Assessing the accuracy of OpenET satellite-based evapotranspiration data to support water resource and land management applications

Abstract Remotely sensed evapotranspiration (ET) data offer strong potential to support data-driven approaches for sustainable water management. However, practitioners require robust and rigorous accuracy assessments of such data. The OpenET system, which includes an ensemble of six remote sensing models, was developed to increase access to field-scale (30 m) ET data for the contiguous United States. Here we compare OpenET outputs against data from 152 in situ stations, primarily eddy covariance flux towers, deployed across the contiguous United States. Mean absolute error at cropland sites for the OpenET ensemble value is 15.8 mm per month (17% of mean observed ET), mean bias error is −5.3 mm per month (6%)…

• NA
  National Aeronautics and Space Administration

  Awards: 80NSSC23K0836, NNX12AD05A, NNX17AF53G
• UD
  U.S. Department of Agriculture
• DR
  Desert Research Institute
• WF
  Walton Family Foundation
• ED
  Environmental Defense Fund
• NS
  Nuclear Safety and Security Commission
• UG
  U.S. Geological Survey

  Awards: G22AC00584-00, 140G0118C0007
• WR
  Water Resources Research Institute, North Carolina State University
• NI
  National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  Award: MISZ-721160
• AR
  Agricultural Research Service
• AR
  Agricultural Research Institute, California State University

  Award: 21-01-106