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In this study, a spatially distributed water balance model WetSpass was used to simulate long-term average annual and seasonal recharge of groundwater, surface runoff and actual evapotranspiration in the Mogilnica catchment, the Wielkopolska Lowland (western Poland). It is a region with the lowest precipitation and runoff in Poland. The simulated hydrological variables in the Mogilnica catchment are made on raster model (xy = 0.0625 km²). A GIS based, WetSpass is a model: Water and Energy Transfer between Soil, Plants and Atmosphere under quasi-Steady State. For water balance components estimations should be carried out concerning the meteorological conditions (precitipation, air temperature, wind speed, potential evapotranspiration), groundwater level and distributed topography, soil texture and land-use. In the Mogilnica catchment the long-term temporal and spatial average annual precipitation of 538 mm was distributed as: recharge of groundwater of 84 mm (15%), surface runoff of 31 mm (6%) and actual evapotranspiration of 425 mm (79%). Sustainable groundwater management and protection requires knowledge of spatial variation in water balance elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]