Abstract

Kehinde Musa Oladejo and Aliyu Tambuwal Umar

A routine study of water balance is a veritable tool in monitoring the amount of water that will be available in the soil of any particular place at a particular time for optimal crop production and other uses. This study assessed water balance indices in Nigeria over two years with contrasting moisture condition. Mean monthly air temperature and monthly rainfall data for 1983 and 2003 were sourced from the archives of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) with respect to twenty-seven weather stations across Nigeria. The data were subjected to Thornwaite’s and Climatic water budgeting procedure to estimate water balance indices such as potential evapotranpiration, actual evapotranspiration, water deficit and water surplus. Paired sample test revealed that there is a significance difference between the water balance indices of a dry year and a wet year and across different locations in Nigeria [p=.000]. This study concluded that there is no uniformity in the pattern of water balance indices across Nigeria for over two years. It is recommended that more functional irrigation projects be established in those locations where water deficit is higher in order to boost their crop production throughout the year in Nigeria.