Impact of soil heterogeneity on evapotranspiration and irrigation modeling using POLARIS and SSURGO-based soil hydraulic properties

Ramesh Dhungel, Ray G. Anderson, Andrew N. French, Todd H. Skaggs, Gregory E. Wang, Nan Li and Elia Scudiero

Agricultural Water Management, 2025, vol. 319, issue C

Abstract: Accurate maps of soil hydraulic properties are needed to enable precise, site-specific modeling of crop water use. Most available maps (e.g., the USDA-NRCS Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO)) have significant uncertainties that may limit their usefulness for implementing site-specific irrigation (Irri). Recently, a probabilistic, high-resolution (30 m) soil property map of the contiguous United States (POLARIS) was developed. In this study, we compare the use of POLARIS and SSURGO for parameterizing a water and energy-balance model of simulated Irri and simulated evapotranspiration (ETs). The Backwards Averaged Iterative Two Source Energy Balance Solution (BAITSSS) model was applied to a major irrigated agricultural region (Yuma Valley of Arizona and the adjacent Bard region of California, ∼ 110 km2). The BAITSSS simulation covered a lettuce growing cycle between September and December 2019 (78 days) utilizing Landsat-based vegetation indices, North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS) weather variables, and Parameter-elevation Relationships on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM) precipitation data. SSURGO-based soil hydraulic properties resulted in approximately a 7 % increase in field-averaged simulated seasonal ETs and a 25 % increase in field-averaged seasonal simulated Irri. The POLARIS-based simulations had higher Irri efficiency and less drawdown of soil moisture prior to harvest. Overall, this study highlights uncertainties introduced by soil parameterization in ETs and Irri modeling and their role in agricultural water management.

Keywords: Remote sensing; Irrigation; POLARIS; SSURGO; Evapotranspiration (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:319:y:2025:i:c:s0378377425005207

DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2025.109806

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