What is a watershed?
Everything is connected in a watershed through movement of water
A watershed describes an area of land that contains a common set of streams and rivers that all drain into a single larger body of water. A watershed can cover a small or large land area. Water runs into streams, rivers and lakes on the surface of a watershed, but it also filters through the soil. Some of this water eventually drains into the same waters through groundwater aquifers. This process is called “infiltration.” Water that runs off the surface of the land picks up nutrients and sediment. As it drains into the watershed, it deposits pollution in our streams and rivers. What we do within the watershed will have either a positive or negative effect on the water quality.
The key word to remember regarding a watershed is “Connection.” Everything is connected to everything else in a watershed. Pick the type of property that is most similar to yours in the example image above... Maybe you live in town, or on a farm, or maybe you own forested land or even lake shore property. See how all kinds of land is connected to all the other types of land through the flow of water?
Each of us is a steward of water for our neighbors
The water within a watershed is always moving. Therefore, what you do in your property has the potential to affect many other places. Most often, a watershed connects with a major river or lake.
To protect one, we must protect them all.
What kind of land do you manage?
Agricultural Lands
Agricultural Lands
Agricultural Lands
Forested Lands
Agricultural Lands
Agricultural Lands
Lakeshore Property
Urban or Rural Parcel
Urban or Rural Parcel
Urban or Rural Parcel
Urban or Rural Parcel
Urban or Rural Parcel