Return flow rate of irrigation water was estimated by water balance method. Daepyeong pumping district to irrigate 75.8 ha of rice paddy in the Geum river basin was selected to install gauging instruments to collect data such as weather, water levels, infiltration rate and evapotranspiration during irrigation season (May 27 to Sept. 20) in 2003 and 2004. Irrigation and drainage discharge were calculated from the rating curve and evapotranspiration was estimated both by the modified Penman formula and by the lysimeter. The results were as followed : 1. Total amounts of pumping water during irrigation season were 1,076,000 m3 in 2003 and 1,848,000 m3 in 2004. Total amounts of rainfall were 1336.0mm and 1003.0mm respectively during the irrigation season in 2003 and 2004. 2. It was surveyed that the amount of infiltration was 196.5 mm (2.2 mm/day). The gauged evapotranspiration was 311.0 mm (3.5 mm/day) and the calculated evapotranspiration was 346.0 mm (3.9 mm/day) during irrigation period in 2003. It was surveyed that the amount of infiltration was 169.9 mm (2.4 mm/day). The amount of gauged evapotranspiration was 377.3 mm (5.3 mm/day) and the calculated evapotranspiration was 454.5 mm (6.6 mm/day) during irrigation period in 2004. 3. The rates of quick and delayed return flow were 52.4 % and 17.7 % respectively, and so return flow rate was 70.1 % in 2003. The rates of quick and delayed return flow were 45.4 % and 16.1 % respectively, and so return flow rate was 61.5 % in 2004. It means that average return flow rate in the Daepyeong pumping district was assumed to be 65 %.
