How to Prevent Evaporation

Moisture is lost to the atmosphere from bodies of water because of evaporation and from plants because of transpiration. With evaporation, this usually happens when a surface the water is in contact with becomes heated by sunlight. Temperature, wind and humidity also affect evaporation rates. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), "oceans, seas, lakes and rivers provide nearly 90 percent of the moisture in the atmosphere via evaporation, with the remaining 10 percent being contributed by plant transpiration."

Instructions

- 1
  Wet the soil around your plants and cover it with mulch. Sunlight heats the soil and evaporates water from the surface, drying it. Using mulch helps prevent water loss by lowering the soil's temperature and sealing in moisture.
- 2
  Mow your lawn at a higher length, using higher blade settings on your lawn mower. This keeps the lawn thicker, creating shade on the soil and reducing its temperature and evaporation.
- 3
  Water the lawn and your plants in the morning and evening. This can reduce the amount of water lost to evaporation by as much as 30 percent, according to the website of the city of Moscow, Idaho.
- 4
  Install enclosures to shade outdoor pools. Shielding pools, spas and water tanks from the sun will reduce heat and vapor loss. Dome-shaped pool enclosures are more efficient in preventing evaporation.

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Soil