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Surface run-off may be generated when rainfall intensity exceeds infiltration capacity, or when the soil profile is saturated. Both types of overland flow may occur in hilly agricultural loess regions. It was shown with pressure head and run-off measurements that Hortonian overland flow occurs during summer rain events. A two-dimensional water flow model could simulate pressure head changes and run-off. Simulated potential run-off for the transect studied was three times as high. This indicates effects of surface ponding and the probable location of this particular transect in a region with high run-off production.

Uncertainties in major input variables in water and solute models were quantified and their effects on simulated functional aspects of soil behaviour were studied using basic soil properties from an important soil map unit in the Netherlands. Two sources of uncertainty were studied: spatial variability of basic soil properties, and the use of pedotransfer functions to predict soil hydraulic functions. Depending on the type of process studied, variability of basic soil properties explained between 40 and 99.9% of the total variance. Uncertainty of pedotransfer functions is of importance mainly when physical soil behaviour (e.g. workable days and aeration status) is studied.