What is a watershed? PDF
Preview What is a watershed?
Archive Document Historic, Do assume not content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. United States Department ofAgriculture Soil Conservation Service ProgramAidNumber 420 a Watershed? is What a watershed? is It's the land that water flows across or under on its way to a stream, river, or lake. How do watersheds work? The landscape is made up ofmany inter- connected basins, or watersheds. Within each watershed, all water runs to the — lowestpoint a stream, river, or lake. On its way, water travels over the surface and across farm fields, forest land, subur- ban lawns, and city streets, or it seeps into the soil andtravels as groundwater. Large watersheds like the ones for the Mississippi River, ColumbiaRiver, and Chesapeake Bayare made up ofmany smallerwatersheds across several states. Are all watersheds thesame? Not at all. Watersheds come in many different shapes and sizes and have many differentfeatures. Watersheds can have hills or mountains or be nearlyflat. They can have farmland, rangeland, small towns, and big cities. Parts ofyourwater- shed can be so rough, rocky, or marshy that they're suited onlyfor certain trees, plants, and wildlife. Your watershedcommunity. Everyone lives in awatershed. You and everyone in your watershed are part ofthe watershed community. The animals, birds, and fish are, too. You influence what hap- pens inyourwatershed, good or bad, by — howyou treat the natural resources the soil, water, air, plants, and animals. What happens inyour small watershed also affects the larger watershed downstream. There are manythings you and your watershed community can do to keep your watershed healthy and productive. To learn whatyou can do to take care ofyour watershed, call 1-800-THE-SOIL oryour local Soil Conservation Service office. It's listed in the telephone book under U.S. Government, Department ofAgriculture. What is a watershed? It's the land that water flows across or under on its way to a stream, river, or lake. Howdowatershedswork? Thelandscape is made up ofmanyinter- connectedbasins, orwatersheds.Within eachwatersh—ed,allwater runstothe lowestpoint astream, river, or lake. On itsway, watertravels overthesurface andacross farmfields, forestland, subur- ban lawns, andcitystreets, oritseeps intothe soil andtravels as groundwater. Largewatersheds liketheones forthe Mississippi River, ColumbiaRiver, and ChesapeakeBayaremadeup ofmany smallerwatersheds acrossseveral states. Areallwatershedsthesame? Notatall. Watersheds comeinmany differentshapes andsizes and havemany differentfeatures. Watershedscanhave hillsormountainsorbenearlyflat.They canhave farmland, rangeland, small towns, andbigcities. Partsofyourwater- shedcan be sorough, rocky, ormarshy thatthey'resuitedonlyforcertaintrees, plants, andwildlife. Yourwatershedcommunity. Everyonelivesinawatershed. You and everyone inyourwatershedare partofthe watershedcommunity.Theanimals, birds, andfish are, too. You influencewhathap- pens inyourwatershed, goodorbad—, by howyou treatthe natural resources the soil, water, air, plants, andanimals. What happens inyoursmall watershedalso affectsthelargerwatersheddownstream. Therearemanythingsyou andyour watershedcommunitycandoto keepyour watershedhealthyandproductive.To learnwhatyou can dototakecareofyour watershed, call 1-800-THE-SOILoryour local Soil ConservationServiceoffice. It's listedindietelephone book underU.S. Government, DepartmentofAgriculture. We all live in a watershed. Everything we do in our watershed affects the soil, water, air, plants, and animals. Let's work together to keep our watersheds healthy. Here are some things you can do. 1 . On the farm Keep plant residue on the surface of sloping cropland. This reduces runoff and prevents sediment, fertilizers, and pesticides from entering streams, rivers, lakes, and ponds. log home At Landscape your yard with plants that need a minimum ofwater and fertilizer. Use only the amount offertilizers and pesticides that plants need. 3 In your community Protect wetlands that serve as natural buffers against pollution, soil erosion, and flooding. TheUnitedStatesDepartmentofAgriculture(USDA)prohibitsdiscriminationinits programsonthebasisofrace,color,nationalorigin,sex,religion,age.disability, political beliefs,andmaritalorfamilialstatus.(Notallprohibitedbasesapplytoallprograms.) Personswithdisabilitieswhorequirealternativemeansforcommunicationofprogram information(Braille,largeprint,audiotape,etc.)shouldcontacttheUSDAOfficeof Communicationsat(202)"20-5881 (voice)or(202)720-7808(TDD). Tofileacomplaint,writetheSecretaryofAgriculture.U.S. DepartmentofAgriculture. Washington,D.C.,20250,orcall(202)720-7327(voice)or(202)690-1538(TDD). USDAisanequalemploymentopportunityemployer. Revised:September1994 o PrintedonRecycledPaper
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