INFLUENCE OF SEASON AND BALANCE PERIOD ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF CATCHMENT WATER BALANCES

Water balances have been constructed for three catchments using monthly data on rainfall (P), evapotranspiration (ET), stream discharge (Q) and groundwater levels. Length of record on the three catchments is 12, 8 and 6 years. Monthly, seasonal, and annual residuals (R) of the surface water balance equation R = P - Q - ET are used to infer changes in groundwater storage and are plotted against observed changes in groundwater storage (WTD). Linear regression analysis between R and WTD is used to examine the nature of the catchments' storage characteristics, the watertightness of the catchments, and the possibility that systematic measurement errors accumulate as the balance period lengthens.