The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) operates a number of weather stations in the Pacific Northwest. Known as the AgriMet System, the weather stations provide information mostly for agricultural applications. Some of the information collected includes temperature, precipitation, humidity, and wind speed. The information is collected by the stations and through satellite telemetry is sent to the BOR usually every hour.

One of useful parameters calculated using the weather information is evapotranspiration (ET). ET is the water from precipitation that is evaporated back into the atmosphere and also transpired or used by plants. Any water that is left will seep into the soil and eventually recharge the aquifer. ET is measured in inches per day for a given area. The ET value will change depending on the type of plant; some plants use more water then others and will have a higher ET number.

To learn more about the Rathdrum Prairie AgriMet station and current or historical weather conditions, visit the BOR Web site. information on how much to water your crop or your lawn is available at the BOR Rathdrum Prairie AgriMet Station Web site.