tailwater

noun tail·wa·ter \ -ˌwȯ-tər , -ˌwä- \

Definition of tailwater

1 :water below a dam or waterpower development

2 :excess surface water draining especially from a field under cultivation

Recent Examples of tailwater from the Web

Trout fishing remains good in the tailwaters below the dam--check with Riverside Fly Shop for the best flow-rates and for trout tackle; www.riversideflyshop.com.

— frank sargeant, AL.com, "Friday Fishing Report," 4 Aug. 2017
The current river forecast calls for the Fox River to crest at the Algonquin tailwater early Sunday morning, St. Charles officials said.

— judy pochel, Aurora Beacon-News, "Storms add to worries about Fox River flooding; bridges closed in St. Charles," 22 July 2017
Anglers are also having success fishing tailwaters below dams, where flows stay more consistent compared to lower river areas.

— colorado parks & wildlife, The Denver Post, "Colorado fishing report for week of June 11, 2017," 11 June 2017
There are still waters that are iced over, so anglers will have to primarily rely on tailwaters, which refer to the waters below dams or any other structure that regulates water flow.

— colorado parks & wildlife, The Denver Post, "Colorado fishing report for week of March 12, 2017," 12 Mar. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tailwater.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.