Groundwater recharge is the accession of infiltrated water to groundwaters. It occurs mainly under agricultural or forestal land whereas the rate of recharge is higher under agriculturally used land. The rate of groundwater recharge is influenced by precipitation, evapotranspiration and surface and intermediate runoff. If the recharge rate is insufficient for longer time intervals the groundwater levels can fall substantially causing the water supply for plants (and humans) to deteriorate.

To assess different crop production practices regarding their potential to contribute to groundwater recharge the following indicators were introduced:

1. Degree of soil-coverage
   High soil coverage leads to high interception and transpiration rates thus diminishing the potential for water infiltration. Fast growing crops and crops with high degrees of soil coverage were rated less suitable for groundwater recharge than crops with an open stand.
2. Cultivation method
   Production techniques that involve undersown crops or intercrops were rated with a low potential for groundwater recharge. The rating was also dependent on the crop being a spring, winter or perennial culture.
3. Tillage intensity
   The number and intensity of soil cultivation operations per crop greatly influences the infiltration rate by increasing the pore volume of the soil and clearing weeds. The tillage intensity was in consequence positively correlated with groundwater recharge.

All alternative production practices of all crops defined for the model were rated by their goal achievement levels using a fuzzy tool with the optimum being a high groundwater recharge rate.
Best rated among those evaluated are annual crops with a low plant density, which require a intensive soil cultivation: maize, sunflowers, potatoes and sugar beets.