Spatial–Temporal Evapotranspiration Dynamics in the Al-Ahsa Oasis Based on a Remote Sensing Approach for Sustainable Water Management

A study reveals pronounced seasonal variability in evapotranspiration (ET) within the Al-Hofuf region of Al-Ahsa Oasis, Saudi Arabia, with peak ET occurring during summer months at 7.2–7.5 mm/day and minima in winter at 2.0–2.6 mm/day. This finding underscores the close link between vegetation activity and atmospheric demand, providing critical insights for sustainable water management in arid environments. Researchers utilized a cloud-based remote sensing approach, combining Landsat 9 Level-2 imagery with ERA5-Land meteorological data to quantify spatial and temporal ET variations over a 25 km buffer. Vegetation dynamics were characterized using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to derive crop coefficients within a Kc–ET0 framework. The study's model performance was validated against MODIS MOD16A2, demonstrating strong statistical agreement (R² = 0.82, NSE = 0.71, PBIAS = +8.3%). This approach offers a reliable, cost-effective method for ET monitoring in data-scarce, groundwater-dependent regions, supporting precision irrigation and long-term water sustainability planning in alignment with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and National Water Strategy.

Elhag, M., Alqarawy, A., Psilovikos, A., Tian, W., & Benmakhlouf, I. (2026). Spatial–Temporal Evapotranspiration Dynamics in the Al-Ahsa Oasis Based on a Remote Sensing Approach for Sustainable Water Management. Hydrology, 13(5), 138. https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology13050138