Synonyms of headwater

headwater

noun

ˈhed-ˌwȯ-tər 

as in tributary

usually headwaters plural 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
• spring
• head
• fountain
• fountainhead
• wellspring
• hot spring
• geyser
• branch
• feeder
• headspring

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of headwater

Instead of reducing releases from the big reservoirs that the Lower Basin uses, the Upper Basin has to cut back according to what’s flowing down headwater streams. —Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 6 Dec. 2024

Hard-rock mining has contaminated at least 40 percent of headwaters in the western U.S.. —Ashley C. Nunes, Scientific American, 13 Aug. 2024

Helping headwaters:Conservation agreement will protect Upper Verde River, grasslands and a historic ranch Thanks for reading and for subscribing to AZ Climate, the Arizona Republic's weekly environment newsletter. —Shaun McKinnon, The Arizona Republic, 2 Dec. 2024

What happens upriver in the Upper Klamath Lake, which is considered the headwaters of the Klamath, all the way down to the Pacific Ocean, everything effects everything else. —Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 6 Dec. 2024