water year

noun

The timespan between October 1 and September 30 of the next year, differing from the calendar year because part of the precipitation that falls in late autumn and winter accumulates as snow and does not drain until the following spring or summer.

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Meanings

nounwater year (plural water years)

plural water years

  1. geographyThe timespan between October 1 and September 30 of the next year, differing from the calendar year because part of the precipitation that falls in late autumn and winter accumulates as snow and does not drain until the following spring or summer.
Cite this entry
APA

water year. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/water%20year

MLA

“water year.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/water%20year. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “water year,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/water%20year.

Source: water year on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.