Water balance of small forest catchment of potentially low storage capacity

Wielkopolska region covers the area of North European Plain with particularly unfavorable water conditions. These conditions are determined by the climate prevailing in the region, namely relatively low annual rainfall and high evapotranspiration with usually unfavorable distribution of these meteorological elements over a year. Important modulating influence can be attributed also to some non-climatic physiographical characteristics typical in vast parts of the region, mainly soil properties. In addition, evapotranspiration may be stimulated locally by vegetation. The paper comprehends initial results of hydrologic balancing of lowland catchment typical for the region of Wielkopolska. The balancing was carried out in Trojnaka Stream catchment placed in Puszcza Zielonka forest (the central Wielkopolska). High forest cover proportion, deep layer of sandy soils and high evapotranspiration shape the storage capabilities in the tested catchment. The balancing covered the average annual rainfall year (2001/2002) following average long-term rainfall period. The Period of the negative retention changes occurred from the end of April until the mid of September. The maximum decrease and increase of storage change depth occurred respectively in June (-27,7 mm) and February (50,2 mm). Average specific discharge in investigated catchment equaled 2,5 dm3∙s-1∙km-2 with maximum and minimum runoff depth respectively in January (8,8 mm) ...