headwater

noun

head·​wa·​ter ˈhed-ˌwȯ-tər 

-ˌwä-

: the source of a stream

—usually used in plural

Synonyms

• head
• headstream
• source

Example Sentences

the first exploration of the Missouri River from its mouth to its headwaters was made by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in the early 1800s

Recent Examples on the Web

Galena Falls is a hiker’s reward — a headwater tumble over a granite ledge about 2.5 miles along the Mount Rose Trail. —Carrie Dennis, Travel + Leisure, 26 Feb. 2023

The technique can indicate whether an endangered species persists in a headwater stream, for example, or whether an invasive fish has reached a new lake. —Erik Stokstad, Science | AAAS, 3 Dec. 2020

The health of our major waterways — rivers, lakes and streams — emanates directly from headwater stream health, and these waterways feed into underground aquifers that supply clean drinking water to humans. —Sarah Jay, Discover Magazine, 6 Dec. 2021

At this part of the river, about 80 miles into its 195-mile journey from Big Chino Valley, where underground headwater springs bubble up to form surface flows, many of the trees have been felled by private builders seeking river views. —Joan Meiners, The Arizona Republic, 16 Nov. 2022

The project is moving fast with the city earlier this year purchasing the land, which is a meadow habitat with forested patches and 1,900 linear feet of West Creek headwater tributaries, for $880,000 from OSWIGI Limited. —John Benson, cleveland, 11 Aug. 2021

The current plan calls for roughly a 3,000-foot, ADA-accessible trail to traverse the perimeter of the land, which is a meadow habitat with forested patches and 1,900 linear feet of West Creek headwater tributaries. —John Benson, cleveland, 2 June 2021

The project, Jane explains, poses a major threat to the environment; the pipelines would traverse two hundred bodies of water, including the headwater of the Mississippi River. —Javier Hasse, Forbes, 11 May 2021

Baldwin Creek and two headwater tributary streams run through the preserve, and the area is a habitat for many plant and animal species. —Rich Heileman, cleveland, 13 Nov. 2020

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Word History

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

headwater

noun

head·​wa·​ter -ˌwȯt-ər 

-ˌwät-

: the beginning and upper part of a stream

—usually used in plural