7.9 - What is the Difference Between Potential Consumptive Use and Irrigation Water Requirement?

Potential consumptive use is the maximum amount of water the crop could use with an unlimited water supply. Crop irrigation water requirement is the potential consumptive use minus effective precipitation. Potential consumptive use and irrigation water requirement can be determined with either a Climate Station Scenario or Structure Scenario. In the case of a monthly consumptive use method, only monthly effective precipitation methods are available and only if monthly precipitation data are provided, as described in Section 3.1.3. With a daily consumptive use method, monthly and/or daily effective precipitation methods are available if monthly and/or daily total precipitation data are provided, as described in Section 3.1.6.