Evaporation dynamics from flowing water surfaces

In contrast to the wealth of information on evaporation dynamics from placid water surfaces such as lakes and reservoirs, estimating water evaporation from turbulent surfaces of streams remains a challenge. Evidence suggests considerable differences in evaporation rates from flowing water bodies relative to placid surfaces. Here, we experimentally investigate how flow characteristics (velocity and turbulence) and boundary conditions (wind and radiation) regulate evaporation from flowing water surfaces by using a controlled laboratory flume to isolate key hydrodynamic–atmospheric interactions relevant to streams and rivers. We used a closed flume (7.6 m length, 0.31 m width, and 0.5 m depth) imposing different boundary conditions over the test section of 1.5 m in length while other parts of the flume were covered to prevent evaporative losses. Our results demonstrate that the effect of turbulence on evaporation depends on the temperature profile of the water body and redistribution of radiative heat with turbulent mixing highlighting that evaporation emerges from a nonlinear coupling between hydrodynamic mixing and energy availability. Under solar radiation, increased water flow and turbulence can reduce evaporation by suppressing the formation of a warm surface layer and redistributing absorbed heat in depth of the water column. Without shortwave radiation flux, however, enhanced surface velocity and turbulent mixing may cause significant enhancement in evaporation rates up to 2–5 times that of placid water surfaces. Numerical simulations indicate that enhanced surface turbulence and wave activity increase interfacial roughness and shear, regulating the vapor boundary layer and producing spatially heterogeneous and intermittent vapor fluxes. The study offers novel insights into evaporation from wavy and turbulent flowing water surfaces for a better understanding of evaporation from riverine networks across flow regimes and climatic conditions.

Subjects

evaporation dynamics

flowing water surfaces

laboratory flume

numerical simulation

rivers and streams

turbulence

DDC Class

551: Geology, Hydrology Meteorology

Funding(s)

United Nations University Hub on Engineering to Face Climate Change at Hamburg University of Technology

Lizenz

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Publication version

publishedVersion

Name

Water Resources Research - 2026 - Hou - Evaporation Dynamics From Flowing Water Surfaces.pdf

Type

Main Article

Size

1.78 MB

Format

Adobe PDF

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Evaporation dynamics from flowing water surfaces