Soil-water conditions provide valuable insight into the hydrologic sys
tem in an area. A soil-water balance quantitatively summarizes soil-wa
ter conditions and is based on climatic, soil, and vegetation characte
ristics that vary spatially and temporally. Soil-water balances in the
Great Plains of the central United States were simulated for 1951-198
0. Results of the simulations were mean annual estimates of infiltrati
on, runoff, actual evapotranspiration, potential recharge, and consump
tive water and irrigation requirements at 152 climatic data stations.
A method was developed using a geographic information system to integr
ate and map the simulation results on the basis of spatially variable
climatic, soil, and vegetation characteristics. As an example, simulat
ed mean annual potential recharge was mapped. Mean annual potential-re
charge rates ranged from less than 0.5 inch in much of the north-centr
al and southwestern Great Plains to more than 10 inches in parts of ea
stern Texas and southwestern Arkansas.