"Headwater streams" refers to small streams that are at the beginning or source of a river. They are usually located in high elevations and are important because they provide clean water and support diverse ecosystems. Full definition
Burial of headwater streams causes loss of ecosystems that are important for nutrient cycling and production of organic matter for downstream food webs [144]. (journals.plos.org)
«As remaining habitat for trout becomes more fragmented, only small refuges in headwater streams at the highest levels will remain,» says biologist Patricia Flebbe of USFS's Virginia - based Southern Research Station. (scientificamerican.com)
Management of non-point source pollution is of great importance in the context of coffee agriculture, as this land use often coincides with headwater streams that influence water quality at the basin scale. (coffeehabitat.com)