Base Flow

Base Flow

Base flow is the sustained streamflow that comes from groundwater discharge and seepage from springs. Above we see a video taken in late summer. There has not been any precipitation in a while, and the flow we are seeing is the river at its base flow. This flow is a sustained flow that persists in periods of no surface runoff and precipitation. The base flow can also be referred to as the "baseline" of stream discharge for a river. The river above has enough base flow to support a stream ecosystem year round. If you were to look at this discharge rate on a hydrograph, this would be represented as the lower and more sustained period.