Components and processes in the flow regulation service which controls the movement of water from rainwater through the vegetation and soil system into streams,
and how they are affected by changes in vegetation (dark arrows = liquid water movement; pale ones = water vapour). Water infiltration and percolation are critical processes.
Arrow width is proportional to the volume of water flows after typical rainfall events. In well-managed catchments most of the water that infiltrates is taken up by the
vegetation and transpired and relatively little goes into overland flow. Prolonged and intense rainfall will saturate the soils so that a greater proportion becomes overland
flow. Overland flow and some sub-surface flow make up the bulk of the “quickflow” and the rest of the sub-surface flow and groundwater discharge make up the base flow