Changes in Components of the Water Balance in the Croatian Lowlands

¶This paper deals with variations and trends in some components of the water balance: the soil water content; evaporation loss from the soil (from the surface and underlying layers); transpiration; ground water recharge and runoff. These components are calculated by means of the Palmer procedure. This analysis is based on data from Osijek, Croatia from this century (1900–1995). Besides the meteorological input parameters necessary for the water balance calculations, i.e. precipitation, temperature and relative humidity, the pedological characteristics of this area have also been taken into account. Fluctuations have been considered by means of the 11-year binomial filtered series and linear trends were tested by means of the Mann-Kendall rank test. For a closer look on the trends of water balance components, a progressive analysis of the time series was performed, too. The results show a significant increase in potential evapotranspiration and evapotranspiration and decrease in runoff and soil water content has occurred during the century.