distributary

1. (hydrology) A stream of water (either natural or artificial) that branches off and flows away from a main stream channel.Examples: "The bed of the distributary is at a slight elevation above that of the main canal, and in the latter is placed an ordinary check regulator controlled by flashboards […]"; "The physical condition of the distributary itself is in bad shape due to poor maintenance over longer periods of time, especially in the head reach."; "[…] stretches of blowing sand and frequent changes in course of its distributaries, does not have the dense population characteristic of other alluvial districts in the Indian subcontinent."Antonyms: tributary