K. N. Schneider2011

What is a Watershed?It is also known as a Drainage BasinA couple of definitions:EPA: “A watershed is the area of land where

all of the water that is under it or drains off of it goes into the same place.”

Wikipedia: an extent of land where water …drains downhill into a body of water (river, lake, estuary, wetland, sea or ocean.) The drainage basin includes both the streams and rivers that convey the water as well as the land surfaces from which water drains into those channels, and is separated from adjacent basins by a drainage divide.

The larger the body of water, the larger the watershed.Mississippi River Watershed

Colorado River Watershed

Russian Dolls and Watersheds?Russian Dolls – each large doll has a smaller

doll inside

Watersheds – each large watershed is formed by many smaller watersheds.

Who Lives in a Watershed?Everyone!Major US Watersheds

How are Watersheds Different?Each watershed has its own unique characteristicsClimate – rainfall, temperature, etc.Geology – elevation, slope, soil, underlying rock, etc.

Vegetation – grass, trees, desertLand Use by Humans – forests, wetland, agriculture, urban

Why Should We Care About Watersheds?Because what we do in a watershed

affects our water quality and our lives!It affects our water for drinking,

municipal, and industrial useIt affects flooding and coastal erosionIt affects our healthIt affects the health of ecosystems

Healthy ecosystems = Healthy environment = Healthy, happy people

Get into groups of three people.In your group, come up with a collective

definition (two or three sentences) of what a watershed is.

List the different components (parts) of a watershed.

List three ways we depend on watersheds.List three ways we affect watersheds.Each person needs to write down the answers

on their own notes!

What Do You Know About Watersheds?