Use of Crop Models in Assessment of Soil Drought

Th e aims of the study were to apply, test and to present the ability of the deterministic simulation models SIMWASER and CERES-Wheat computing soil-water balance components, percolation losses, ground water recharge and capillary rise. Two case studies for the assessment of percolation losses from irrigated carrots to deep groundwater at Obersiebenbrunn in the Marchfeld (Austria) and ground water recharge and capillary rise from shallow groundwater in grass lysimeters at Berlin-Dahlem (Germany) together with two test sites with similar climatic conditions and soil water storage potential but with (Grossenzesdorf, Austria) and without (Zabcice, Czech Republic) groundwater impact in a semi-arid agricultural area in central Europe were chosen. At Obersiebenbrunn, simulated percolation and evapotranspiration were 183 and 629 mm, while the respective measured values amounted to 198 and 635 mm. Up to 42% (194 mm) of evapotranspiration was provided by groundwater at s Grossenzesdorf and only 126 mm was used for the worst case comparing to observed data. Th ese results showed both models as proper applicable tools to demonstrate crop – soil – water relations. However, the availability and management of soil water reserves will remain important, especially when extreme events such as droughts occur more frequently and annual soil and groundwater recharge decrease.