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

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of headwater Gauley River: Threatened by toxic pollution from strip mining for coal in the headwaters. Doyle Rice, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2025 Yet, this same remarkable watershed faces a grave threat: toxic pollution from coal strip mining in the headwaters of the Cherry River, one of the Gauley's primary tributaries. Li Cohen, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2025 Below the surface, a huge groundwater resource flows into the nearby springs that feed the headwaters of the Verde River. John Leos, The Arizona Republic, 2 Dec. 2024 Northern areas of Colorado — including on the Yampa River and near the Colorado River’s headwaters north of Kremmling — have above-normal snowpack. Elise Schmelzer, The Denver Post, 20 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for headwater
Recent Examples of Synonyms for headwater
Noun
  • Best of all was hitting 4-iron off the pine straw on the par-5 13th that narrowly cleared the tributary of Rae’s Creek and set up a 10-foot eagle.
    Doug Ferguson, Chicago Tribune, 12 Apr. 2025
  • In November, the U.S. and Mexico signed the Minute 331 agreement, which focused on improving the reliability of Rio Grande water deliveries — in part by suggesting two alternative tributaries through which the transfers could occur.
    Sharon Udasin, The Hill, 29 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Yerevan has since sought to diversify its defense sources, reducing arms imports from Russia to as low as 10 percent by 2024.
    Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
  • Climate change and shifting food sources are also causing species-wide population declines, the experts said.
    Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 8 June 2025

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“Headwater.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/headwater. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.

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