Lysimeter Water Balance for Bare and Cropped Soil

Abstract

Water balance is the algebraic sum of the\total accretion and removal of water within a defined hydrological unit such as a lake a basin, a 1ysimeter, etc., taking into account net changes of storage. Accretion comes mostly from rainfall and irrigation (at least within the tropics), although in extra-tropical areas snow and other forms of precipitation such as dew may be appreciable. Upward movement of water by capillarity from a water table, and lateral seepage from adjacent areas are also possible sources of accretion.