Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Water chemistry Evap rates

I have tried to tackle quantifying evap rates on several occasions without much success. It seems to me that there are so many variables, assumptions, and special equipment that the average person doesn't really stand a chance at achieving a value that is statistically or scientifically significant. Any automated tool is going to assume so many inputs that its value will be diminished to a hasty generalization. Precip charts and tools of that sort are very interesting and have their uses but microclimates between a ridge top and valley floor only a couple hundred feet away can be quite different and this is not reflected in these types of tools. I hate to be a negative Ned (my apologies to any Neds out there) but I don't think it's possible without isolating all the variables in some sort of scientific atmosphere. I guess were left with a best guess that may or may not be anywhere close to reality. How would we ever know for sure?