Hydrological indicators of flow in headwaters for assessing farm management impacts: Streamside forestry management case study

•A fast-growing forest buffer was established beside a headwater stream on farmland.•Steam flow was monitored before and after planting in paired catchments.•Some low flow indicators were reduced by the buffer.•Overland flow was reduced by cultivation-induced surface roughness.•Indicators were useful for identifying flow changes at the farm headwater scale.