01' each crop times

its acrenge gi\ToS tho total amount of water that mllst be delivered to
the furlll heaclgnte for satisfactory crop production. 'rho computed
values for a ,Montros(' fnrlll aro shown in table 14. It is noted that
in this cxample some incidental consumption of irrigation watel'
occurs because of the fannjng opemtions. How('\cer, this incidental
use does not require any lldditionul dpliY('I'.\' allowance at the farm
beadgatc. 'Cnder the above aSSlllll ptions 1.59 u('I'l'-fel't PCI' acre
would b(' consuU1C'(\ on the 80-a('1'0 fn,rlll alld 2.70 aCI'p-feeL would Ill'pd
to be doliV('red for each nerc in the I'llI'm. 'I'Jl(~ :wemge delivery for
actual cropped ncl'('s would be 2.88 acrp-fep\,
HAWAII
Ble",jll (1tJ) in 1960 presellted It method of estimatillg wat('I' re­
quirement valups neC'<IPd in the dC'sign or Eprinkler ilTigation systems
for use in Hawaii. The lllPthod wns dC'\'l'ioped prin(~ipally for usc in
estimating peak period rates or use raUlPl' than monthly 01' seasonal
usps.
Because or the lnrge nlrintions in wind, eloud COWl', humidity, and
evaporation in the ngricuLturul aroas of Hawuii, it appenrs thnt the
36 TECHNICAL BULLEl'li" 1275 J U.S. DEPT'. OF AGIUCULTURE

Blaney-Criddle mcthod of estimaLing consumptive usc will need

modification before it can be applied to these islands. Blewitt mod­
ified the B-C Ilwthod by using monthly eyaporution as corrcction
factors. This modified procedure seems to gi\-e satisfactory results
for the islands and may be useful in other nrrtls of the world where ..

constal conditions prevail.

LITERATURE CITED
[:'Irany pI'oc('ssNI :lrlieles are no longer twailable]

(I) ABBE, CLEYEr,AXD. r

] !l05. .~ "FIRS1' REI'OHT ox 'l'IIE HEl.ATIOXS B~~'r\\"};gx CI.DIATES Axn CROPS
r.H. J)('pL Agr. W('ather Bur. Bul. 26, :)86 P1>.
(2) ADA~I", FHAXK, \'};IIDI8YER, F. J., AXD HHOWX, L. X.
1!H2. COTTOX I It R IGNrr ox IX\'ES'l'IGNrIOXS IX SAX .IO,\Q l'IX \'A J.J.~;",
t'ALIFORXIA, 1926 TO 1035. Calif. Agr. Exp!. H(a. Bul. 6GS, pp., rn
illui'.
(a) H8CKE'I"i', ::i. H.
1!)30. IRRWATIOX HEQl'IIlE~n;X'!'H IX so C'I'II EHX C,\I"IF(JHXIA, Calif. U!'pt..
Pub. \\'ork", \Yater Hesuul'ees Di\-. Bul. :~2 kh. Ill, pp, ii7 ~(i0.
(,I) - BI,A~a;", H. F., AXD TAYI~OH, G. A.
1 (Jao.
IHRLGATJ(JX WA'n;H REQnRE~IEX'1' :;'ITOIE,; OF CI'I'Hl'''; A"O A \·O(,.'AOU
'rHEES IX SAX DIEGO eoex'!'y, C,\I,n'OHXIA, 100lU "XU IU2;. Ctllif. Agl'.
Expt. Hta. nul. -IS!), 51 pp., illu.,;,
(5) >, ,\XI) DL'XSIlEE, C. F.
. _ ••

1!)32. WA'r.EH HEQnRE~IEXTS O.F (,O'J"],OX ox SAXUI' I.O,UI HUII.S IX S()I'TII­

}CltX SAX JOAQnx \'ALbEY. Calif. Agr. Expt. Stn. .Bul. ;ja7, 18 pp.,
iIIu,;,
fU) 13I,AXEI', H. F.
]!l3S. FIEI.n .\lETIIOI)S OF IH~1'EIUIIXIX(; C()XSL'~II'Tln; ,''';1:) OF WA'I't;H.
Xatl. Congo Cuban Engin. Proc. ·1, 16 pp.
(7)
] !)5·1. E\'APOTIt,\XSPIRATIOX M EA"eRE~1 EXTS IX \n:~;'J'r:HX I:XI'n;1) s'!'A'n~:;.

(8)
Assoc. Internal!. d'lIydrol. :-ici., \'01. 3, Bul. as,
pp. l,jO-160, illus.
IOiif!. I RRWATIOX .IU:S};AHC'U AX]) WAT8R l"'l'lI"IZATlOX IX IS ILU:r.. IT.H.
Jntl'rI111tl. Coop. Admin. n,O:'lI Agl'. HpL, .I LG pp. \\'lI:;hinglon,
D.C. [Proc(·",,(·c1.]
(Il)
111;i!). .\lOXTIII"" ("OXH(,~II"nn; I:Sg /(EQl"IH}:~IJ::X'l"S FOR IHHIGA'n~O ('HOI'S.
Ampl'. ~o(". Ch'il Engill. Proc., Irri!5. and I)rtlinnge Div. •Jour.
(IJt-1, Papcr 1!)63) S;j: 1-12, iIIUi<.
(10) •
I !)(iO. IH;'I'r;It~IlXIXG lJtIllGATIOX H~:QL'J ItJ~~1 ~:XTS FHO,\I ('()XHL'~II''J'I \'1:) es~;
WATElR 1tA'n~:;. Fifth Int!'I'IlHll. Cong, Agl'. Engin. TI'fIns. (l ()liS)
I: 2\)2-30·1. Hru:;i'('I".
(II) ... - AXU CIUJ)I)I,g, W. D.
1!Hii. A .\n:'l'IIOD OF ESTDIA'l'IXG WNn:H HEQL'IHg~IEX'!'S lX lRHIGA"I'~:D
Aln;.\H FRfJ~1 CI"I~I,\TO!.O(;ICAl, OAT,\. l'.::3. D('pt. Agr. Soil Conser\" ....
:)('1'\'., 17 pp. [Processed.]
(12) - - - - AXil ('1(11)1)1,£, \\'. J).
I 0;::;0. J)~:TI';R~IIXIX(; WA'n~H HE(H:Iln:~IEST;; IX IHl!WA'I'J-:1J AftEAS FRO.\!
('I, 1.\1 Nl'or,() caC,\I, ASI) ll!ItI(;A'J'IOX I) Nr,\. l:.H. J >ept. Agr. i:ioil
COIl~erv. 8('1'\'. f;Ct;,·TJ'-(J6, .J.1 pp" illu~. lPro('l'~s('d,]
(13) -~-- EWIXG, P. A., JSIUELSEX, O. \\'., AXI) OTm:H);.
10:38.HE(;J()XAL PI>AXXIXG, PAHT' \'l--l"PI'}~R HIO GIUXDE: PAHT IIr, WNfEIt
l'TlbIZATIOX. .'\tltl. HN'OUrtc:; Com., pp. 203-,128, illu~.
(1.1) '_ .. -'_ .. HAISE, H. H., AXI) ,h;XSEX, :'II. E. 1
I \);j!J. COX>iCMI"I'IYf} I:SE H l"] nftWA'I'EO CHOPS IX \l'ES'I'EIIX "XI'/'f;J) i)'J'A'J'ES,
LT.;;. J)(.pt. Agl'., Agr. He;;, Bel'\'. 53 pp. [Processed.)
 CQNSUMP'l'IVE USE A:.~D WA'.rER REQUIREMENTS 37
(15) 131"I.NEY, H. F.,AND HARRIS, KARl,.
1 1951. CONSUllPTIVE USE AND IRRIGA'l'ION REQt:IREMEI,'rS OF CROPS IN
; ARIZONA. U.S. Dept. Agr. Soil Conserv. Serv., 49 pp., ilIus.
r-.J [Proeessed.1
(1 H) - - - AND ?lIORIN, K. V.
I\)·12. EVAPORATION AND CONSt:~IP'l'IVE USE (H' WA'I'.ER EMl'IRICALFOR­

lIULAS. Amer. G!'ophys. Union Trans., pt. 1. (August): 7H-83.

( (7) - . - - RICH, L. R., CRIDDLE, W. D., AND O'I'II~~HS.
I !)52. CONSU~IPTIYE USE OF WATER. Amer. ~oc. Civil En6rin. Trans.
(paper 2524) 117: !l48-!)H7, ill liS.
(18\ - ..- TAYLOR, C. A., AND YOUNG, A. A.
1!l:30. RAINF,.\.I,I, PENE'I'RA'I'ION AND CONSI'~IPTIV~; [TS~; Ov II'A'l'~~H IN SAN'I"\
.\NA RIVER Y,.\.I,I,E' AND COASTAl, PI,AIN. Calif. Diy. \\Tat!'r Re­
soure!'s Bul. 33, I H2 pp., illll;;.
~ ( I !I) BI,EW.ITT. R. 1.
.I!)(jO. ES'l'IMA'l'INO CONf'DII"rl\'E t:s~~ FUH ('Rill':; IN HAWAII. G.:;. Dept.
Agr. Soil Consen'. H!'r\·.--Hawaii Tech . .Kotes 10, \) pp. [Proc­
~
(':,sed.]
(:.!O) BOWEN, LESI,IE.
J03H. TilE llEC1IANICS O~' IRRIGATION AND CROP SELEcnON. U.S. Dept.
Agr. Div. Irrig. [Proces;:;ed.] •
(21) CIIRIS'I'OPOCLOS, C. P.
105!L [DIscessloN (H' ".\IONT1IL. CONSl'~IPTI\'E l'SE Rf;QeIRE~IENT;:; FOR
IRRIGATED CROPS."] Arner. Soc. Civil Engin. Proc., [rrig. Ilnd
Drninilgl' Diy. ,10111". (IU-·I, pt. I) ~,5: 7(\-77.
(2:.!) ('IIIlJDI,f;, \V. D., AND l\IAHR, ,J. C.
I n·I:). \'ONRDIPTI\'E l'SE OF \l'AT.EH 11' IDAHO. lU4. I )ppt. Agr. Hoil
Conl'I'r\'. Sel"\·., .1() pp., ill liS. [l'rm'c"l'P(1.1
(:.!a) - .INI> PETERSON, D. 1<'., ,II'.
10·10. CONSC~II"l'IVf) WATER ('SE AND HEQl'lHE~IEI''1'S: A PHOGRESS
REPORT' 0N COLORADO RIVER AREA INVES'l'lGATIONS II' UTAH. U.R.
Drpt. Agr. Roil Con,,!'f\'. Hen'., 74. pp. [Proc!';:"ed.l
1:.!41 FORTIEH, ;-;A~Il·.EI,.
1007. E\'AI'ORATIOX I,05SES IX IHRIOATION AND WA'rER REQl'lRE~IENT5
OF CHOP". C~. Dept. Agr. Off. I~xpt. 8tas. Rul. 177, fH pp., ilills.
(2:))
·1027. ORCIIARD IHRIOATION. l.~.S. l)copt. ,\gl'. ·F:u'III(·r;,:' HilI. Hi18, 27
pp., illu~.
(:.!(i) 0 _ _­BI,,\NE\', H. F., l~\\,ING, P. A., AND OTHERR.
1\)·10. lRHIOATfON PH,\C'I'ICES IN GROWING AI,f'AI,FA. IT.S. Drpt. Agr.
Farrnrr;;' Bul. IHaO, 26 pp., ill us. (Hev.)
(:.!7) Fl'IIRDlAN, D. K., AND S.\lI'I'I1, R. l\L
1051. CONRER\'ATIOX ,\XD CONRI;~II"rl\'.E USE Of' WA'I'EH ,\,('1"11 snUR
CANE {'NDER IRHIGA'I'lOX IN TIlE SOUTH COASTAL, ,~REA (H' I'l'ERTO
HICO. P.ll. Plliy. Jour. Agr. 35: 1-47, illus.
(:.!8) HALKAIS, X. A., V.EIIDIEYER, F. ,J., AND HENDRICKSON, A. H.
I n5:). DET.f;H~IlNING WATER N.EEDS FOR CROPS FnO~I ("l,DIA'I'IC J),I'I'A.
Hilgardin 24. (ll): 207-23:3, illus.
(2!l) HAIIORf;A\'ES, G. H.
IO·Ii. A Sl'GGESl'ED lIE'rIlOJ) Of' STANDAHD!ZING IHRIGA'I'IO:\' REQl-IHfl­
~IENTS FOR CENTRAl, \'AI,LE\' CROPS. U.s. Drpl. flit. Bur. H(·datn.,
:35 pp., iIlu:,. [Prot'I'~;,:!'(1.1
(:{O) 1L\Juw, , KARl" ANI) 1I.AWKINR, H. S.
I!)·I:.!. I RHIGATION RF'Q{'IRE~IE:\,1'S Of' COTTON ON C1,,\. 1.0A~1 SOILS IN
TilE flAIlr IU\'J;Jn YAl.T,E\·. Ariz. Agr. Expt. Rlil. Bill. 181, pp. 421­
450, illus.
(31)·- --- KINNISON, A. F., AND AI,HERT, O.W.
I !l:30. l'SE OJ' \\,NrER ·flY \l'ARIIINGTON NA \'EI, ORANGES AND ~IARflIT
GHApE~'HI'IT TREF:fl IN 5,\1,'1' Hlv.mt YAIA,EY, Al!lZO.\'A. Ariz. Agr.
Expi. Stu. Bu1.15~3, pp. 4·11-40G, illui'.
(:32) TSRAf;I,SF:N, O. W., CRlDDI,E, \Y. D., '\~Il Fl7I1R1~l.\N, D, K.
1!):10. \I'A'I'EH AI'I'LIC'A'I'ION gf'FI('IF:NC'l STt:DIEfl IN I'TAIl ('OI;N'I'\', l"I'AII:
A I'ROGRF:R~ REPORT. Ctalr Ag ..; Expt. RIa., 70 pp., ill us. [prOG­
(,,,,,rd.]
(3:l) -- -~- CRIDDJ,F:, \Y, D., Fl'IIHm,\N, 1). K., ANIl HANflEN, Y. IG.
IO·.!·!, WA'1'ER-APPI,ICNrION :F:FFICIEXCIF:S IN I1lHIGAT.IC)N. Ctait Agl'.
Expt. flt:l. Bill. 31l, 55 pp., ill us.
~

38 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 1275) U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

(34) LIST, R. .T.

195 L. SlUTHSONIAN ME'l'EOROLOGlC.U, 'l'ABI,ES. SlIIithsn. Misc. Collect.

vol. 114, (Pub. 4014), 527 pp., illus. Eel. 6.

(35) LOWR\', R. L., Jr., AND JOHNSON, A. F.

1941. CONSU:\IPTIVE USE Ot' WATER FOR AGRICUL'l'URE. Amer. Soc. Civ.

Engin. Proc. 67: 595-616, illus.

(36) l\IcLAUGHLIN, \V. 'V., BI,AI>EY,H. F., E'\'ING, P. A., .~ND OTHERS.

1942. COI>SUMPTIVE '.vATER USE AND HEQUIRE~IENTS. In Thc Pecos

River Joint Investigation Reports of Participating Agencies.

Nat!. Resources Planning Bel., pp. 170-230, illus. [Processed.]

(37) MUNSON, W. C.
1960. METHOD FOR ES1'UIATING CO)<SUMPl'lV.E USE OF WATER FOR AGRI-
CULTURE. Amer. Soc. Ci\,. Bngin. Proc., Irrig. and Drain.
Jour. (IR-4, pt. 1) 86: 45-57.
(38) NIXON, P. R., ..1.1>0 LAWLESS, G. P. .,
1960. TRANSI,OCATION OF ~IOISTURE WITH "rI~IE IN UNSATURATrm SOH,
PROFII,ES. JoUI'. Geophys. Res. 65: 2, 655-66l.
(39) PENlIAI>, J. L.
1948. NATURAl, EVAPORATIO:-I "RO;\[ OPEN 'I'ATER, BARE SOIf" AND GRASS.
Roy. Soc. London, Proc., SCI'. A, HJ3: 120-145.
(40) PITTl[AN, D. 'V., A:-IJ) STE'I'ART, GEOHGE.
1930. TIYENTY-EIGIIT YEARS OF IRRIGATION EXPERDIENTS NEAR r.OGAN,
UTAH, 1002-29 INcr,usrVE. Utah Agr. l<;xpt. Sta. Bul. 2IO, 15
pp., illus.
(41) RILEY, J. A., A:-;J) GRISSO.M, P. H.
1961. CI,DI.-I.TE A:-IJ) CROPS IX HUMIIl AHEAS. AlI1er. Soc. Ck. Engin.
Tmns. 126, Part III: 492-5l3, ill liS.
(42) ROCKIYEU" "'. L.
1914-20. DUTY O~' WATER 1:-1 IHRIGATION. U.S. Dppt. Agr. Bur. Pllb.
Roads, 77 pp. [ProcPRsed.]
(43) STOUT, O. V. P.
1931. C()NRUMPTIV}~ VSt; ()V WATEH IN Tllt~ IHJl.TA OV SACRA.\IE:-Il'(J ANII

SAN .rOAQUIN RIVERS. Oalif. /)ppt. Pub. Works, Watpr Rl'­

:o<ourcE'S Div. Bill. 20, pp. li8-75, ilIlI:;.

(44) TIIORNTIIWAITE, C. \Y.

1048. AN APPROACH 'TO'rARD A HA'rl0 NA[, Cl,A:;fHFf('ATION UP CI.I.IJ.\Tt:.
G(·og. Re\'. 38: 55-94, ilIus.
(45) U.S. DEPAHT~IE:-IT OF AnRICUI.TURfJ.
H)41. CLU!ATES OF THE STATES. In Clillllltn and ;\fan, U.S..J)epL Agl'.

Yearbook 19-11, pp. 749-l~10, illUli.

(46) U.S. DfJPARnrENT OF TilE TI\TERfOR.

1!l45. IRRIGATION '\'Al'ER REQlJIRE~n;NTS, ('or.I;~IIlIA BASIN .rOIN'r 11'­
VESTInATION PROBLE.\IS, 4 AND 5. u.S. Bur. Reclarll. Wa~hiJlg­
ton, D.C. 1/'6 pp., ilIus. [PrUCPSSN!.]
('1i) U.S. :;..rA\'AT, OBSERVATORY.
1946. TABLES OF' SUNHISE, SUNSt;'l', A:-If) TI\'ll.WH'I'. (SuppiefllPIli. to thl'
American Ephemeris, U)46). I!)(j pp., illlls. \\'ashingtoll, D.C.
(48) VAN BAn~r" C. H. ;\f.
1.956. f:STnIATING SOl!, .\IOISTURt; CO:-llHTfONS A:-Ill T!~!f: FOR r RRIf1ATlfJN

"'I'rl! TIn] t;VAPOTRANSPIRATJON ~n;THO/). U.S. Drpl. Agr., AI1;r.

H('fl. Spl'\·. ARS-41-II, Iii pp., ill liS. [Proce1<sed.]

(4!) Y<JUNO, A. A.
1!J.l5. IRRInA'rrON IUHllrIRt~MfJ:-Il'S (J/o' ('ALW()RNIA CROI'';. Calif. ()ppt.
Pub. Work,;, \rater Rpsourc('s J)iv. Bu!. 51, 1:{2 pp., ill liS.
 · '.

APPENDIX
DEFINITIONS OF CONSUMPTIVE USE AND IRRIGATION TERMS
Con8umptive 1tSe (evapOll'an8piration).-'l'he unit amount of water
used on a given area in transpiration, building or plant tissue, and
evaporated from adjacent soil, snow, or lntel'cepted precipitation In
any specified time, Oonsumptive use may be expressed in volume
per unit area, sueh as ae!'e-illches per acre, or in depth, such as lnches
01' millimeters,
Transpiration.-'l'he net quantity of water absorbed througb the
('rop roots and transpired, plus that us('d directly in the building of
plant tissue. It docs not include evapomLion from the soil or inter­
('epted precipitation, Jt is expressed in ter.llls of volume per ullit
urea 01' as depth in feet or inches,
('onsumptive water reqltirement,-'J'he alllount of water pot('ntially
required to meet the evapotnwspiration needs of vegetative arens so
that plant production is not limited from lack of watel',
Oonsumptive irriYCLtinn l'eqwirement.-The depth of irrigation water,
exclusive of precipitation, stored soil moisture, o!' gl'OuncL wnter, t,hat
is required consulllpti \'c!y for crop production,
Irriyation ei/icienc?/,-The percentage of irrigation ",atp!, thai is
stored in the soil and a\'i1ilable for consumpt.i ve use by the cropE,
'When the water is IlwnsUl'ed n.t the fiU'II! hendgltte it is co.lled farlll­
irrigation efficiency,; when measured at the field, it iE designated ns
field-irrigation efficiency; and when 1l1('11sUI'ed at the point of divP!'­
sion, it may be cnlled project-efficiency,
Irrigation water I'eqnil'ement.-Thl' consUlllptivt' irrigation waLe!'
!'equl/'ellient divided by the irrigation (,{Ikinney,
Jloistnre percent(Lge.--'rllC pcrcenUtge of 1Il0isture in the soil, based
on the weight of the ovell-dry material.
Field cap(witl/,-'rJw moisture percentage, on a dry-weight basis, of
a soil after /'apid dntinage hns taken plaee following l1n ltpplicntion of
Witter, provided therc is no water table within eapilhu',Y n·nch of the
root zone, This moisture percentage usually is reached within 2 to 4
ditys after an ordinlu-y irriglttion, tIle time-intervnl depending on the
soil type,
IVilting IJoint,-Tlte Illoistul'P percclltage or the soil below which
little 01' no plan t growth occurs,
Effective predpitcLtinn,-PrecipiLation falling during the growing
period of the crop tltn.t is available to meet the consuillptive waleI'
requirelllents of crops, It docs not ineludc cleep percolation helow
the root zone nOl' sud'ace runoff,
Oarryover soil moisture,-Y[oisture stomcL in the root zone soils
during the winter while the m'op is dorl1lant 01' before it is planted,
'1'1!is moisture is n vn.ilablc to help llleet the conslIlllpti\Tc water needs
of the crop,
39
 40 TEC~TICAL BULLE'l'IN 1275, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

LIST OF BULLETINS ON WATER REQUIREMENTS

FOR CERTAIN WESTERN STATES
Arizona
BLANEY, H. F., AND HARRIS, I\:ARL. CONSUMP'rIVE USE AND IRRlGA'l'ION
REQUIRE~IENTS OF CROPS IN ARIZONA. U.S. Dept. Agr. Soil Conserv. Serv., 41i
pp. 1951. [Processed.]
California
BLANEY, H. F., AND .EWING, P. A. IItltlGA'l'ION I'RAC'I'ICE;; AND CON;;UMP'I'I\'F:
lISE O.Io' WATER IN S.-\.I,INAS V..I.I,LE\·, CAI,H'UUNIA. Salilla~ Ba:;in lll\'es!;,;., Galif.,
Div. Wuter Resources Bul. 52, app. 0, pp. L95-2:W. .L!Hli.
STATE \VA:rER RESOURCES BOARD. I\'..\!I'ER U'I'If.IZA'I'[OX AND UEQl'IUEM~,N'l';;
IN CALIFORNIA. Bul. 2, ch. 2, v. 1., 227 pp. 11)55.
Colorado
I BLANEY, H. F., AND ORIDDLE, 'V. D. CONSIIMPTl\'E USE AND IUUlG..\:l'LON
WATER REQUIRE~IENTS O~' CUOPS rN COLORADO. U.S. Dept. Agr. Soil Oonserv.
Serv., 55 pp. 19-19. [Processed.]
Idaho
,JENsEN, ),1. 0., AND OUIDD[;E, \V. D. E;;'l'IMA'l'ED mUlGA'L'ION WA'l'EU UEQIIIUE­
MENTS FOR IDAHO. Idaho Agl'. /Dxpt:. ::lta. Bul. 201, 2:3 pp. 1\152.
Kansas
HANSON, It. .E., .AND ),IEY8U, \\'. Lt. IItUIGA'I'WN REIll'IUE\IEX'l'S: E;;'I'LIINI'E;';
FOU KANSAS. Kans. Engin. Expl. ::ita. Bul. 1m, .(.( pp., ill liS. 1.\J5:3.
llfontulut
i\lfONSON, O. W., OI(JDUL[~, W. D., A"':U !JAVI::;, :-i'l'EltI.I"':U. F;S'rL\[ATEU WA'I'EU
REQUIREMENTS OF' CUopS IN rnUlGATED AIUlAS OF ~[(JNTAXA. ),[011 L Agr. fDxpt.
Sta. Bul. ·194, 23 pp., illus. J 95;3,
lVevada
IIolIS'l'O"':, C. E. CUX;;lI~lpTrVF: L'SE (H' "'A'I'I;U BY AI,f'AI,~'A IN WE:';'l'EHN
NEVADA. XC\'. 1\gr. Expt. Sta. Bill. lO 1, 20 pp., illu:;. J\)i,)5.
New 11fexico
BLAXEY, H. (C., HANSOX, Eo n., ANIl LI'I'Z, U. IlL CUXsDlI"rl\'E 1:,;F; ANIl :i
lRRIGNl'lON II'ATF:H HEQ1'IHI~~mX'I''; (W C[({)I';; IN NEil' Mr'XIGO. l;.S. ()(.pt. AI-(I'.
Soil COII~{,IT. :'-iCIT., ;~.( pp., illus. 1!)50. [Pl'ot'l'sspd.)
North Dakotn
D" V [I:;, l;'rEltLl"NG, EI'A.'o1';, X. A., AXil l[,\ZEN, A. U. E:';'I:I.\IN1'E'; UF IItUI(;A'I'IUN
\\'A'I'ER RF;QL;IRmLE.'o1·!,:; FOIt enOl's LS NOH'!'/( /)..1 K01'A. X. Dak. Agl'. I';xpl. St:L.
Bul. 377, (8 pp., illu:;. 1!JI,)2.
Okla/zol/W
CARTOS, .T. g., AXil CRIDULE, \\'. D. F:STr~IATf;s OF C(JN~H;.\II"j'I\·J'-I;:;~: ANII
lltItIGA'l'ION WA'1'Elt ItE{J1.:IlU;.\IFJNTS Or,' CRUI':; IN IIKI ..\II,).\I,.\. Oklfl. AI-(I'. Expl:,
Sta. Tech. Bul. 'l'-il7, 2U pp., illus. Wil5.
OI'I!(fon
T[[,F;li'l'U.'o1, Ii'. :'L, AND \\'UI.I'F;,.J. \V. 1It1t1GA'!'I(JX ItF:(ll;IItI':~If,NTS (8:;'1'1.\1.\'1'[.:1'
FOlt OR[,GUN). On·g. AI-(I'. /';xpt. Hta. Bul. 500, ;{:! pp., il 1II:;. W51.
SOlith Dakota
gU[E, I,..J. CON;;L'~Il"!,I\'E U,;E ANIl IltltlGA'L'IOg \\·NI'P.lt HEQl'JI(f;~Il'XT;; ('110'
GltO.l'!:l IN liUUTIl IlAKO'I'A. t:.I;. Dl'pt. Agl'. Sui! ('on:,('l'v. Hen'., :H (lp., illw.;.
1!J52. (Pl'ocessed.]
1'exus ."1
"'IcI)Ax[m.s, L. L. COXSII~II"r[\'F] lISE O~' WA'I.'EH B\' ~L\:J()lt GHOP:; [N '!'f;X,uL
Tex. J3e1. Water Engin. 13111. UOH), 47 pp. U)UO.
Utah
./lOSKEI,I,F]\·, O. 0., A.'o1I) OHIDIlI,8, \\'. D. (lONsr.;~II"rl\'F] (r:;F] Ob' 1I',ITF:lt ,\NI)
lRRIGA'I'ION HF;QUJRE~IEN'l'S Ob' CHOPS IX 1.:'1'..111. ('tah Stale J~ngin. 1'('('h. Pub.
8, :30 pp. 1\)52.
Washington
IIJ01~ENAAH, ALDEn']', OIlJl)DI,E, \V. D., AND PAlItF;, C. H. ESTDINI'E/l OF ,
CONSUMP'r[\'.E 'USB AXD IftnfGA'l'ION Ut;QC'llt,"~I,".'o1'1'H Ob' Cltol';; IN 11'..\;;1[1 S (;'1:0 N.
Wash. Agr . .Expt. ~ttL. Oir. 201, 20 pp., illus. 1!.l5:!.
 CONSUMPTIVE USE AND WATER REQUIREMENTS 41
Wuoming
TOMILSOX, B. R. ESTUIATE OF WAT.ER REQUIREllENTS OF CROPS. "TyO. Agr.
Expt. Stu. Bul. 303, 28 pp. 1951.

TABLES 15 TO 18
TABI.E l5.-Records of lIlCaS~lred seasonal conswnplit,c use of water by irri(Jaleci
crops and calculated con.~wl/ptiL'e-1Ise factors (F) aud ('rop coefficients (K) at
variolls sites in fiT estern United Siaies

("roll will Itwntion

n rowil1~ ,. ('OIl$1I1J1 p.
('OIlSlIlIlp·
Un·-tl&!
('onsllmp·
th·e-usn Hrfl'r­
Y('nf ~'as()n or tin' Il~ f"dor cOl'lneien t ('n('e
I}('riocl j

i____.
__. _.______1 WI .. (1-'\ (K)

.\Ifalfa at.
Carlshad, X. ~fI'x •• I!J.lO
ftUJIC$
:18.6 ,
..·1.".",1---·",
"U 0.8S ISIIl
Fort Stoekfon, 'T(.lx~ ~ I!J.lO 40.n tf).'JC 1 s.~ I (311)
~al1 F'('rnnn<io, Calir..~ 19:m 1!1.:r ~'t~! . -
:~~ !
(I)
:;"n Fl'rnlllldo. CnIiL ..
BOTllwrs Ferry, 1dnho ...
I!J.lO
1940-17 i
:1•• 4
24.0
4:1.73 I' {I)
2 •• 15 .88 (li)
S('OII~hllllr, Nehr,_ W:12-:m ~tj. 9 !."J.04 1, .SO (W)
I'rOS$!t r, \\',l.c.;IL.
l

Lognn, l'tnh •• _
1!J.l7 36.0 as 50 I .(Ia ('J
lOO2-:'~ 25.0

V"rnnl. {'wh. __ 1948

<
32:ao I' . Ii UOl
2a.fi
ffb:~~ :~
(23)

Ferron; nnh I!J.lS '!!... ~ tiS)

19:m

-
I>a\'io, ('nliL :J().4 :10.40 , .77 ('l
~\h'snt Ariz•. ~. 1!J.l5-lG nl.O ria)
Ontnrio, Or~l! __ ~
nobdin~~ Id;iho.
J!)41-12 t
:.'!l.4 I
I
I .i7••11 I'
30. no
.8.5
.K1
.sa
('l

I
~LO 2H.IS (ell)
Ill'HIlS i1t-~
1>" "is, ('nliL_ 14.40 29.14 ; .49 ~ (.)
I l[l\·is. ('nIiL .•• _
""llIIS (Iirn"ln~ /la"i" Calif
12..~4
IS.U I 2LY"2 ~
2\1.14 .1
.5U
• /;2
(.)
(.)

I
('orn Ht··-

I i::~~
Bonuers Ft.'rry, Idaho .. , ;"IS ... 012, ~8.~:; .00 fie)
\"rrnul. nah._ niH1- 9;20 .95 (!on
Ila"is, (',lliL •• 6:1 - O];{O I 19.40
I~.O :!7.U~ .45 (.)
r.o~an, nah.• ftl - 9/301 :!s.o 2.;.00 • \16 (40)
~ft.ln'{'d(,s, T('x_" 3.:1,';- 'jl5 .
("01 ton al-"
~'!l.ll ~S.52 ·.n q2)
~rr~a, Ariz __._
Bakprst1~ld, Calif
1.00 llanos, ('aIiL_
1.05 Hanos. CnHL
~Wt(' ("oll(~:zet X~
..
19:1i>-:m
1!t2T-:W .
10:12
1U:14
411 -IOi31
4:1 -1O.:1I
5: I • lOi:lI •
iii I -IO/:H
I
I
:11.0
2\1.2
~.j. ;1
~3.U
I
II
no. 0
-1,.14
-I4.l!1
.[11. 17
· tt?
.Ii~
.,18
.5S
Wi)
(S)
('I
1')
)IC'x 10:10
i··~s=llnl I! 2fi,H H.SI. .r.o r/S!
Cnrlshad, X. ~rpx •.•. n 2.'i.7 47.39 .111 ,31))
Fort ~lol'kton, T{'X'._
D:tt('s nt Tl'rnp(i-, ';\riz,.,~.
W40 4)1:1-111'11 :.>s. 9 ·1Ii.:.>8 .02 •.111)
1!!:1I-:J2 AllnllnL •• _' 47.7 i T..t21 .6.5 (16)
Flax In ~I{'sa, Ariz ____ _ ml:J-I4 10114- 6,30 :H.U 42.~J .SO 115)
Hrnnll grnins nt­
;:;('oltsblutT, Xphr....... 19::12-35 ! l·t 72 2O.1Y.! .74 (2(1'
BOllIIPrs .Ferry, Idaho., 19aO-4. 1•• 50 19.-18 !.l10 (Et)
Prosser, \\"'nsh. ____ . , .._,.. 1944 IS.m ~ta2
gan Luis. \'allr.y, Colo_ Inn 14.05 I~. o:J
.. ?7 ('J
Lognn, (I(\h ____ . ".IS (13)
IllIt2·2!1 17.5 ~'O. 00 .S7 (40)
\'prnnl, t;lnh_. 1U4>-: lO.n 150\ I') .91 em
Ferron, t:rnh.
!l,n-is, ('nlif..
l!J.lb 17.8 21l: 86 .il5 (J!,'j)
12.0 17~ 7:5 .HS (')
Cimin, sorghums rlwgnril )ll'S:l,'" :::::::::; 21.4 29.7S .72 (')
Ariz.
On'hanl fruits
Cit rus frllit:
(;rapt,'(ruit [It
..\I{-S3, Ariz_ Hl3l-;!·1 :u -.IO':ll • 40.:! ~,~ I l.'ill
~ rc!m. Ariz. 4 19:1I-:H .\111111:11.. ·17. r. "tai ~ (.11/
Ornngc$ nt­
.\resn, ,\r;7. ...
~I{'$a • .r\riz......
HI:n-:14 3:1 -10:31 :12.4 ,.0;, ~~l .56, (3Jl
l!l:n-:14
'I'usl.ln, ('aliL
AZlIsn, ('alif.
A 7.Usa, (,uIiL __
Ht2'J
19:!1l-aO
l!r2'J
.\nlluoL .• _
·Iil
.1.1
",I
-lflal
-9.:111
-Hlal
:U;.1i
:.'11.0
IS. I
21.8
73.;)_ "
-14. It
;j'.I1H
4:1,11/
It ,,52 ;
.47
.49 ,
I
(.'Ill
qUI
liS)
liS)
",>() [
Sail Fernando, Calif, lI/40 4'1 -1fI.:1I 22.1 4:!.7J, ••';1. (11
Lemons at ::an FC'rnfindo, It40 4,1 ,10,31 21.S ,la.'3 I .m· (I)
('alif.
\\'(\lmllsni~
,
Tustin, Cnlif•. 1!t2S 4:1 - 9.:)0 2ft30: :1•. 00 ,r.9
Tustin, CaIiC_ 19'2'J .u - 9 30 27,-I:i 3S.63 : .71

See footnotes at end of tabJp..

42 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 12i5, U,S. DEPT, OF AGRICULTURE

T....lILE 15,-Records oj measured seasoltal consumptive usc oj water by irri{/ated

crops and calculated consumptive-use Jactors (F) and crop coefficients (K) at
variolls sites in lVestcrn United States-Continued

- COIISII'UP- conslllllP-1
Growing Commmp- ti\"ll·U~ tin!'-usc. HC((lr­
('rap nll(lloclltioll S(~n~on or tiV(~ use (m·tor t;~fJic:ient t encl.'
pt.1rfod \
I (U) f (F) (l{) I
~:;;-ar-d-f-r-u;~---c-o-n.-----I-- --'--------I·-----!-.---;·----!--~-
Deciduous fruits IIt­ l
Ont.llrio, Calif. (peachcsl
i
_, 1!l~8
"I!
·111 - lI/ao I 18.4' :J'.73 0.•5 1/81
Davis,Calif__ .. _._ ...- .-----.
Wenlltchee, Wash ____._ • I!lOS
all-ll/aOi
-I/lii-lOt2'2 j
~fi.4
2:1.0
.
.~• ! 61511
'"
••••~,(IJt I')
(I,;)
Albuquerque, N. Mex..
Past.ure at-
loa" 5/1 - 9/:11 1 19.5
Illc/,e."
3:1.94 ! _58 eMI
Vemnl,. Utllh.... 1{14' 5/1'-I0/1i ,i ~5.1) "7 -I" l .111 j
Columbln Basin, \\',.~h 415 -10/15 i ~-I.() a7:,;j I • fi-J j
Redmond, Oreg___ _ .. __ 11115 -I/2o'r- II/Iii III. () ~7. 7:l · 4')
ns f
Peasnt Davis, Calif_ . __ ,,,, ___ . :1/1 - fij;m' !1.6 2'2.0a I

Potatoes at.­
San Luis Vnlley, ('010.
Wright. Stntion 1tl~1i nil - 9/1" 15. :18 10.:n I 113)
West Station. __ i mali 6/.1 - !Ji:1O ' 1tl.8!l ?2..50 t (J.n
Bonners Ferry, [d'lho .. ~! 1111. 5iS - \1/27 , ~'!~U5 29.:15 ! (Hz)
Utah County, ('tah _ !\las 5115- 9/15 t
~r: ~~~
Zo!.50
ScottSbluff, Ncb,'_
OnlUrio, Oreg'__ .
10:12':15
.. I 1941-42
ti/21)- 8m
4/21}- Ojao I' :~:illl !
i
:''9.81 '
(!IE)
(1O)
('1
Prosser, Wash._ .j HH5 4/20- 8/4 IttU;') ?.L81 ; ('1
Prosser, "-nsh. '
Dn"iS, CnliL_
Lognn, Utnh ..
Redmond, Orel( __
. _.1 IVIT
HilS
3r20- 7/20

1!l0-2-20 , ~~1;: ~}:lg i

' (iil,5- U/I;; !
2:to
11;'8
10.0
u.u
2f).!lO!
?L9:i!
!!.1.27
IS.6ti
j
('1
(191
(.$0)
(!O)
-
Soybenns Ilt }'Ie!<\, Ari7.,. 1!l17-i,l Hil -10131 I !t2. a :~S.OI : ('1
Sugar beet.s nt-
Spllnish Fork, (-tllll._ lUas -lflii-1IJj!5 ' !!".!.8:.? al.o. 71 (.~£J
Scottsblnff, Ncbr .. W:J2·:J6 4f21}-10115 ' 2-1.00 :15.,15 : .[,5 llOJ
D,\\'is, CIIUL .. _ -III - \llao ! 25.20 34.1\3 . • 7;i ~"')
Logan, Utah.__ •. __ 19O'2-2<J -1115-10115 25.(W) 35.£i'2 . .. 70 ' (40)
Columbia Hnsin, Wnsh. -III -1Il115 2.1. no :m.Q-I • If! 14m
'l'omnto('s nt-
Davis,OaliL. __ ..... _ 193:1-a.5 ' tlJI -1O!:i\ , ~2.S0 ' :I2.W .70
}"lerecdcs, 'rcx__ . .... _. n~' 101$-20 : a('25- (van 17.0 :!'2.70 .75
'rruck crops Ill-
Stockton, ellliL ____.... ' 10'2;'i-21i r.tl - 91:10 ! ;1:1.91
Stockton, CllliL __ ... ______ _ llJ'2;;-:!S -l]l-IO!31 ,H. IS

l BInney. Harry F .. nnd Rtockwcll, Homer J. .Progn 5.."i Ht.'pons on Coop(·nlth·t~ Hl':;t>.arrh
l
~tlHlit·s on
"'uter Utilizutlou, Snn Fer!mndo \'lIlley, Clllif. 19·to-lI. ('I'ypewrltll'n.)
: :--fl1ch, S.!. .Progress H(.lport, lrrigation Branch Expl~rirrJlln~ ~tatioJ). I'ros.....;I'f. "·;u;hin~lon lOtS.
('I'ypewrittcu.)
1 \·~ihm~yer, Frnllk J. Irrigation Studies. C'nh'crslty of ('nlif. 10:19. ('L'YI""lI'ritt"n.)
• Tncludes rest period Aug .. I to Sept. 15.

, S"nford, lIollis, nnd Criddle, \\-oyne D. (-npuhliShl'd Studi,'s, 1941-1:1, ('\'YW'writtl·n.)

• Sullivan,A. D. Irrigation Hcql1irementof8ncrnmento Vall(')' Crops: SacnluU'nto \',III,'y III\'('sti~atIOIlS

Memorandulll Heport. F.R. Department of Interior, Burl'Uu of Heclnrnatioll. 1941. (i'yp\'wriIU'u.)
j Normal tcmp~rnturt! used (or computing F t\nd normnl growing ~('ason. ...
i High water table.
I Harris,KarL Irrigation Studies. U.S. DepnrtuU'ut of Agrirulture, Soil COIISl'rvatioll :len'ire Oh'ision
of Irrigation, Phoenix, Ariz. lOH nnd 19,18. ('1'y[x'writu'n.)
10 IIlcCulloch, A. \\'., Sundoz, }.I. F•• :llId Bald Will, ill. O. Irrigatioll Prncticc,$ ill the H(',llIlond .\rc:I,
Or~gon. .\ Progress HI;porL. :5011 ('onsen·,ltlon Sen'lce tn 15. ('I·Y\l('Wrltl"II.)
 CONSUJ\IP'l'I\'E USE AND 1VATER REQUlHEMENTS 43
'l'ABI.E 16.-11l0Ilthly percenlaye of daytime hours of the year I

FOU LATI'I'l'DES 0° '1'0 I;';" KOR'L'II OF 'l'IlE EQUA'1'OU

Ltltitlltl~
.'all. IF~b.
Korth I i
,iI ~I:tr. Apr. ~lll)','Jun,'
I I 1 I I : 1
i JUI), Aug. S,·pt. ! O,·t. I Ko\·. Dec.
I I
I!
------------~--,--,--:--:----,·----I----
1
U.1
0
··'··'··_'_'1
IHo•••••.•.•••
3.451
3.i5!
5.14
5.30
i.Ut)j 9.0'2112.1;';; 14.12113.(lI) 11.2.;!
i.9:1. U.S., 12.42.1' 13.00 113.:11 11.15,'
S.5.1
S.f>S
Il.mf
6.iU i
4.12
4.35
2.U4
3.04
(\30 ............ j 4.01 5.40 i.9.; i 9,8:Ji 12.2'2 13.. 2'2 1:1.02 11.04 S.W 6.i9, 4• .15 3.3i
ti2Q~_ . . ~ .... ". -4.25 5•.12 7.99 1 U.7.j t 12.0:i i 1~.9l 12.71) 10.92 S.50 6.86 1 4.72 3.tl7
til" '·1 4.46 5.61 S.O!' \/. it; 11.88 I .12.~1 12.55 10,84. S.55 0.94 'J' 4.S9 :l.93
m" . 4.6i'. .1••0 8.0519.00111 ••2,12.39 12.33 lo.i21 S.5i. i.OO 5,04 4.15

I
:'\1" .. 4.S1 5.'S: S.05\ 9.00111.61)112.2:1112.2110.00 8.561 i.Oi 5.(J<j 4.31
5S" 4. \~J' 5.;;'5 S.O.\. 9.55. 11.44 . 12. ()(J 12.00 10••56 S.56 i.13 5.13 Lif,
~~~ .5.14 t 5.93 S.U7 '. 9.51 1
11.:12\' 11."ii 11.8. I 10Ai S.54 •. 19 5.27 4.6\1
nto . 5.:'~1· 0.0Il 8.10 I 9.4'5111.~..'o 11.6i 111.69,' 10.40 8.52 •• 25 5.54 4.8\1
Mi" 5.:m O.()(l 1;.12' U.4t 11.11 11.53' 11.iiU 10.32 8.51 •• 30 5.62 5.Ul
54"
r,\"
5.;;:! O.I!.' S.151 V.311 1l.OU 11.40 11.4:1 1IJ.~' i S.5O '.a:l 5,.4 5.1:
• 5~"...
c
5.U4
5.75
0.19
0.23
S.16! V.:J2 IO.SS 1l.:11 11.:14 W.W·
ii.17: V.28 1 10.81l 11.1:1 11.2'2 1tI.1.;;
S.52
8.40
i.38
i.40
5.8:J
5.94
5.31
.;.43
51 .... 5.S7 6.25 8.~1 i g.~(): 1O••()) II.U' 11.13 1O.U.; 8.48' i.4l 5.9i .1.41l
WO.... • •.• ii.9S Il.:!~ S.~.5! !L25 , 10.1\9 HI.oa 10.9'.1 IO.OU 8.44 i.43 I\.Oi 5.(l.',
48· •. Il.13 i 6. 4~ S.2'2: V. 15 I 1Il.5I) 10. i2 10. S:J 9.0'2 8.45 i.51i 6.24 5. &l
!~~ g:~~, ~:~ ~ ~:~~' ~:g~! :~:~~ :8:~ :8:~J ~:~~ ~:!; ~:~~ ~:~T :::~
..., 1\.00 I
42°... I Ii.f..; S.28 8.9. 10.10 ((1.~1 1O.3i U.Il-I 8.42 •.•:1 li.6:l 0.39
40Q. 6.•:1' 6••3 S. 30 ~. 92 i 9. U'J 1U.11~ 10.:14 9.56 S.411'.•8 6. i3 6.5:1
:W ., Il.ti'l 6.79 8.34 S. \10 i 9.0'2 9.115 lU.1O 9.4. s.as I '.SO 0. S2 6.66
:lIi" tl·\~.ll 6.SO S.35 B.S.; 1I.:ll 9.s:! U.!~I U.4U I 8.36', •• 85j0.!F2 Il. i9
:14°... '1 i.1II Ii. VI .'i.:m 8.80 I V. i2 9.'U i V.88 V.3:1 8.30 i.OO i.0'2 o.n
:\2.... . •. 20 0.9, S.:l7 S.72 , V.6:l I 9.t.iU U.7i 9. 28 ~'. ~.l~ I •. g:! I' •. 11 •. 05
:m'-lc
:!$"...
7.:$0
..40 I 7.0a
'U2
~.~S,·
:;.•1.1
~.~~, !.L.ja lIY'~~1
S.I.,: 946 1 ./.3S!
9.~7
9.n8
(9.2'~
9. 1U
Q'1
8.32
7.9H
8.0'2
7~1!)
• ')-
i.14
7.2i
~~~ ~.~. ~·l~· ~!X ~:~ ~:~b! 3:~3. ~:!y ~:~~ g~ ~:~g i I Ug 1 ~~*
2'2" •.• 6· •. 2'2 S.41 S.5'~ 9'2'JI' 9.1~1 9.31 0.1)0 8.30 S.13 .:56
• ~v . ..73 i.26 S.~'U· I 914 !I.U2 i 9.2.;
S.52 S.9.5 S.3U 8.19 '7.501
.5f.i I •• 88
11>'... '.8S I i "6 8.401 s.4tll u:UG S.!l'J I H.20 8.~l S.W 8.24 • 6i I ',BY
t~~:::·:::.:=l ~:~s'!
,.
H~, U~ i ~:!1 ~:r~ ~:~~. S.UtI
~.11· i.40 ,. ~.H I' ~.4~ 1 ~.84 i
;:~~ g:n ~:~ ~:~~ f:I~ i ~:~
s. ~S, 8.27 ~•. ~.J' i ~,'.~ S.'!i 8.05
lIl'.... ,...... ~ I
7.40 S.44 8.4.1. S.SI, S.;" S.84 8,,4 S.26 ~ _, q" S.OS
,,'............. ' S.13, •. 41. iU5 S.'.; S.51 S.7i .~.'U So 25 8.311 7.i;9 S.11

.
:I.3Y
Ii'........... H.W· .,49: ~.45i S.3Y Si'l ~.4R 8.i51 S.G9 5.2.;' 8.411 7.9,'i S.1O
4·.... •. ~.2(1! 7..5S' S.4~ 1 s.:la
8. ~2
S:l\51 s'!,~.' .~~.Q:) S.~.\3 '. ~.?1. ~"~~I':
S••>() i ~,"
11.; 8.!.'t1
'J'
0'===.::: .• :: S.4:1 I '.1i2
K49 '.6i
Ii. 41
8.40 i 8''''
S.51 I
X.49 j
S.•"
8.2"2
..1.
j 8.40
lUjl}
8.·!9 S.W 8.49L So 16
8.2'2
S.42
8.49

.-.--. rOlt [,ATl.'lTDE" (10 '1'0 iiI)' SO!.i'['l[ OF TIm 1::(~C'A'e()lt

I.atitud., i
• South
Jail. F,'I>. ~r"r. •\pr. May JUth' July .\u~ • {)(.t. I :\0".
- - . -.--._ _ _1_ _
J
1_
:

I
g~l.
S,-IO (.J;' : ~.4U ".2'1 So 49 -'.49 ;;'19 S.49 8.49
~ ..la 7.71 K·!\l ~. 19. ,'.44 .~. 4:1 !;. 1U ~~~~ 8.5.;
~.IH , i. ill I S..'~I ii. I.; >;.39 i So ~~I S.19 ' ii• •, h ~.aa Kti.1:
~ .•1 7••'S1 ~ S.;~l S.l:! S.:lIl! S.W S.IS S.5U
U~!
8.•9 I.M S.74
~.;il Soil S.24 It 1:\ .~. IS S. ttl 8.84
~~ ~5
~.!l1
"sn
7.01
.'\,5:! I
K.;:l
S-1I\1 S. IS K 11 SIS S.HS K,i2 ; 8.00.
j ~.nll .'i. I~ Ii. O~ I K I. S.I;i S,5S S.o.)
s. 07
~:~~
S.97 ! K54 8.0:1 •. OS ~.16 . 'til\! 8.ft; 9.01
9.0tJ ; i .\oj••10 7.US i.un '.9·!
~~,
8.14 ' 8.•6 9.17
U. IS' S.1l1) i ,-;...'17 7.ua i.UtJ ~·b') ; li.U S.SIJ U.24
tI.:!.; . ~_ ;'i,,\ ;~92: ;.~{ ~ 1.3 S.S:~
{L:Hi ~ s'OUI'
S.l~ S.liS
j ~.la .,.1;:1 I 9.:12
f~~~ ~.~;
i.7fi 'i. I:! .Io\_~f.i I >UK) ; U.:lti
!l.H·
~:~~ :
.!,.5H 7.5:-. ."'i.l:.! .~. oil ~"UI; i tl~ 47
n.52 ! .~.l~l i. Sl -; ;')1, i.·HI ,; 11 .~. !I.! f) HI r 9.1i1
H.m ~.~.1 , ~ la i."in '.·llJ 7.·10 . x III KI/7 !).l!J i n.74
tJ,ji!/ »..l.! . ,Ioj I);{ 7. if, i ·Ia T:m I S. (~I !I.IXI !).~.; U.SH
~L it, ,,",,3H x.w;
!J.!"~ S. -11
j S 1:.1 7. ill
7. Ii"
I T. ;~!J
7.an
; 20 !!.!H \l.:ll !u.
'" lUi •. III X.llli !J.II; II as n. !~J
Ill. Wi .-;,fi!{ :";.n7, '.m 7.111 Ii. WI j "'Illi !( 15 tl al HI. 21
HI. 1-1 s. Iii .'\. f~"" I 7 in 7.0:{ fi ..r; !""t. n:i ~.\0 • U.m 111 :U
111.24 S fi;i ~ 7(1 7.:>4: it tin n -;:~ ~ III fJ"'J' 11.69 lIJ.·!2
IIl:W S- 7:! \.71 7 ·1rJ' Ij )..;i Il.m ~.nl ~7 ~ 1'.7!]
!J. lU.;j'
ItL ~)~ X.Xl 1'\,,7:.! f ·14 Ii ..;~ /).·I!i .. IHI (l,:I'! • \1. PI 10.72
Itt f~-"; t , I.t ;-:w ItlH Ji:fO: 7. US BII 1II.1l:l 1/1. !~l
111. ".i •1., 71i 7. :t! n ·1;1 Ii 1:1 .. !lti OH lit 1• 11. <XI
11.11:1 ,1.:i.77 i. :!.i Ii. at r,o H~ 1 ;, !I,j U. iia 111.:12 11.:111
44 TECHNICAL BULLETlli 1275, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE 17.-Normul monthly con.mmplive-llse factors (J) lind lIVera{/C mOllthly preci­
pitation (1') in inches for /llIriOIl.~ lo('(/tioll.~ ill We.~tel'n United Stale.s and Hawaii 1
(:
Arizona California

i\lonth Phocnix: Sntford Yuma Bnk~rstield

I Ij -l- -1 - .
r ~
----.­
I r I ; r : II r

J:muury _____________
Jot'brunry.___________ ! I
~\llur)r.lclh-------------------------------!. 5.07
~.6-I' II/cg.e~;
3.8'2 .77 '
. 5S
3. H.
3.40 t
4.51 ,
/l/cg~~4
.70
.58
:1.00
4.07 '
5.36 I
itlC3.eS5
.41
.34
3.33j
3.58 .
4.7,'
/
lIc
t%
.1.01
l. OH
• 5. S9 I' .4(J 5.35 t .31 n. III ; • 10 5. 55 .52
~lny----- ____________ , 7.28 .12 i 0.73 . .!!() 7. at) .04 • 6.87 .36
JUIlC _________________ , 8. 17 1 .07! 7.tH I' .:11 S.16 I .02 t 7.61 .07

~\~~ust==============
September__.._______
l~ .
Il.91l
I:~~ ! n~
.... ,6.26:
l:~ I
1.211
~:~l j
6.9S
:~ ; ~:~~
.31.6.201'
:~l
.13
Oc(ober_____________ . 5.58 1 .4i, 5.04 .I;!): 5.81 .26 5.13 .37
Ko\·ember__________ , ·j.20 I .70 i :1.07 .1),; ! ·'.42 . .29 ,. 3. os .46
December___________: 3.62. 1.00 l 3.15 I .8·' . 3.87; ..>:1 3.33 i .86
.----
TotaL____________ ! 71.28 i
------------,----------------
7.78 04.58 9.3S ! 73.35 3. -17 6,;.84\ !
5. or, !
;ost.fre~~riod_. __ .I'··· 2iH2t6' - . -~ ~~-I ~;.-I--· l Ij12-12126 \--';;1-11/2.1 •.
.. . _.. ,_.. ., ......__ j I

California

"Iuut" ~;scont!idu Red Blulf

See footnote at end of tnblr.

 CONSUMP1'IVE USE AND WATER REQUIREMENTS 45
TABLE Ii.-Normal monthly consllmptive'llse factors (f) and average monthly precip·
itation (I") in inches for l'ariolls locations in Westcrn United States and Hawaii 1_
Continued

C'nliforniu Co[orndo

}.[onth S3(,'rmucn to Banta Ana Fort Collins Grand Junction

-._-----_._---------­

•lnnlInry~~_ .. _~. __ .~.__

!
------.-.- - - - [lIche" - - - -
:t13 3~72 3.77
!
Illdes
:!.:!7
I
----I'
1.76,
[lIche"
0.·'2
j----I

1.72
IlIche••
O.1l2
Fchrllurr._._ ••••_ __ 3.3U 3. on 3.78 :1. ~b I. 89 ' .57 2. ~'9 . r.o
~\hlr(.·h_+ ___ .. _+ ~ "__ "'~ ~ ~t 52 , 2.•1; -t.77 2.57 3 n') 1. 01, 3.:57 .8"2
ApriL. _____ ........ g:~~ 1••11I5.27 .US. f~~ ! ~:~~ i 4.6. .SO
.i\~~~:::~:::::::::::::
.Iu[~·-- ...... __ .... ---
Ii. 03
•• 42
Ij:n: U~
•. 05
, :~~.
.01
U.45
'.Il
1..1H
I.lil
~:§8
•• 9S
:~~
.75
An/!ust _______... _____ 6.92 IJ n.'I,.m \;'5{) i 1.3U 7.10 1.19
:'cptcmlwr_____ ._ 5.SI, .as 5.81 .2'2 I ·1.98 i 1.:10 5.f,o 1.03
Oetobrr• ____ ... 4.89 • \t~ ~. II .71 :1..3 ' 1.13 :.1,•. =,"',' ',' .86
Xowmher...__ 3.fH· I.~S 4.1.1 .9\ "4'), .4R! .57
J)el~'llIher ..••• ____ :1.06 3.0:1! :1.80 3.01, i:si' .4.1 1.9'~ .68
61.1U: 18.02 r,2.S0 14.·10 ' ·19.26 \..1. 73 55.29 l 9. 07

Frost·frr,' perfod ... _. 2/7-12:'7 -1/13-10/2.)

C'olorntlo hlaho

'.
Sionth

I I f

[lIch" IlIche" . luche8 inch"

.1 an lInry _,. _~~~. ~ ~ n.55 LS2 1. 73 .j 1.21) 1.;11 2.1)91 1.,11
••___ _
Fcbrllllr~' .47 2. 2"1 I. ·IS I. 5.; .07 1.?2
-'lorch..... _. __ . iii :1.+1 1.:lii 1. i!l I.O~ J.~:l
Aprfl. ••• _.. _ 1.00 ·\.·14 I. IS ·1.05 .01 I. 12
.\ln~· ....... -.. 1.0;, .~. ;·1· . 1.·1:1 : .i~-l5 I. 2,1 I. ·19
.r IIUC__ •••• __ . ~ -17 n.I's .tl2 fi.2G 1.21 1.4r.
.I111~· _•• _•••• __ _ .70 7••SS .2·1 7. to ,(j2 .·IS
AugU5&__ • ___ ••. ___ •• I. :11 fLSi .W (;'·15 .f,n .48
;l('lll('lIIber_ ...... _ 1.11 5. Jii • Ii:! -1 ••9 s·) .9(1
October. _... _..... . •!In :J.S:! 1.2-1 :l.liO •!IS 1.23
Xo\·emher..____ ... _' .IiO 2.;.S 1.28 2.IS • iU . I.."
1)('C('mbcr. •• .no 1.9() 1*57 1.45 i 1.0t. I 1.17
._._-_.'_.--_." --.~---. ---~-
TotuL .. _.. 51.16 9. in 52.25 0\7.02 11.01 5(;'81 1
50-IUJi ·123·10 Ii 515·!1.19

~rp footnote Ilt enO I)[ tabli'.

46 'I.'ECHNICAL BULLETIN 1275, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE 17.-Normalmonthly consumptive-1l.sejaclors (J) and average monthly predp­

itation (r) in inches jor various locations in JYe.~tern United Stales and Hllwaii 1 -
Continurd

ItlHhu KtlllS:lS .\Iontan:l

~\[onth Twin Fllll~ Wichita l Agricultural Coll(lo~t\

J J J f
\---- ----- ----- ----- ---.- - - - ---- -----
IlIcht.' IlIche., IlIcht., IlIchrs
Januury__ I. 77 0.S9 2.12 O.:!;; 2~21 I.;m
FebrU:lr)' . 2.1U .84 2~32
!
.81i 2,:m
O••1
1.24 1.48
0.S7
.81
.-
MarciL•.
ApriL..
3.35
4.39
.S5
1.0.
:I. tiS
4. ~I
1.02
2.05
:I.St)
4. US
I.O:J
3.% . 2.50
:J.76
1.21
1.ti!1
.\In)' . 5.75 • \14 tl.!i!! 2.iiS n.·15 4.(j(i .5.15 :J.06
June•• 1i.53 .79 7.30 2. n.~ 7.-1.; 4.;;', !l.U:1 2.8\1
Jill)·.•. 7.57 .:10 7.n7 2..S-t S. to 2.80 6.S7 I.!!S
Allgllst •• (to; 2;~ i.3i 2.24 i. 5:~ 3.1:1 tl.21 I.O<J
September.. 5.()0 .43 5.8:1 1.111 5. \~J :I.:~I 4 03 1.67
October ••. 3.93 .74 4.·11 L2.5 4.65 2.-t5 3.35 1.42
No.emhcr_ 2.48 1.05 2.9:J . in :l. 13 1. 77 2.03 1.00
n(~cember~ 9.84 ! ~ i5 .US
'1'ot:ll"
-----~-
,11.·14 I S.BS
- .. ,- ....
2.17
~-----

57.20
---- .511
Ill. 01
2.32
59,00
.-----
1.02
~-

:JO.S7
..... ~
1.41
··....--r---­
44. 0:1
i

, 18.0:1

. ---- ----- ----< --.....,...,. ..

Frost-rree period. 6'18-9126 4;25-lOjHl 4110-10,:2. 5'2·1-0.'16

;llontnn" :{ehrnskn

,\Ionth .\lissoula '\lcCook St'HI<hltll[ AlhuqU('rctlll'

4
J f f

IlIrhl'.' IlIcllr.' IlIrhr.· Inrhr.\(

.falluary. 1.11. II. So LS5 1),·11 l. 72 0.11 2111 1).·111
Fehruar~'. 1.5·1 .SII 2. II ~ iiI I.S' .52 1.IUl a~
~lnrcIL_ 2.7i .S2 :1.:1-1 .Ilil :1.02 . 'is !I. ,5 ,Ii
April. 4.01 .UO .J ••;\} 2, I:! ·1.21) 2.111 ·1 .•." );1
.•\ IIIY • 5.41) 1.75 G. I·' 2.bll 5.71 ~ 72 Ii. 2a 1.25
lIlIlC•••. 1,,:1-1 2. IX) i.17 :1 :JI n. iH ·2 fi:~ i.ll9 .\11
July_ 7. Ii • Sf) ;.9i 2. '"
i. -lj."i l. i:{ ,
ti.5 1.22
Aul!Ust.. n.32 • if) 7.2; ~.50 ItSi 1.-12 It !is 1. Jj~
Scptembt!r.... I. 51 1. 25 5.5(; 1. 77 ,), III I.!lO .1, f't.:'i 1, ;).'\
Octo])('r" :1.26 .95 -1.20 I. 12 :1.:-:1 tJ.i ·1.·)6 .,':1
Kovrmbt'r 1. 9S .[l(l 2.61 • Uti 2.,lfi .,IR :1.111 .r,~
DecQmber. 1.27 · IJ5 1.UI .m 1.')1 .52 2,M . Iii
'rOUI!.. -15.79 12.72 51. 7:1 W.SS 51.05 I5.GIi 57.:lU 10. I~I

Frost.-rrC(l period _ •• _. 5 11,£1,20 ·1 1:1· 10 2"

St't' fOl,tI101f.' lit I.'ml of IlIhlt'.

 CONSU.MPTIVE USE A.c'l"D WATER REQUIREl\fENTS 47
TABLE 17.-Normal monlhly consumptive-us.:jaclors (f) and average monthly precip­
itation (r)in inches jor various locations in Weslern United States and Hawaii 1_
Continued

New ~[exico 'Neyada

;\101lth Carlsbad I State College Curson City Yerington

------, 'r--­
ii, rll r'llrl/!r
---_._---:-----------_._---,----,----
Junuary•••..
·February...
I '
.
3.18 .
3.a. •
Illches
0.34
.au!
i
I
I 2.00 '
:!.12 i
.
Illches
0.a2
.43
2.20
2.40
IlIche.,
2.12
1.77
I
1

2.0/; ;
2.46 i
' IlIche.,
0.62
.tiO
Marcb...... . 4.01 ' • 55 ' 4.29 I .32 3045 1. 30 I 3.56 ; .43
ApriL.__ .. .
~:~g • l:~g 5. I., :~5 I t~3 :~~ U~ I .42
:\111),.......
ng I f t .48
JUliO...... .
July• . , .
August••.
September..
October...
7.61
-g'!,
!,.':;~ ~.
G.15!
uu

5.04 ,
1.6.1
2.15
1.80
1.91
1.41 ,
7.7211.7:1'
7.17 f
5.94
4.77
1.73
1.35
.551

.70
I 6.23,
7.(H
6.42
5.00
3.S7
I
'l'!!
:'17:
.IS
.21\
.58
.I
li.:li I
717'
6.63
5.OCJ
a.95
.41
.17
.24
.27
! .:1:1

.\
Novcmhcr_
December.
'! -0 •.\
a, 3. "fa
••
__:~~. -'-::~f-':~~ _.--.-':.[--...::=:.1__1_.: .
•• I

64••&:_·_la~1 61. m
•

S.11S i 51. 28 I 1O.!l'~ 1

"
••n ~ ~
.... e<,
\)., I 1• ~"
_U

._---=
'J
_. "-
vi

52. 12
.:!Ii
.52
4.85

Frost·free period .•.. ; 3. 29-111·1 4/&-10::11 --I 5/25-9/19 "j23-9ilS

OklnholI1a Oregon

~[ollth

J I I I
-- --_ .. _-......" ~..-~~----.~~- --'~-~--~~----:----:~----,----
II/che., Illches i I Illchr. II/chr.<
JUl1ullry_ ._ 2.7,",- ll.70 1.00 1.:lU 2.09 ;'.IS 2.50 2.31
.I'ebrunry•. :tOU .S·1 I.!lO 1.27 2.40 :1. !IS 2.S1 2. OS
.\[arch..... 4.43 i Lfi.l :t 12 1.11) i :1.61 :l.24 3. !Kl 1.50
April. 5.4Y 2.7H 4.10 1.0U 1 4.5; 1.69 4.1)!/ 1.3:!
~lny.
June•. .. ~
Ii.Sfi
7. 7~
a.50
:l. IS ~ 5.1l1l
Ii. 11
1.55
1.:1·1
5.S:l
H.·17
l.UI
.7; :
5 III
n.74
1.10
. in
JuJ~·.. S.3:! I.S·' U. !l2 .58 7.15 .IS 7. f).t .31l
August. 7.,1;2 2.,1\) U.2fj .·W Ii. [~) .2ti 6.S5 . ),
Septembt'r. O.:J.I 2.~a 4.72 •·W ii.IH 1. IS ii.3:! .l\.'i
r October. 5.n'j :1.21 a.5,; .91 a.V2 • \~J .1. 12 Loll
November :l.6.' 1. 2·1 2.~2 L05 2. H.; 5.32 2 flO 2.:H
DeC~lIltlCl' ViS 1.28 l.fiS 1.7() !t 15 Ii 2:1 2.·12 2.&"\
Tot,,1,. 01.-18 2.;.-1\1 4•• 64 12. Uti 52. at' :11.:111 55,71 16.."3

I'rost·fn'c ()('rio'l :1'28·11'(1 5.12.10,3 4j20-1020 5,tHO/oJ

>iel' f(lotI10ll' at ellt! of (able.

48 TECHNICAL BULLETL.~ 1275, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICUL'l'URE

TABLE 17.-Normalmonthly consumptive-use Jactors (J) and average monthly precip­

itation (r) in inches Jar variolls locations in lVes/ern United States (£lui Hawcdi 1_
Continued

'J'exus l'tuh

Amarillo Fort Stocktoll Lubhock 'Logllll

_ _ _ _I_ _ f_l_r_ll_f_.I_r~l-f-t-~-L
. \ "
f~~L._
January•..____
.Februury__....
?
_.33
.,
0.01
2.48.7:1
I lllche~ I' '1
3.·10
3.61
IlIche,,_
0.·11 j
.53
?
_.Sa .
3.09 i
Illcha
049;
.5S,
i ljg
3.0~
II/che$
1.55
1.51
March..... 3.•8 .71 4.87
I .• 1 .55 1 4.28 .00 1. !l2

I I •.
u

ApriL........ 4, .5 1.83 5.7·1 Ii 5.25 I. 42 4.28 1. 01

:\lllY...... • . 6. O' 2.79 •. 08 I. 5U 6. 57 2• .';4 5.11:1 1.00
Juno____ .... " 6. OS 2.8{ •. 69 1••5 '.:l7 2.47 ' 6,53 .97
July__.•. ... ..54 2.84 7.94 I.S9 80 2.13 7.53 ,57
August.... .. 6. US 3.08 7.47 2.07 7.28 1. OS 6.86 • .60
~~t~1~':~:r:--..
:\oycruber.__
U~
2.87
i:~~
.92
~:~~
3.93\
U~
'I~\
t~
:1,47
~:~ 1, ~J~
.66'1' t?,·,1
I l:m
I.:IO
Deceru ber...
'I'oluL..
2. ,13
56.27
• SO
..-.-.. :..
I
_-_ ..-
3.:1!l :
----_.• u_ ,
15.11
2. Sol
tH .•1S ;
r .79 ,
19.J5Te--
2 ••
1

50.5·1
U I. 27
11;'·14
._.._._ _ ............. _ ..1 ...

I'rosl.rree period. • i .1111-11:2 ·1.1-11:3 4!l2-11,'3 ~ .-to, II

t.:LUh \\'"shill~toll

:'IOlltll

II/chi'.• Inchr.!
Jallunr,}"' ..... , 1.00 : 1.72 , 0.91 I. 70 0.42
rebrnary_. 2.~fi ! 2.22 1.82 LS2 .Hi
:'lnreh..... 3A. r 3•• 1 ! 2~ .5 1.02
.\pril.•• _
~:~ I
·1.45 ! ·I.(H 1.1l!1
M3)- ___ . Il.()!; • 2.·1:1
.rllnl\....... ~ O.iiS 1i.I:l 1.!iI
Jllly__ _ <

i. ii 7.il:1 ti. ,~; 2.10

Allgust. ... '.Ia {i,70 , U. ?O 1.55
Sppt~mbcr_ ..... 5. ·10 5. ~.H .1. i~ I. ~~l
O('lobcr __ • 4.06 :UIl 3.-;(; ; .!IO '\
~ovombt'r_ • ',L iD > 2.·11 2.a2
Dncemher_~~ 2.0t) 1.02 , I.~H ! ••55
'I'Ot:11... ;;:UlI ; Itt w;, M.55 '.5ti I 0:1. II • 7.2S 41i. ,I 15.112

4r I3-1O/22 ·1,15-1022

:icc [oorllut,· (It end of tnull'.

 CONSUMPTIVE USE AND WATE-R REQUIREMENTS 49
'.rABl,}}li.-Normal monthly conswnptive-usejactors (f) and average monthly precip­
itation (r) in inches jor various locations in Western United States and Hawaii 1 _
Continued
Wroming Hawaii'

?-Ionth Worland Honolulu "'. 13. WninDni

Airport

---------~--'.---- ~_/-~--. - !-_/_-,---- IlIehe., II/ehe., fllcht.

Januar)'••••.
·Fcbrunr)·... '
0.9i
1.40
1 0.43
.26
5. 62
.5. 15
-I. 08
5.31
n. 5i
5.16
2.41
1.53
?-Iarch... . 2.79 i .·11 6.tH ·1.81 6. OS 1.00
"\pril .. . 4.08 1.01 tl.2U 1.41i 6.45 .as
.Mar.•... 5.5i lj 1.:14 6.87 .72 7.05 .411
JlIIlr••....•
July ••.
.August.... _
.•• 1 1i.58
i.-II .
n.m' S- ,
1. 20
.81
.56
6.98 1
7.20
7.02
I .50
1. 02
1. i3
i.23
7.49
i.35
.50
.32
.39
September.... .j .85 nAn • iO 6.65 .59
October. _
Xo,cmber
::i: .17 •
2. (); ~
.70
.:17
0,271
5.07
l.fi2
a.26
0.43
5.74
I. i6
1.65
'December 1.19 i 5.5·1 ·L 21 1 5~ t~l 2.00
Totnl ·li.10 8.20 ' 75.0i ;"-'- "20.:i2.i- -ni:slT 14.58
__ ~_.!- ___________; i

Frost,fn',' perioli 5flO·(J·27

I MClin mont.hly Wm(lCrnturl's nnd u\'l'ruge monthly prl'('ipituiioll arC from clinmtologic~ll data, annual
51llnm!lries for IIl-IS. I'.S. \\'cullwr BllrI'ulI.l'rost.·fn'(' periods arc from rcferenct' (45).
, EXC('rpl, frolll tabl" IlccQmJlun),ing letter frolll HfHlllld I. llIcwit t, Sf-ute Conser~:ltioll Engineer, SCS.
dnl,'d i/5100.

'fA IlLB l8.-~·SIl(J(Jr:.~ll'd 1II01!tlliy crop cod/ici(·nl.~ (k) Jor .qel('cl('(lloc(/I.iol/,~ 1

.Il/nl/n
.\ri7.0nn: !'nlt Hinor \"nl·
ley. Mesn (2/5 to 12;6) .... 10.3; 0.5.:; 0.75
, I 1' I;1.00
0,00. 1.0,1: I.J5 j 1. 15 1• 10 0.8.; i 0.6-5 t 0.45

.SO .no: 1.00 I CO i

('nUfornia: I
Davis (2{6 to 12110) ................ __. __ . .70 ' 1. .SO .701......\.__ •••
Snn Fernnndo \"nll~y, i I .

j I
Los "\ngeles (I!~ to
12t2S)................. .:15' .45 .r,o
!';ncrnmcnto·:'UIl JOU"
.70 ; • S5 .9.; 11.00 ! 1. 00 i .9,; 1 .SO; ,551'
.30
I
,,
I
quin D,'ltn·.. .
i't~VktOn (2/14 to i
1.1O}............... :
rpper SaUnas 1-1/10 to i
~ 28 •·11 .r,o .SO
,i
.95 1.03 1.05 .IlS .SO I .50 .25

11!;J .. ~ ........ ___ ~ .. ~ .... _~ ~ _,",~

I .. .:1'; , ~ 0')6 .75 ,
• 92 i I.W 1.03 .OS I .82 t......

S"~r:llllNIlO \'n1l('\','
Sa..rnmento (20 to ;
12110) ............... •... .:17 . 'is , .ua f 1.0'2 1.01 .9" I .&1 .6:1 i .,12 ' __ •• _•

North Dtlkot!l: Ueep i

.~ !··. .·1·.··--/...·..
Hi\'cr ))"\'('lopll1~nt t )
Farm, Mondan (5J11 to
91~6l .......................... '•..
! .; .$
i
i!
j
.00 ' J.(~)
Nrhruska: S,'ottshlufl , ,
.1;1) :

•• , 3~ I I
(5, II to 9,2Iil. .................- . .·10 ' .7·1 • OIl .D5 , • lil 1 .... '---- ........---- ...
South DnkolJl: H",IO,'ld ;
JJ,'\,cloprnelll '?arm, j
H(\dfij~ld
l"inh:
(5112 to H'2U) ....
f.ogn n I.M7 to Will) •...•
~ .-1-1
.5;)
•.'ill
.SI) I
I.tlll
.11;'
I. H1
I.{l(l I
.95
115 I.W
.SO I
I .5O ~ .. ---.
,----- ..

St. (It'Orgp(·111O to 111,'2:1) •. • flU ,.'is IIl5 I. IU IIJ7 I .!~; .7,~ ;

!

. I 1/lllfl"Urtm

I
""lho: Cllhlw~\I, .Blul'k .
Canyon ([o!G to 10'3.1. on i '
sodIum soiL............'............:...... • Iii SI: .~g, .00
i
i
. j
,;;;1 I
1 !
.60 1......•..._•• __' ' ' '
I
Sct! footnote at end of tllble.
50 TECHNICAl, BUI,LE'rIN 1275, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

TABl,E IS.-Suggested monthly crop coe.tficients (k) for selected locations I-COli.

;\fon(h

Crop. location. lind

frost·free period

I
Avocado.
J"II.

-----1---1-1-
Feb. Mllr. Apr. ?'[IIY .Tunc July ,\ug.
sept.l oct.jNO\·.1 Dec.

­
1
O.:~ I
California:
Fallbrook, .Escondido
(3/9 to 11/25) ________ __ 0.15 0.25 o. ·15 0.54 n. r.o r O.IH I O. f>3 0.57 I' 0.·16 I 0.3!I 0.21
Ooleta, Santa Barbara
(1/22 (0 12/19) _________ 1 .15 .25 .~O .52, .U:l . ..
/3 r . -. I .
.a,.1.9 .C.o / .~S 1 •.) I .m
1 .3_,
Cllrpcn(eria, Santa Bar­
bara (3/9 (0 11/25) _____ _ .15 . . 25
Beall', .mall/chile
.;~s •.18\ •.57
.! .(!.q
• '~l t .01.1 / .0- .42
: .. ( .).!
•.1, i .-, I. 15

i '" .~
·i··I,'
Californin: Santa YIWZ

I ,. ('1·_···1·
Vullo)', Santa Barbllm
(1/22 to 12(19) ...__..... _ .. _. ____ __

R</11I~, Boy 'jl'\' Ii . m

Arizona: Salt .Rh·er \"al~
ley, PhoeniX' (2/.:; to
1 ~ i i.

.m' _.... ·... __ .1 . . __ ._ I

I

I
12(16) •• _______• _______.. _. ______ '"'j_'_''' . ____ .;____.. .:.11), .IH .91 I

",, ,. . . . _.. _..:.........r.... ." I .•"." .....I. . :.:. . ,. .

.
Call/alolll" ! I' j

Arizona: M,,,,,, (3!7 (0 i

J............

A%~ml:.~~~;~;~~ (~:~_~~.L _ .' _ . _ :_ . ..J

..
C'.lllCornill: Du vis alld I I"
1.09 ! 1.29 .20 ;--.... __•
. I
..1...___ :._____ ......1..
I, i '
Sucramcn to (2/ti to f f j 'C). liO Ie,), I "l !
X~i:r~\~i;~~~~~-:Rt~~~::~-I'·--··· ..----_...-- ---'""j .12 ., '. 1 'U_j .., f-----··--·,-----­
~ll1Tlllall (5:LLtoOf~G).- ... ____••____ •• ___________ .50 .65 .75j .SO: .701----" __ ••• +____ _
Col/all j I. I l

,\rizona: Snit .Hi\·~r V;II- i

ley, Phoenix (~J5 to i I I ; f
!
12/10) ___________________ , •• --••••• - •• ---.--! .20 1 ,-10 • CoO • flO f,,
Cllliforniu: Fin'baugh· I i ! I

Shllftcr, Hakt·rsfielcl I i

{2/12 to 11[251._....... --"'--' --.....

I I -----1'------:
,, .85
I
.30 ; .·Ifi
T"xlls: Wesillco (2/7 to
--·--r..-- "'--'1
j
j

12t.!'2)----~~,~~--- ..
••0
.20 , '45,1 j I
I

Ari1.[)uu: Stilt Hh"'r

ley, PhONlix (2/.) to
\'111·1 '.
.1
.
12/lti)............. _...... 1.00., 1.14 : 1.171.1.12 i .U2!· ,;,0

Sou(h Dakota: Hedfi('i(1 ' i f

()c\'o)lopmcn t Fllml.; i i.551, .•0: I.UO ; I. III :••.
Hedficld (5/12 to UJ 2Ul ... : ______, _____.,1"'-'-:"'---J
()f(/.'"

Or'L'iS. la\\'n.-
California:
or C/olln!
;!
.I'(ls!l(.ie,m I ,
{2/3 to 12/I:ll •••_. ____ .1 .2.1! .as!.55
I
I
i
I II
.70
I ! !
I
.liS
!
I
I .lI'2 [ .UI .!r2j
I ,SO ~72f~51 .:!5
I
1Jrornrgrm;s-
Xorth DakOta: D,"'P,'
l\i\'cr DCl'elopmenL
k'lIrm, ;\1 findnll (5/11 I
ncd(~I~{7g~=----·--·-----·'
! . .
t
I'
.

·----"------1...---- .
,
III • .70
I
j

,US 1.10 I I.O~

I .ro I'.).1'
i ._iJ , ___ ......... jl., .. __ ••

Idaho: 1Jl""k C""),Cln,.

Cnhiw\'li (5/7 to lOt!).· •_____ .• _____ :._____ • a.;
I
.0.1.I' •.~2.
' ,,~i', .1>1 j .·11 t_........ ___
I
Clo\'cr-:- . j : . '
Waslnnglon: . Pros.o;er : , • 1 " ..
'.".1 i 1",. j

H{28 to 10/141••_____ •••_____ '_ ••••• ______ .• _____ L 15 i .!lS .,;:! '._-- ......,.
See footnote at end of table.
 CONSU:MPTIVE USE AND W A'l'ER REQUIRE'MEN'l'S 51
TAB I.E I8.-Suggested monthly crop coefficients (k) for selected locations I-COil.

:.... Month

Crop, locution, nIHI

rrost-rr~ll period
_. __ ._._
t
.Iun:.! Fl'h.
I I
i\llIr. ~Li\r"y
I
lnll(' ~ Aug. Sept.. Od..• No\'. D~c.
I

(;/IIzr I
I I

;\rizonn: Halt Hiwr \'111'1

Il'Y, Phornix (2/5 tu
j
12/H\L':;;e~:~I~,"-"""'I"---- ..,...........'-''':...... ...... n.:lIl CUt! 0.82 U.48 ' ' ' ' ' ' • __ •••

('ulifornitl: i\iurriet" {:l!1ii II' I i j f

"""1

to 11/191 ......................................... n.4ii

I
.70 .74 .IH ..................

. Orch(lril Frllit.j

!1cl'illnolls frllit-
California: Sun .Ionllnin

I
I I
,

(lrnl~~~~~t~.14 to 11 /281 ... \..... '\".--•• (). 2:1 0.4;' 0,70.

,
I

. Sii . AA .8ii .47 .20 """ ......

Arizono: Suit lUn'r

VIII!:,y, Phocnix (~15
l.(lmonS­
Cnlifornill: (2!27 10!
I

1.
!
to 1./16) .............. 0.·111 n. iiO I
.I;O!. nii
<

! I I

• ,(I I
1
.7ii .7;' .7.; .7.1 .70 O. m o. m

12111) .................. , .. I .·1It ("111 .fiII . !iii .illl .Illl •fill .:.0 .40 ......

Orllngcs-
AriZOII1I: Suit Hlwr'
\'lIlley. {,hol'nix (2/ii j
C~fif~1'~f,1: ..·•••·..
j

·····I:

.·!ii I .:1:1
I ·:J!'l .15 .r.o
I

.ii·1 .58 .Im .m .;'u .49

.ali
Los AUf!t1It'S (21'27 to
12111\............. __ : .an: .:15! .·10
f I .45 .liO ..'i5 .5.; .fiii .m • .')(1 .~., • :10

C'otl.st~H tlrl'lLS
0/21 to \ I

12./191 __ • ___ •• _' __ '_, ,27' .34 .40! .4(\ .50 ..',3 .1;4 .54 .52 .48 .43 .3U

IntermCllint.· (aIo to I 1
.

1~.)/5) ___• ______ ••____ t .3:1'. . a9! .45 II ..1() .54 .5Ci .57 .57 .56 .5:1 .47 .38

Interior arNtS (3/15 to i

11/23)_.______ • ___· __ .:17 I .~·I

1· .49 .54 .57 .60 .!i2 .62 .60 .57 .51 .4a

\\'nlnll~ .
Clllifornill:
Din"is} Snl'~arncnto I'"
i (
(2/6 to 12/10) __ . __________ .'______1 .I!l .30 ..,5 .84 .98 .88 .IiO .117 .20

S'.mthern ureaS (212i 1 ~ !

to 121I1l ___________ .1 ... __ ••• 30 it .54 .,'1 II .g­/ .9:\ .S\/ .55 .3\1 .26

~
l
1
' i

;
• Plls~ure.'J, irnVllled

Cflhfornm:
Va\'is. SlIcralll~nto t2jO I
i l l!
tOI2/1U) ________....._______ :. __ ••• !.1O
I .42! .52
I
;5!
+.___. .
.27 .57 .. .35 .15

i\furrictn (a/In to 11119)••__ ._., _____ • .20 .19 .74 .84 .87 ,8.; .78 .5.;

:i\lerccd (3/9 to 111201 __ ._' •____ It\ •. 151 .65 .75 .78 .74 I .55 • ~O I

! I

Pea", Papa!IO

~
"\ rizono: SuI lH wr \'al·
ley, Phoenix {2j5 to
12/16) .. _____________ • ___ 1 .25
!
Ii I

.~S
I.
II,OS 11• 10
f
'I
.----. --.--- --.. --1------ .•--.·---.-1...--.
f 1

•. J;lnh: I.ogun (5/7 to lOll! ,.

I .55
··.--T----- --.•-- -.-.--, .2·1 . r.o .110 .9S ;-.--•• -- --.I '------1--.--.

Potaloc~ I I. : i :

Arizonll: :'lult Hi,,"r \'al·1

Ie)', l'hocnix (2j5 to I
I

I II
t
I I! 11
1

.00 I.
._.......

j . \. ,
12/16)..._.___• _____• ____ • ____ .; .20 .50. I.no 1.20 I 1.05 ' __ ' __"'____ '"

Duds, Sncra· i i ' I

California:
mento (210 [0 1~JI01 ____ .! ______ ..____ L. __ .' .,I.j. ,.S!
Of .\15
i: f ~_'
Nc.. brnsk.:;t!.Sl"Qttshlutrj
N~~{\~ tOJ.~'I~~tn:--'ijl~l7ji'I:·-·"·!""·'·.:-----:'.----"·-----· ..0 I
lUycr VCn'lopllwnl ! .;
tj1 () I

j
..

.118 t ·~'lj O~
.• )t

.. ( ..

~J~~ll~:~~:~I~~:I~.~::.L.~~_ .--...1.-----.'-.--.;.... , .751 ,00

South Dakota: Ite~l!ll'ld! ! 'I I ! I
.SO I .·JO' -0,- __________ __
f

,·15

DuYclopnwn~ farm,; f ..'

Reotleld (5/12 to 9/29)._. _____.:______:_____.: ______ ! .·12; .UO
(·tnh; LoglllI(5}itolO/llj.i __• ___ '.____.' __• __ .' ......·_. __.. · .40
I :
.SO I .88' .40 .......'. __ ._....--.
.U5 •• 85; .81,..... _, ____ •••____ _
I
See footnote at end of table.
52 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 1275, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE lS.-Suggested monthly crop coejJicients (k) for selected locations I-COIl.

""Ionth
Crop, locution, tUld
frost-free period I
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _1_J_31_1. ~'eb. 1\lnr. Apr. ~ .ful111 .July
. Aug. ~ Od.
I Nov. Dec.

Sorgh/ll/l
Al'iZOllU: Slllt Hiver Vnl·
loy (2/5 to 12/10)..........._. .._ .. _ ...... '"
Kun~as: Gurden Cit}'
U.40 1. UO O. H5 O.71l I,,,_"
(4/25 to 10/16) ................................. _. .45 1.00 1.17 .SH 0.47
'l'exas: Grcut Plaills Flelt!
Statioll,Lubbock (4/12 .~

to 11/3) ........................ _..._. __....... . .ao .7f> 1.10 .851 '.nO "._•••• ,.,

Slty"r Heel.'
Califurniu:
Northern (2/G to 12/10).................... 0.31 n.un .9(i 1.01 ,S:! ..........._ ............
Santa Yucz, semj·

coastnl (2/26 to 11/25)..........................

,40 .67 .70 ,70 .50 .29 ............

Coastal unit (1/22 to

12/19)................. ...... ...... ...... .37 .42 ,43 .44 .·13 .38 ..... +_..........

!\[onllmu: Huntley (5/11

N~obO/~~ki:.."iicoiIsiiiiiii .....- ................ --\
(5/11 to 9/26) ................. _ .............. _. . 1

.33 .84 l.OG 1.11 1.0"u .t"!

" I............

.~7 • fill .RO 1.08 I. Otl .60 ...........

~outh Dakotn, Rcdtlcl<l I

DC\'Clofllncn t Fnrm, I
Hodnel( (5/12 to 0/2!1)... ...... ...... ...... •.•••• . aft •Sf> 1.05 1.10
Fluh: Logall (5/7 to 10/11). ...... __ • __ • ...... ..... .:11 .·14 .SO .H:!
.';",u/l amill
lIurllJY-

Arizolla: Snit HiYC'1"

Vulley (2/5 to 12jB)... 0.a2

North J)nkol.u: Det'p

O.(iO 0.!18 I.IIS o.ln

.River O,",elopml'llt

}'urm, "I'IlI1<1un (5/11

toY/2ti}.................................. 10

1:tnh: LOgllIl (5/7 to

10/11) ................................... _...'

Hcgari-
Utah: St, George (,1/10
Oat;~10/2:1) ........................ ·1·..··· .....-

Arizona: Salt HiYer

Val1c}:,<2/5 to 12/6) •• __ ...... .ao .SO 1.10

Ncbrusk.I........................................

Whcnt-
Arizona: Salt Hi",,/,
Valley (2/5 to 12/Ul.... .20 ..to . SO I. 10
..
Knn~ns: Garden CiLy
(4/2Ho 10/16)........ .40 .72 .97 1.0,5
'l'exas: Southwest Grent

PIllins }'ield Station

(4/12 to 11/3).......... .U3 .82 .9:1 1.02

'Tomatoes
Oalifomin: Northern Sac­
ramento (2/6 to 12/10) ........................_. . . 41 .74 .9:1 ,98 ,89 ..................
'J'ruck Garden alUl
1'·euctable.~
I I
C~l~~£)~I~:·~~~~~.:!:~.~~+ .... r ... y..... .2:1 .4!J I ,ti, .78 .78 • 64 1 . 40 1..... '1'.....
1 Monthlr cocllicl"lIts tnk"ll from SlIIOOllH,'d CurVl'S hased on O"ld lIICIlSllrCIllI'lItS.

AGRICULTURAL WATER REQUIREMENT STUDIES

IN OTHER COUNTRIES
In t;he past, detailed information on wn.leL· requiremcllts or vilrious
crops grown in lll'id countries of thc wodd IHls been extremely limited.
Such research has llOt been eondueled exc-ept on a limited basis.
Estimates for planning, design, find opcmtion of ilTigation systems
 CONSUMPTIVE USE AND WATER REQUIREMENTS 53
have been based 011 "!'Ules of thumb" from local experience but without
the use of any standard procedure based upon technical information.
Since 1940, studies have been initiated in n;}any countries of the
wod(l with the assistance of United Nations Food and Agricultural
Organization and U.S. International Oooperation Administration.
Subject mutter covered llt the rrhird Regional Irrigation Practices
Leadership Seminar, Ncar East-South Asia Region, held at Lahore,
Pakistan, FebnHlry 15-26, 1960, indicates the importance and mpid
growth of water-requirements studies (table 19). Of the eight coun­
tries represented, nearly all had papers on water-requirement studies
underway in their hlllds. In time, much valuable data will be avail­
able for guidilIlce of hydrologists, water resource planners, and engi­
neers for these areas. In the meantime, various empiTical methods
based on experimental data from the United States and other countries
arc being used as a basic guide supplemented with local infoTmation
when nVllilitble.
TAlll.g 19.-Nor/llal monthly consumptive-use factors (fJ and average monthly
precipitation (r) in inches in variou.s foreign countries
Haiti'

~ronth
!Cnp lfnitien 'j Cny~s I naIlli~n • f Fopd des
-"egr~s
I (Jonah'es I ITinehe .Teremie

1!lrl!frl!;rl!!rl!lr'!Jr !Ir
-----1--·::;:-- [TlCheS,--:Inches!--: [1IChesl-- [IIChes --jIJlches - - Inche.' l

Jan .. __ . __ ,.5.76 4.09j6.;Jl:2.S0/fl.1311.31l 5.(j'11.53 6.14 0.16 5.72 0.43 .5.87 3.62
~'"b_.. __ .15.26 4.2.1 5.fl913.43 .1.6, 3.07 5.~2 I..;! 5.68 .59 5.15 .87 .5.33 3.• 1.?

(
.\lnr___ . ___ ,6.25
Anr______ , fl.4.1
May_ .. ___ I' 7.03
3.82 6.6514.17 (j.62 2.64 It 09 2.20 6.li7
3.S~ fl. 85 7.05 6.81 4.13 6.23 4.41 fl.Oi I
0.91 7.36 !1l~4(j1 7.31i I' 7..j(j 6. 71 1 7. 17 7.42
.59 6.25 1.38 6.26
US 6.57 ~.27 6.48
3.23 7. iO 11.57/7.06
3 23
4.02
Ii. 26
June•.•• _ ... 7.14 3.27 7.30, •• 20 •• 44 3.15 li.71l 5.08 •. 61 3.62: 1i.l1·1 8.54 7.11 4.57
.'"ly. . . . . _,~.43 1.6! !.70 5.()Si~.~o ~.6~i6.£.5 1 !.3~1~.~1 2.8'1'7.346.387.58 3.:H
Ang ___•.• _!,:\1 1.6~ I.Hi8.1~!I:~~:0.Q~I~.:·I!~.!~t~.oO 2.?6 ~.!~ 6.61,7.03 3.8.5
Rept... __ ., I~'~'I! 4.0_ i ~.9f : ?Qh: ~.~Q I ~.• 6' b.3,! j o. ~o ':?~ 3.30' b.ol S.03, 6.59 4.01i
OcL.__ __, 6.3,1 8.98, 6.93 13.1·1, I
b.lo ' 0.43 6.10 I 8. 0·1 , 6.91 2.361 6.27 7.52' 6.47 5. fi9
::':0\'_. . . . . . _. 5.69 '11.02 i 6.37 i 7.00 , 6.22: 3.11 , .5.03 i 3.70' 6.48 .91, 5.91! L89 5.99 7.52
Dec_ . . . . . ., 5.70 i '.20! 6.:~.j' 2.87' 6.181 1.00i 15.2911.2616.38 .43, 5.58! ..51 5.96 4.33
Totnl. .... '.6.W-.;;;H,SI.Sti S2.05~,4;j.93 in.sl 152.83-:82.81:21.89 ;76.58 ,50.01'77.73 f 53.54
-:-~_-::~~~__ .~._...:::-:-:-:
:;::-..::,;.-::=..::_--:--=:.. . ! ~ f 1 ~ •

. '"

~cc footnotes at ~n!1 of f:ahlp.

54 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 12i5, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

19.-Normal monthly COniWlltptiL'e-llSe factors (J) and average monthly

TABLE
precipitation (I') in inches in various foreign countries-Continued ...
I 1
: Southllrll i .Ion1an \"alle)."', North
f,grael, nortlwrll Xl'1!l'\" 3 Iru<l I I tl'nrkl'y". j :;huneh 5
'8('Yh~.•~~!"
Month
1953-54
, _____1
1951-5,5
f, ! f !: r
: 19.55 1956 1957
' _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Ifl If i, f! f
------- --I -;:;;;;:,--1 [lIche., j---I-[tlChe., I--!-;:;;: ---- - - - -
Jnnllary ________ . __ ... ~.S31 I). ~'Ii ;l.f,;J; 0.481 79! 331' a.3~ 3.92 4.05: :1.82
Kf~:e~~~:~~=::::.:::::
ApriL... _....... _.'
Ug!
5.50 I
1:1{0: ~:6~' ~;~51
. .';2 5.79 (1)
lfA
HI I
~
2(1
U~ i
5.52' 1.r.2
g~
0:43'
tg~
Ii. 09

LW
.M!I~'. __ .• __ . __ ._ •. _ ~.~4 i.... -..: 6.82 IS61 S 0.95 i 2.0·1: 7.43 7.2'2. __ ...
Juno __••_____ .•• __ • 8:\~:.: ':i ~J~ ~:l!) \ ~ i ~:g6' _.9' 8.47 ~:~g ,­
:(~~iisL::::::':::::: 7.71 '._._ . 21,;' ()' 7.S0 :~1 ~:M, S.~
September__ ._~"~ .... ~j 6.21) '. ~:~~ j=~~~:~: 173 i 0' G.47 .71 7.25 7.25
October_____ • _ 5.82 i- .i.SO I ('l , 140' 0, ,i.·13, 1.()()1 B.no 6.28
November__ •________ 1 4.40 :_------, 4.!iG 1 1.49 lOa i ~3 j' 4.13! 2..;;;: 5.09 5.13 _ _
D~cember ________ .. _ 4.42 j~I __::_~,~J, 5.40 j~i_'::"i a.·17 i.~!..2::~~:...:...--=-
JrotaL~_~ .. __ .~ __ ~ ___ i 70.:'19: 0.121 GS.6S t 7.72,1,759; 189! UO.S7! 24.31 j 61.{J:l i4.~1 13.27
I Iii 1 i -'-1_ _,_ _-'--_ _- ' - _

1 Data obtained Crom report on irrigntion requirements Cor ITail! br George H. I [nrgrcayes, ch-il en~inN'r,
HAA(SCIPA), with the cooperntion oC Andre Cau\'ln, hydrology engineer, Uaiti ~linlslry oC Agriculture,
Port·au-Prince.
2 From a preliminarr report h)' the authors on "\\-nter Requirements oC Peshawar Valle)-." 1960.
3 Sec reference (8) .
• Excerpt Crom a report Cor GO\'Crnment of [rnq, by the. K:uljinn Corp., .. Eski ~[osul [rrigalion Projcct­

HeconnuissAncc Report." August 1057.

l Datn obtained Crom a report on e\'apotranspiration in the Scyhan Plain in Sout)l('rn Turk,'Y b~' "ad II;:
•
Toksos, engim.'l'r, Bolgo, Adann, Turkey.
, Darn obtained Crom II report on water requirements oC hananllS in the Jord,Ul V,llk')' hy [z7.c<lill )'ultis,
director, Irrigation and \\"nu~r Power, Hns:hcmitc. Kin~dorn oC Jordan.
j Trace.
A brief SllllIlIULI'Y of the de \'e1 Op lIle 1\ land lIS(' of witteI' I'I'q u irellwil t
datiL in several eOllntrips or thc world is gi\r(,11 brlow.

Afghanistan
III the prcpal'iltion or :L report on soil alld W:lter l'('SOlll'('l'S or SOli th­ •
west Afghanist:U1 by ('laude L. Fly ill 1959, lise was 11I:1(lc f)f data
obtained in the United States on walpr rcquiremcnts and tm.nsposed
to Afghanisbul by the Blaney-Criddlp (B-C) nwtltods. Various
project develop men ts hnve used. such da tll in thrir dc·signs.

Colombia
III 1958-{)O, All~d Ibarr:l Cai(·pdo or til(' Gr:U1ja .\grl('ol:L I~xp('l'i­
lIlental-Pitlmir:L St:LtiOIl, ('OIOlllhiH, I II (':ISI1rNI l'nlpotl'HIlSpiratioll by
grnss, bitll:U1i1, COCOtl, and 50.\·l>e:111 ('rops; and eoeffi('icllts 1'01' thp B-(!
formula fLre being computed.
Dominican Republic
Studies of use of \nttcr b,- bnll:lI1ns Illadr in PlIPrto Lib('rt:ldor,
Dominicitu Republic, b.\- Pro'fpssor A. A. Bishop of (-t(th Statp Uni­
vcrsity in 1950 indieflted thaL the ('0111111011 pmeti('e of 2-illch applica­
tions o/' wllter each 5 dlL"S WflS not nec'pSSiU,\,. "\Jter this oi>::l('rvlltion,
it was found lIw,t the intrlT:ll between irrig'atiolls could h(' Ipllgt.hell('d
:wel lighter iLpplicntiolls mn,dp. ~[jlxilllum tOllSllll1ptiol1 rnt('s
nppcitred t.o be [tbout 0.2 inch 1>('1' dny.
 CONSUMPTIVE USE AND W A'.rER REQUIRE'ME~"'TS 55
A study of the soil-m.oisture depletion method of measming
consumptive use was carried 011 for more than it year. The computed
:~
annuul consumptive use coefficient (J() wus 0.81. Never dm'ing some
fourteen different intervuls throughout the period of study· did the
computed consumptive-use coefficient reuch 1.0.
Egypt
In n stud.\- of wiLler requirements tnilele in Eg."pt b.\- Tipton and
Knlmbilch, Ine., the B-C formuill wns used to compute consumptive
use (or uUlllfa, citrus, Ycgetn,bles, and lll:lny field crops. The results
were correlated with the Egyptinl1 method of computing water
requirements. The close con-elation of the two methods indicILted
tbe validity of the computations.

Greece
•

Prof. l'onslllntinc P. Christopolilos, t:nin~rsit.\, of 'I'hessitloniki,

(il'('ee-e, ha<; used th(' B-( , fon\1 uh for years. Til n discussion of it pllpel'
011 "~[onthly Consumptive l-se Requir(,lIlenls for Irrig:tt.ed Crops,"
('hristopoulos (21), sUltes:
In til{' cf.'nligmelf.' :;('alr of tC'lIllwratUf(' Imel in llIillimetpr:; the origin:11 Blanr·.\-­
('riddle forllluia for eOlllputiJlg; e\'apotranspir!llioll from dillltltologic data is:

This formula 11:1': had a grc'at suet'p,:s aud it is used throughout the \\-ori(1. Thi.:;
SlIce('SS mIt)" 1)(' hlrl,wly attributNI. to tIll' "elimatie faetor" (0 I)('ing p:l"ily deter­
mined frolll data of IIWlln monthly tC'llll)('rature (1) alld monthly daytilIl(' per­
centage (p) thltt an' l'v['rY\\'hel'(~ at hllnd. In l'OJ1tr:L."t. otll('r r('I<~\'al1t forlllulas,
simple or complit'ILt·('(I, arl' ba..';t'd Oil ('lim:ltolog-ie:ll datIl th:lt; art' not \l,;wllly
:\ndl:J.ble r;;r the}- Illll:'t bt' 11H':1slIr!'d with l'laboratp ,md dplil'at{' l'qllipllH'llt.

Iraq

From n r('port by til<' Kuljillll ('Ol'p. on the den,lopmell t of low('r

DiY:lh (or tlte> Gon.'rntllC'llt of Iraq, the following quotation is takt'l1
re>garding the ('omputatiolls (or consullIptin uSC' of Wtlt('r:
,,* * * ('('fllral lrilq in dilllate i,: flot \'('ry di:,,;ilnilar frolll ;;OIlW of thc'arid \\'['stertl

..
:;tat('s of Uw r,:-;.A., lind w(' l'Ofl:,idl'r. Oil rp\'i('\\' of th(' l'\'i(\('IIl'(' ll\':tilabl(·. that the
Blml('y-C'rieldh· (''Illation for ('oll:,ulllpti\,('-u:ip clt'\'ploppc! ill till' t:.~_A. i:'i 01(1­
s(ot1dinylylitc //lost pr(lctical lind reliable forlllllia for u:'e ill arid cOlllllril':', {'iOwr On
II!'\\' project" or rl'lIIodl'ling of ('xi:,Ung work"." [Emph:l:;i:i :,upplit'd.J
• .Also Or int(,l'est ill this connection js tit(' IIS(, of the IIIe>thod described
ill this report for determining till' ('onsumptive lIS(, of WItter on til('
Eski ~[osul Irrigation Projed jn Tl'ilq. This r('porL was prepllred in
1957 by the 1(uljii1Il Corp. for the GoY('rnment of Imq.
Another report was prepared in 1958 b.Y Sir \I.urdock ~r('1)onald und
pilrtUC'l's of London.
Israel
BeCilllSI' of its limi t('d wlll<'r SlI ppl.\-, lhe prohl(,lll of irrigalion
requirements and ('onsul1lpti\-e use of walc·ris of prime importanc'e in
conneetion wit h Jsl'lt!'! '5 fUJ'tiH'r ('('0110111 ic dev('lopmell t. A report on
irrigl1tiolt studies in lSl'Hel by BhllJey (8) dis(,lIssNI these Oltltters ill
eOllsidemblc cietilil.
56 TECHc~ICAL BULLE'rIN 12 i 5, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

.Although the repOl"t indicates tlmL IsrHel lms JUllde cOllsidemble

pmgress in this field of rescarch since 195a, thel'e l'I,re sLiLl numerous
problems in water utiiiz!l.tion remaining to be solved. Oheeks have
.

been made by Israeli researchers of mon thly (k) and seasonal (I{) CI'OP
consumpti\re-use coeilicients. :;oilmoislure studies were used to
determine consllmpti\'c use. Thesc studies indic/Ltc thilt crop
coeilicien ts de\7eloped by B-C form ula fronl California studies may he
IIsed in Israel.
Development of coefficients for crops not produced in California is
still needed. Trrigntion wilter requirements of corn and sugar beels
grown III the GiIat Experiment StiLtion (neitl· Be('I'shehil) were ("0111­
plltpd fi'om ll1eteorologieal data for 1954-5.5. A comparison of the
mC:llsured !lnd eornpu ted ilTiga lion req uiremcll ts is sho\\'n in t.lLble 20,
Thc method of eom pu tillg water requircmen ts is used ill 1l1llny areas
in ISl"HeL The Illctrie (B-C) formuh used ill ISl"llel is: lL=~cfu(45.7t
+81:~)=consul1lpti\'e use, mm.; wh('rc k=monl.hly ("ocffieicnt, p=
percent of Ilnlluill dnyiiml' hOllrs, lllld t = IIl('an mOil thl)'
III 011 thly
t(,lnpcnllurC', degrees Ceniigr'IHlc. The eomptlt(·d l'I'quirclIlC'nls arn
being cheekl'd by I'('selu'chcl's Ilt till' _\grictllt tll'lll I:DxpC'l'iIII PIl t St alioH
and nt field sbltiollS of the I~xtension :)0::\,1('(' of T::;nH'1. .

Tllblc 21 gins dllbt supplied by D. Sic\' fol' Dcganill "13," wbieh is

neal' the south end of Lake Tib('I'ins, 1::;l'Ilel.
'L\lIL~; :20, rrri!llIlion !l'lIler rcqll.il'eml'nl,~ at ailat /lear lJ('er.~hl!ba, r.~l'tIcl1

Yt'ar r'TOp ;\It'aSlln',1 ( nlllplll,'" Ilhlll<'r,('ril/,l/(' IllNhod

.lfWllI/eln. Indlt.'f .lfillillll'l"., fllrh,., Itl

19.'iL ('orn Ii:!O 21.S fiI.) ~;no '.!;L tt-~i-J.O o.n:,.··(J, ;;j
l!J.1.i ('"orn _ 51n ~I.H 5:{O.. ;';O :!1. :!-2'2.:"; .1..",.··0. iii
H15·1 ~u"mr hl'('l;o\. -t.ifl IKO ·':lG-5UI . li_·I·-:!Il-'.! .1i.l)..O. ,Ii
III.';;, . ~Ilgar lJ\.~(,{s .. 470 IS.S ·1:lIHU. 17. :!·~HJ. H .135··0. i;j

I L(Jwl~r ndtwS (or ("OilS tal art'a.

t ('Ut,mt'il'nts IlSt'd to ('OmplltJ· ('nn~tlJJlfJlh'l' li:-;:l~.

rII(P'TH I ('011­

( 'rup Irri.~at
iJd \\,(·,'11 I )l'pt h
SlI III p­ •
iOIl p,'riod irl'i~:l' th','-lIs,'
of \\'atpr
tiOIl" : lI~l'd (( ') (·O(·f!i­
. eiPlil (I{)

/)(11/.'( [1Irl". i
Bamlna .. April· C)etobpl'. iHJ IK 0 O. !l.)
Do._ ,Il1,w-·;-;(:ptr·lllb\'r. I>!J :21,0 1.0,)
Do __ .\ugll~t- (Peak). I I> :!,1. () J. 10
Alfalf'l _ April-()('to/)Pl' Iii l:i.O ,1>0
1)0 .. April·C)('to/)Pl' :21 l.i.O ,80
Corn (grl'l'1l for f()dd('l'1 ,IlIly ,\l1g;IH II I Ii..) .77
 C'OXS(TMPTIYE USlo] A...'iD WATER REQUIREiMENTS 57
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
In a report on "Water Requirement for Bananas in the Jordan
Valle.", 1958" by Izzeddin Yunis, Daghistani, Director of Irrigation
and 'Yater Power, the results of experiments conducted to determine
the consumptive use of water in producing bananas are given. In
these e:qJerilnents tanks having a surface area. of 5 square meters and
a depth of 1 meter were used. PrO\Tision wns made for drainage and
... its eollection and measurement. Excess water appli('d to tbe tank
wus therefore determined. These tunks were located within the bound­
Itries of a banana on'hnrd so that the tests would b(' made under
natmal conditions found in ordinfil·.'" farming prnetices. Following
normal agriculture prnctice, the se('dling in the tank wus limited to
threC' <lofl'slIOOts" pel' yenr and grown for 2 years.
The growth of the plr..nt in the tnllk wns norlllal to that of other
adja(,l'l1t plants. In anothrr e:\l)el'iment, rows of bannna plants in
the fic·ld w('re treated separlltely with upplicntions of 33, 50, and 100
nun. of water (1.30, 1.95, und 3.94 ill.) 011 the same schedule of watering
ns the single plant in the tank. Thesr different treatments showed It
distinct difference in growth and yi(·ld. The ll'ngth of the plant sU'ms
increased proportionatel.y to the amount of watpr appli('d.
Th(' thre(' bunch('s of bananas pt'oduc('d tJle second yCIlt" by the
Uu'('(' offshoots allowed weighed 53 kg. (U7Ib.). At th(' nor'mal planting
rat!· of 1,100 seedlings per lu:'ctare during the second ."ear of growth
(\\'hl'l1 yield is highest) the 3/300 offshoots bpar'ing fruit could hc'
('xp(>cted (0 produce a calculated yield of 58.3 tons pel' }l('ctan'.
Although some very successful bantlna ol'dlards produce this yield,
th(' normal .'-i('ld in the Jordan Yalle,r is about half tJlat al1lount, or
approximn.tl'ly 2i) lons P('1' hecbu·(·.
Thcsc expl'l'inrpnts wel'(, continued for 2 years, as hanllna plants
:lrc not ('onsidet"cd .rnuture until the second ycar. The usunl pl':1etice
is to allow tllree offshoots to grow around eaell main tl'ce the second
.n·at'; /'I'om th(' third year on the jlrnetice is to !lJJO\\' thr('(' main and
thl'ce oH'shoots ('aeil year. Annunl \\-uter' consumption is high for the
second and succ'('ecling years, nfter maturity of the pln.nt.
The data fr011l the study showed that the l1I('asul'ed use-mIl'S w(,ro
highe'l' than nor'rnally ('xpected undcr field conditions. This is not an
unuslll1l finding. Tank studies usually gin higher ~'i('lds nnd gn'ittel'
water use pel' nnit of hlnd. In this study, the ~'ield alllounted to about
• 117 tons per 11('ctal'(" or 5 Lirll(,S the not"lllfil and 21~ tir)l('s what is
considered to he n. ypry high yiC'Jd. The plantpopullltions, bnsed on
the tank surface n.rcfl, of 5 sqUfl,I'(' J)wtel's would be' 2,000 s('edlings per
hectare which is nearly twice the nOl'lI1al population of 1,100 pel'
hectare.
H t be eonSUll1 ptin'-use l'n.tes aTe red uced to Ilol'm/ll in proportion to
(he yield and population ('ounts, tlle maximul1I monthly ('ol1sumptin'­
use ('oeffieil'l1t would bc about 1.20, \\-ith a rllinirnulIl of Ilbout 0.a5.
TIl(' onl'all HV(,I'llf!:C k 1'01' tile 2-Y(,Hl' period would 1)(' about 0.75,
which includes the iil'st yeaI' when til{' s('edlin~s WCI'C d(·\'elopinl!. II'
only tire data 1'01' tlw s('('ond Yl'iU' of ~l'owth \\'C'I'(' uSNi, ft\-C'l'lI~e Hllllllli.1
58 TECHNICAl, BULI~lo}T[N 1275, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

J( would be ab'out 0.85. It would appeal' desiritble to check thcst'

figures by soil moisture depletion studies under netual field conditions
berore any firm values could be nssumed.
Japan
In HI56-57, S. Suzuki. and H. Fukuda of the Institute or Irri~ation
and Drainage, rnin~rsity of Tok.vo, mensUlwl potential c1mpotnLl1S­
piration of upland rice and bm'ley from tfinks 4 met('l'S in diilllleter find
50 em. deep, with ground-water len·145 cm. below the surface (sirnilar
to 'l'hornthwaite tallk) find cvapomtion frorn stiludnnl pitn uspd ill
Jnpnn, 20 cm. in ditUlleter and 10 CIll. high.
The polcntinl-e\'upotrnnspirntion (PB) Wll:: found to be It fUlletion only of
meteorological factors. regardless of the gro\\·th :'tagc:' of ('rops. P B was llhollL
1.2 times the amount frolll thr pan in ('arh month of the growing ~eilSon.
The e\'apotran:;pimtion by manry-Criddle and Thorntll\\'1litc's Illrthods were
of less ac('uracy comparing to that froll1 the pan, f

Howc.Yer, when ficcnml1lnted llletlSUrrd :In>mge PI<.: for 10-tlny prriods

of no min n.nd l1H'asured p:ll1 e\'npol'!ltion were plottrd with ('omputr<l
..

enlpotl'al1spimtion by the B-{' llwlhod, the three ('un'rs \\'ere fairly

close together.
Puerto Rico -

Approxill1atrlr 95 perCl'llt of the 125,000 acrrs of irrigated land in

Puerto ]lico is pln.ntrd to sugnl'cnf)('. The witter supply is lilllitrd
lU1d rxpensivr. Little 10c:Ll infoL'llltltion is !lnlilllble ns to thr udll1d
amount of water neNkd 1)\, tllp c[tne or Ilbout 110\\' to lHW the' anlilabl("
witter most e(fkien tho. .
In ordrr to obtnil1 illfOl'llwtioll to assist ill sokillg the problrllls
illyolv'ed in the fal'fning ('('onOlllv of t1H" isln.nd, thr _\gricul tll I'll I
Experiment Stnlion of'tllr l'lli\'rrsity of Puet'lo Rico' institlltl~d
studies to determinr tllr fllllOUllt or \\'fltrt' lH'c(>SSnIY to !!TO\\' Sllgfll'('llllr.
the moisture conditions most f:l\'ombk for ('tilll; gro\\'lh, thp usp or
pmclical guidrs for the' most dlicil'lIt applieation of irrigatioll wut("t',
i1l1d to relilte thr pmdi('ld objrctin's to soil, elilll:lte, \\"a[rr, and plant
gL'owth eiuU'tlf'teristics so tlln.t the fUlldnlllellllll prillciplt's tllld inter­
relationships would hr Cil':lrly ulldrrstood.
In ,January 1951 Fuhrilllilll :tlld SJllith rrportl'd (27) tile results of
wllter requirement "ludies ill Pm'do Ri('o. Thesp field studirs show
il mnximulll :n'rnlg(' dnily uSP or 0.20 in('h IWI' day :111(1 It minilllUJlI of
O.l2 for sUgtU'('flIlP. Thp onJ'H1l ayerng(' was 0.1:) ill('h 1)(')' <lil.',. •
::-iinee ('allr grows tllrou~hout the ~-rnr, thl" Bnllll1t1 ('onsulllpti\'e \1St'
would be about 55 inellrs nt this sitr and lit(· illlIlual ('orflit'it'Jlt (1\.')
would he 0.58 in tlte I'ormuln. [T=EF.
Southern Turkey, Seyhan Plain
III fL p'lpCr Plltitled "Enlpoll'tlnspimtion of til(' :-\('.dl:ln Plu.iJl in
Southern Turkpy," Stldik Toksos ('oJ1lpnrps lll(' ),pslIlt:-; of four lIlC'thods
of cfilculn.ting C\'fLPOtl':lIlSpi1':lf:ioll or eonslll!lptin'-usl' ),p([Uin'IJlPlltS:
the LowIT-Johnsoll, BlllJlC'\'-( 'riddle. P(,11 11IIll1 , Hlld Tllomt hWHit(·.
Thr stfLt('li:lrl1t is Illadr In- Sir. Tok:-;os in his SUllllllnn' thtlt tllp ,"OWl,\,­
Johnson and the B!1l1I(.\"-(')'iddlp Illc[hocis (':I II 110t be lIs('d unlpss
COl'l'r]fLtlon fado)'s Hnd '(,I'Op co('ffieicn Is II 1'(' ('stitblishrtl hy loco1
 CO~SU)'{P'1'[VE USI'] AND WAl'EH Rb',QUIREMEN'1'S 59
experiment.s. This ('onclusion is difl'ercnt thn,n that· n.rr1\'e<l ilL by
most other investigittors who 11!1\'e used lhe method. The Bl!tney­
Criddle method wns uscd for a. lnrge irrigation projcet in Southern
'l'urkcy in 1959. Crop coeflieiellts cstnblished in itny nren or lite
world set'lIl. to apply rC!lsonubly in illly othpl' un'H, pnrticuInrly to al'eHS
of similar ('lillltlip.
W cst Pakistan
III Odol)('1' J950, llll' Pakistan \r Mer D('le~!ltion for I hl' GO\'<'rII­
' ..
IlIelll of Pnkistiul CIlIPOWl'l'('d Tiptoll illldKaln;IHI.eh, lilt,. 41.0 suggest.
It HYSt(,111 or \\'orks tllnt ('ould bt, ('Ollsll'lwtpd by HtugPS liS part of its
10ng-l'Hllgl' (\t'n'IOplllt'llt plnll. \\'al('l's 1'1'0111 lit(' wpstel'll rivct·s or
""('HI Pnkis(nn lu'e to I'l'pln{'(' \\'II\('I'S of tJIP ('I\S(('I'II ri\'('1'8 fOrIlledy
used 1'01' till' irri!!lltion of (hiH lalld. \\'lllpr8 rronl til(' PHStCW rin'rs
will no longPI' be'aYHilllhlp ulldf'r lhp lpl.'IllS or n eOlllprpht'1l8in- plnn or
dl'vplopnlc'llt in Pnkisbul nlld ]ndi!l. .
• Th(' delPTllIilllllioll or nop wHter requirellH'llts rQr the iLTigntpd bnds
in Wpst Pakistan WI1S eonsidpl'pt\ t.o bp tlH' logienl slnrtillg point. for
sl(e'll H study. In 1!);)7 Blam'y and ('riddlp \\'(1('(' l"{'((m"sted to pn'sent
UH.'ir \'ic"w::; and l'('('olilllll'Il(lalion~ 1'01' u~t' or a\'ailllble watprH. Till'
b!lsie prol,I('1I1 Sl'l'llll'd lo Ill' ililldl'qu:l.\p irrigatioll or 1Il0st or thl' II1Ilds
Ilrldel' ('ulti\'atioll, ll('('OIIlP:lllil'd with ~(,l'ious dmillage :llld salillit.r
problellls. ('rops raiHl'd ulldpl' ('xistill)t pnu:!i('(':i produ('l'd (llll.\· ~() 10
• -10 pl'rcput or thl' yiPi(\s oiJlllin('d in olher ('ouillrip:i.
('liIIlHtie d/lta iniliclll('(1 silllilurit \' in dillilltp Iwl W('('11 SOIlI(' of tlH"
,;oulhwest Url'ns or the l"lIited St;lll'S IUld lilt' il'l'i~ated n"!!iOIlS or
West Pakistan. TlH' 13-(' IIll'lllod WaS I h('rel'ore uS('tl ill dptl:rlllillin~
('olisulllptin irrigation wnU'r l'('quirl'lllPlils for probably tlte bU'gC'st
eoncenlrnlpd irrigall'd IlrPH in til(' world. Till' authors r("\ipd Il('uvih'
on the n's(lareit 'datIl HyaiIHb\(, rrOlll tlH' Ilot portions or tIle ("nit('(1
;-\tn l('s.
Con('\usions Wl'rl' tlitlt ('on:iic\('rnbll' change ill till' irrigation pI'Helicps
Illust IJ{' lllndl' if l'l'asonllbll' yi('lds 111'(' to rl'sult rrOlll thp (TOpS. Jt
Ilppl'flrS I hilt nt\C'qunt(' \\'llt('1' is H\'ailablp 10 nll'l'l till' nPNI8 of nil
il'rignbk land:; in tlH' Indus Basin .in \\'c's( Pakistan ir it is properly
('ol1lroll('d alld U8(,c\. Bul (Toppill~ p:lll('l'Ils nnd irrigation prncticl's
must bp ('Imn~~('d and Il(\NJUlltl' drninng(' Illust IH' supplipd to reHc'lt Il
l'e!lsonnbll' pot(,lIlinl I('y('l or pl'oduC'liol1,

•
4 Hl'port filpd. Il),)7.

u.s. GOVERUloIt:U P~WTHh .:>ffiS tn::

:

..--.-.-­