Short-term fluctuation in streamflow as related to evaporation and transpiration

A method is developed to relate fluctuations in Streamflow during long dry periods to evaporation from a pan. The mechanism of the fluctuations is explained by deriving water-balance equations for the riparian zone. On the basis of this method it is possible to compute evapotranspiration losses from the watershed during the dry season by measuring the difference between the actual Streamflow and a ‘potential’ streamflow depletion curve which represents streamflow in the hypothetical situation of absolutely no evaporation.