There are many different opinions about what defines a headwater stream.   However, the formation of the OHRC is an acknowledgment of the limited number of studies currently focused on very small streams.  Therefore, clearly defining what the OHRC means by ‘headwater streams’ will ensure that our research is directed at examining these very small streams.  While the variability of headwater streams defy a precise definition the following has been selected for the purposes of this cooperative: A headwater stream has an average annual stream flow less than 2 cubic feet per second.  Stream width can vary greatly, particularly between sites west and east of the Cascade Mountains. In western Oregon the bankfull width ranges from less than 1 meter to 3 meters. In eastern Oregon the bankfull width can be wider as well as streams becoming dry in the summer. Headwater streams function differently at a basin scale depending on their position in the basin.  They typically do not support fish populations.

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