Availability of REF-ET software

[Rick Allen]

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Dear Group:

I would like to announce that a Windows version of the REF-ET software 
is finally available for downloading from the University of Idaho web site.

REF-ET is a computer program that calculates reference evapotranspiration 
for the standardized reference crops of clipped grass and alfalfa using 
weather or climatic data. 

The two primary purposes of REF-ET are to:

  1. Provide standardized calculations of reference ET and other intermediate
     micrometeorological parameters that can be compared to calculations by
    other programs for error checking purposes. 

  2. Make all calculations using weather data obtained from a wide range of
     data file types, data unit types and timesteps. 

The REF-ET program provides standardized calculations of reference 
evapotranspiration for fifteen of the more common methods and equations 
that are currently in use in the United States and Europe. The calculations 
are based on weather data measurements that are made available by the 
user.

The REF-ET program supports reference ET computation guidelines and 
procedures that were recommended in the following publications: 
    ASCE Manuals and Reports on Engineering Practice No. 70,
       "Evapotranspiration and Irrigation Water Requirements" edited by
        Jensen, et al., (1990) 
    United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Irrigation
        Paper No. 56 (Allen et al., 1998)
    Statement by the ASCE Committee on Evapotranspiration in Irrigation
        and Hydrology recommending standardized calculation of reference
        evapotranspiration (ASCE, 2000)

REF-ET provides calculations that are compatible with UN FAO Irrigation 
Paper No. 56 and with standardized forms of the ASCE Penman-Monteith 
equation recommended in 2000 by the ASCE Task Committee on 
Standardized Evapotranspiration Calculations.

Reference ET methods calculated by REF-ET for Windows version 2 
include:
ASCE Penman-Monteith
FAO Penman-Monteith
Kimberly Penman
CIMIS Penman
FAO-24 Penman
FAO-PPP17 Penman
1948 Penman
FAO-24 Radiation
FAO-24 Blaney-Criddle 
FAO-24 Pan evaporation
Priestley-Taylor
Turc
Makkink and
Hargreaves equations

Both clipped grass and alfalfa references can be computed and data time 
steps can vary from minutes to months.

A copy of REF-ET.exe can be downloaded for free from the University of 
Idaho REF-ET web page at:
{ HYPERLINK http://www.kimberly.uidaho.edu/ref-et/
}http://www.kimberly.uidaho.edu/ref-et/

A 75 page users manual in PDF format can also be downloaded.  All users 
are encouraged to register their copy of REF-ET, if they find it useful, for 
USD 45. in order to receive user support and to support ongoing 
development efforts on the software.

REF-ET can be used as a primary means for making routine calculations of 
reference ET as well as for error-checking other programs or spreadsheets 
that make reference ET calculations.

Please feel free to forward this message to any parties that you are familiar 
with who may have need for this type of software.

Rick Allen
Professor
University of Idaho

"Outside of a dog a book is man's best friend.
Inside of a dog it is too dark to read."  ---Groucho Marx