Managing nonperennial headwater streams in temperate forests of the United States

•Non-perennial streams drain the majority of land surface area in forested watersheds.•Yet non-perennial streams are not consistently considered in management guidelines.•Land use can modify these streams, but the extent of impacts is not well known.•Changes in flow regime affect temperature, sediment and organic matter dynamics.•Major knowledge gaps remain in hydrography, streamflow regime, and impacts on biota.