A vocabulary of landscape — a landscape of words
1068 entries
freshet
A sudden rise in river level caused by heavy rain or rapid snowmelt, especially in spring. A freshet is not a flood — it’s a pulse, a surge of new water flushing through the system, often carrying the winter’s accumulation of debris and sediment with it.
Etymology
Old French fresche, fresh. A rush of fresh water. Originally a nautical term for a stream of freshwater flowing into the sea.