Reservoir Evaporation in Mediterranean Climate Calculated by Indirect Methods. A Case Study on Southern Portugal

Alentejo and Algarve, regions of Southern Portugal, are characterized by a typical Mediterranean climate were evaporation plays a significant role in reservoir water budgets. Therefore, estimating water surface evaporation is essential for efficient reservoir water management. This study aims to (i) Assess the reservoir evaporation pattern in Southern Portugal, from meteorological offshore measures; (ii) benchmark various indirect methods for evaluating reservoir evaporation at a monthly scale and (iii) provide recommendations on the most suitable indirect method to apply in operational practices.