By Sid Perkins
From Orlando, Fla., at a meeting of the American Meteorological Society
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for managing the water level of large human-made reservoirs in the western United States, including several behind dams on the upper reaches of the Missouri River. Evaporation, especially during the height of the summer, can significantly affect the rate at which water should be released from these reservoirs.
Now, corps scientists have developed a new method to estimate the evaporation of water. The technique could replace a labor-intensive procedure based on decades-old technology.