Synonyms of headwaters

headwaters

noun

plural of headwater

as in tributary

the beginning part of a stream

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tributary
• source
• headstream
• head
• spring
• fountain
• fountainhead
• wellspring
• hot spring
• geyser
• branch
• feeder
• headspring

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of headwaters

The headwaters of the Colorado River, a vital source of water for 35 million people and 5 million acres of farmland, is drier than anyone can remember, my colleague Ian James reports. — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026

Its headwaters are in Indian River County, its mouth in the Atlantic near Jacksonville, which is the furthest place Sanders Fish House delivers its wild catch. — Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 June 2026

Lake Assinica in the Broadback headwaters has attracted world-wide attention for its giant squaretails the past two years. — Marc Terziev, Outdoor Life, 25 June 2026

Long-term drought fueled by climate change has shrunk the Colorado River’s flows as federal officials and water leaders in the seven basin states — including Colorado, home to its headwaters — struggle to agree on longer-term plans for the river’s management. — Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 21 June 2026

While the river’s headwaters are near Salem, most of the outfitters are located in Steelville. — Kelsey Yandura, Midwest Living, 17 June 2026

These burn areas create barriers around villages, headwaters and sensitive sites, protecting them from wildfires during peak drought. — ABC News, 7 June 2026

The Cassai Life Atlas discoveries build on a decade's worth of surveys led by the National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project within the Okavango and Lungwevungu headwaters, which uncovered a combined total of over 70 species confirmed new to science, according to The Wilderness Project. — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026

The headwaters of the Yadkin River were not located in the area of heaviest rainfall and the threat for flooding has ended there. — Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 27 May 2026