Potential Possibilities of Using Groundwater for Crop Irrigation in the Context of Climate Change

Abstract

The study analyzed the structure of water shortages in plant crops and the available groundwater resources that can be used to satisfy these needs. The research was carried out in Braniewo poviat, which can be considered representative of the conditions of Central and Eastern Europe. A clear upward trend in the temperature value was observed, which influenced the changes in the duration of thermal seasons and agricultural periods. It also increases the intensity of the evapotranspiration process, which results in the reduction of water resources. The presence of significant water shortages, especially in the cultivation of root crops, such as, for example, late potato or sugar beet, justifies the need to irrigate these plants. Due to unevenly distributed surface water resources, groundwater is used as a source of irrigation. It was found that in the case of many crops, the areas with the greatest water shortages were those with average or high abundance in available groundwater. When indicating the possibility of abstracting large amounts of groundwater for use in plant production in Braniewo poviat, one should consider the fact that, in the long term, their exploitation may cause negative environmental effects.