Depletion of ground water resources can lead to complete desiccation of the surrounding areas. Reduced ground water ‘inputs’ and reduced ground water ‘outputs’ are the main causes of ground water depletion which affects all living organisms directly or indirectly. The extent of ground water depletion depends on many factors, more importantly on the type of crop in consideration. Majority of the energy crops require some form of irrigation therefore their influence on the depletion of ground water resources have to be evaluated. Their potential influence on the depleting/draining of agricultural land is currently not well understood. One way to get around this situation is to understand the water use of crop during growth, as this period demands maximum input. With this information, the contribution/influence of energy crops on water resources can be understood. Water requirements of a plant species can be calculated by estimating the minimum amount of water per hectare yield (or water limited yield), which is based on the potential yield of the crop species and the availability of water. .
