A watershed is the land area that drains water to a particular stream, river, or lake. It is a land feature that can be identified by tracing a line along the highest elevations between two areas on a map, often a ridge.
Watershed Diagram
The diagram below suggests a typical watershed that starts with small headwater streams in the higher elevations of the drainage basin. Water flows downhill from the drainage divide into larger streams, eventually joining a river. As more tributary streams join the river, the volume of water increases. This river eventually flows downstream into an even larger river at the confluence.
National
Geographic's interactive river system.
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geographyaction/rivers/ga17.html
EPA's
Surf Your Watershed
http://www.epa.gov/surf/
RiverSmart: What is a Watershed?
http://www.riversmart.com/rivers101_watershed.cfm
basin overview | mrbdc home
This page was last updated 4/15/03
Minnesota River Basin Data Center | Minnesota State University, Mankato
184 Trafton Science Center S, Mankato, MN 56001 | Phone: (507)389-5492 | FAX: (507)389-5493 | Email: mrbdc@mnsu.edu