A
losing stream,
disappearing stream or
influent stream, is a
stream or
river that loses water as it flows downstream. The water
infiltrates into the ground recharging the local
groundwater, because the
water table is below the bottom of the stream channel. This is the opposite of a more common
gaining stream (or
effluent stream) which increases in water volume farther down stream as it gains water from the local
aquifer.