Evapotranspiration and groundwater recharge – A case study for different climate, crop patterns, soil properties and groundwater depth conditions ‐

Abstract Actual evapotranspiration and net groundwater recharge (drainage minus capillary rise) as a function of climate, soil properties, land use and groundwater depth were determined for a 15‐year period in the region north of Hannover, West‐Germany. Calculations were done using a simulation model calibrated for cropland, grassland and coniferous forest. Results of a sensitivity study showed, that the influence of climatic factors on actual evapotranspiration and net groundwater recharge increases with the amount of plant available water during the vegetation period. Under similar climatic conditions, evapotranspiration and groundwater recharge mainly depend on the two basic soil‐physical relations between. – soil water content and suction and – soil hydraulic conductivity and suction. For same groundwater depths, evapotranspiration rises with increasing plant available water in the rootzone, whereas groundwater recharge decreases.