Summary:

This paper presents the results of lysimetric research on the volume of eva-potranspiration and water runoff from grasslands used for different purposes. In the area studied (Small Pieniny Mountains), the vegetation season accounts for the largest proportion of total runoff, which is determined by the volume and dis-tribution of precipitation in this region (approx. 68% of annual volume). The amount of water discharge from the soil profile of grasslands was found to be sig-nificantly related to the rate of crop yield, which is determined by utilization (meadow, pasture, sward of 8-15 cm height) or rate of nitrogen fertilization used. By increasing the amount of water used during evapotranspiration by grasses, the higher yield contributes to reduced amounts of water discharged from the soil pro-file.