Crop Water Use
Actual crop water use is directly related to ET. The crop’s water use can be determined by multiplying the calculated ET by a crop coefficient, Kc, which takes into account the difference in ET between the crop and reference evapotranspiration.
ETc = ETo x Kc
Where
ETo = calculated grass reference ET (mm) available on www.farmwest.com
Kc = crop coefficient, Table 2 – Kc most BC crops, Table 3 – Kc for tree fruits and grapes
ETc = crop evapotranspiration or crop water use (mm)
Crop Coefficients and Stages of Growth
The crop coefficients, Kc values, represent the crop type and the development of the crop. There may be several Kc values for a single crop depending on the crop’s stage of development.
During the crop’s germination and establishment most of the evaporation occurs as evaporation from the soil surface. If the surface is wet frequently due to irrigation or rainfall the evaporation rate is greater. As the foliage develops evaporation from the soil surface decreases and transpiration increases, see Figure 2. For the crop development and late season use Kc values between the two values given in Table 2.
| Stage | Indicators | Crop Coefficient |
| Initial | Planting date (or the start of new leaves for perennials) to 10% ground cover. | Kc ini |
| Crop development | 10% ground cover to effective full cover, about 60-70% coverage for tree crops and 70-80% for field and row crops. | Kc ini – Kc mid |
| Mid season | Effective full cover to maturity, indicated by yellowing of leave, leaf drop, browning of fruit. This stage is long for perennials but relatively short for vegetables crops that are harvested for their fresh fruit. | Kc mid |
| Late Season | Maturity to harvest: the Kc value could be high if the crop is irrigated frequently until fresh harvest or low if the crop is allowed to dry out in the field before harvest. | Kc mid – Kc end |
The crop coefficients in Table 2 can be used as a general guideline. Soil moisture monitoring devices can be used to adjust the crop coefficients to local conditions.
NOTE: SOIL MOISTURE SHOULD BE MONITORED WHEN USING CLIMATE INFORMATION TO SCHEDULE IRRIGATION. IF THE SOIL MOISTURE IS REMAINING WET THE CROP COEFFICIENTS NEED TO BE LOWERED, IF THE SOIL IS DRYING QUICKER THAN EXPECTED THE CROP COEFFICIENTS NEED TO BE HIGHER. For more information on soil moisture monitoring see Factsheet: Irrigation Scheduling with Tensiometers.
Table 2 Crop Coefficients
| Crop | Kc ini | Kc mid | Kc end | Crop | Kc ini | Kc mid | Kc end |
| alfalfa | 0.4 | 1.2 | 1.15 | onions | 0.7 | 1.05 | 0.95 |
| apples | 0.5 | 1.2 | 0.85 | pasture | 0.4 | 1 | 0.85 |
| apricots | 0.45 | 1.15 | 0.85 | peaches | 0.45 | 1.15 | 0.85 |
| beans, green | 0.5 | 1.05 | 0.9 | pears | 0.5 | 1.2 | 0.85 |
| beets | 0.5 | 1.05 | 0.95 | peas | 0.5 | 1.15 | 1.1 |
| berries, bushes | 0.3 | 1.05 | 0.5 | potato | 0.5 | 1.15 | 0.75 |
| broccoli | 0.7 | 1.05 | 0.95 | pumpkin | 0.5 | 1 | 0.8 |
| cabbage | 0.7 | 1.05 | 0.95 | radish | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.85 |
| cabbage-local | 0.7 | 1.05 | 0.95 | small vegetables | 0.7 | 1.05 | 0.95 |
| carrots | 0.7 | 1.05 | 0.95 | spinach | 0.7 | 1.05 | 0.95 |
| cauliflower | 0.7 | 1.05 | 0.95 | squash | 0.5 | 0.95 | 0.75 |
| celery | 0.7 | 1.05 | 0.95 | stone fruits | 0.45 | 1.15 | 0.85 |
| cereal | 0.3 | 1.15 | 0.25 | sweet corn | 0.3 | 1.15 | 0.4 |
| cherries | 0.5 | 1.2 | 0.85 | sweet peppers | 0.7 | 1.05 | 0.85 |
| cucumber | 0.6 | 1 | 0.75 | tomato | 0.7 | 1.05 | 0.8 |
| grapes | 0.3 | 0.8 | 0.5 | tubers | 0.5 | 1.05 | 0.95 |
| green onions | 0.7 | 1.05 | 0.95 | watermelon | 0.4 | 1 | 0.75 |
| lettuce | 0.7 | 1 | 0.95 |
Table 2 Crop Coefficients Tree Fruits And Grapes
| Crop | April | May | June | July | Aug | Sept | Oct |
|
Apples, Cherries, and Pears with a cover crop*
|
|||||||
| Lower Mainland / Vancouver Island | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 1 | 1 | 0.95 | 0.75 |
| Okanagan / SW Interior / Cariboo | 0.45 | 0.85 | 1.15 | 1.25 | 1.25 | 1.2 | 0.95 |
| Kootenay | 0.45 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.15 | 0.7 |
|
Apricots, Peaches and other Stone Fruit with cover crop*
|
|||||||
| Lower Mainland / Vancouver Island | 0.85 | 0.9 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.95 | 0.8 |
| Okanagan / SW Interior / Cariboo | 0.45 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.15 | 0.9 |
| Kootenay | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1 | 1.05 | 1.1 | 1 | 0.8 |
| Grapes | |||||||
| Lower Mainland / Vancouver Island | 0.5 | 0.55 | 0.65 | 0.65 | 0.65 | 0.65 | 0.5 |
| Okanagan / SW Interior / Cariboo | – | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.85 | 0.8 | 0.7 |
| Kootenay | – | 0.45 | 0.7 | 0.85 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.7 |
*If there is no cover crop, grass, between the trees the crop coefficients will be about 10% lower in April May, September and October and 20% lower in June, July and August.
