Evaporative loss and environmental impact of covers on water storages: A review

Article

Pittaway, Pamela, Scobie, Michael and Schmidt, Erik. 2023. "Evaporative loss and environmental impact of covers on water storages: A review." Journal of Environmental Quality. 52 (2), pp. 241-257. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.20454
Article Title

Evaporative loss and environmental impact of covers on water storages: A review

ERA Journal ID5853
Article CategoryArticle
AuthorsPittaway, Pamela, Scobie, Michael and Schmidt, Erik
Journal TitleJournal of Environmental Quality
Journal Citation52 (2), pp. 241-257
Number of Pages17
Year2023
PublisherJohn Wiley & Sons
Place of PublicationUnited States
ISSN0047-2425
1537-2537
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.20454
Web Address (URL)https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jeq2.20454
AbstractCommercial products to reduce evaporation from water storages have been developed since the 1960s. Categorised as suspended and floating continuous covers, floating modular covers, and monomolecular (monolayer) and multimolecular chemical films, product adoption by agricultural water managers is low. The role of evaporation reduction in improving water use efficiency is well established, but information on the suitability of product categories for farm water storages is lacking. We reviewed the environmental and operational performance of commercial evaporation reduction products using published and supplier information on design, mode of action, installation, operation, maintenance, the evaporation reduction achieved, and the impact on water quality, to analyze the suitability of the five product classes for water storages ranging in size from ≤2 to 100 ha. Span loading, cable tensioning and anchorage limit continuous covers to storages ≤2 ha. The cover fabric must reduce light transmittance by 80%, to reduce evaporation by 71%. Ballasting, tethering, and removal during dry times limit the use of continuous floating covers to storages ≤2 ha, managed close to full capacity. Floating modules must cover 88% of the surface to reduce evaporation by 70%, limiting their use to storages of ≤5 ha. Monolayer application is more flexible, but smart product selection and automated application strategies are required to improve performance. The number of application sites required to achieve full surface coverage limits monolayer use to storages ≤100 ha. Higher rates of application and poor self-spreading may limit multimolecular films to storages ≤10 ha.
Keywordswater storages
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020410406. Natural resource management
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Byline AffiliationsCentre for Agricultural Engineering
Centre for Agricultural Engineering (Research)
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