Watersheds
What is a watershed?
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Reference provided by: http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/justforkids |
A watershed is an area of land that drains to a common body of water. A watershed is defined not by political boundaries, but by geographical barriers such as a ridge, hill, or mountain that determine how the water flows over the landscape. As a drop of rain falls on the land, it flows downhill into small creeks and streams, then into larger rivers, and eventually into lakes, wetlands, or the ocean. Some rain also evaporates back into the air, or filters into the soil where it is either taken up by plants or drains into the subsurface and becomes groundwater.
Watersheds Come in all Shapes and Sizes
Here in Southeastern Minnesota, we are part of the largest watershed in the United States, the Mississippi River Basin, which drains all or parts of 31 states and two Canadian provinces.
Large watersheds are composed of smaller, sub-watersheds. In Minnesota there are 81 large watersheds. Cascade Meadow is a part of the Zumbro River Watershed, which covers 910,323 acres. This means that any water that falls on or flows through the land surrounding Cascade Meadow will eventually end up in the Zumbro River. From here, it will drain to the Mississippi River and eventually end up all the way down in the Gulf of Mexico.
We All Live Downstream!
The characteristics of a watershed play a large role in how water moves through that watershed. Any changes made to the land will affect the functioning of that watershed. Therefore, it is important to remember that what we do on the land affects the water quantity and quality for everyone and everything living downstream.
Do You Know Your "Watershed Address"?
We all live in a watershed! Some people talk about watersheds in terms of an address. Just like your home is located on a street, within a city, within a state, your "watershed address" is the path taken by a water droplet from the moment it falls on or outside your home to when it enters a major waterway. Take a moment to think about where the water that rains on your home goes. After it leaves your lawn, street or sidewalk, does it flow downhill straight to a nearby stream, puddle in your backyard, or enter a storm drain that leads to a local creek?
Watershed Resources
Surf Your Watershed! Find information about your watershed and groups working on water issues in your watershed from this page developed by the Environmental Protection Agency: