1. Watersheds in Pennsylvania

2. What is a watershed? A drainage basin
A basin that contributes water to a stream, lake, or other body of water.
Surrounded by topographic highs called divides.
Any ridge between two streams along which precipitation runs off.

3. Demonstration
Watershed Game

4. The Continental Divide
Separation between water that drains into
Atlantic ocean
Pacific Ocean

5. PA Major Watersheds Great Lakes Ohio River Basin
Susquehanna/Chesapeake Basin
Potomac Basin
Delaware Basin

6. Where would water in PA eventually drain to?
Question?
Where would water in PA eventually drain to?
The Atlantic Ocean

7. PA The PA State Water Plan organizes the states freshwater system.
We have 104 watershed
Separated into basins and sub basins.

8. Great Lakes Basin Only 1% of the Great Lakes basin lies in PA.
Divided into 2 sub basins
Erie Basin
Genesee Basin

9. Erie Basin Major Fresh water bodies of water Conneaut Creek Elk Creek
Walnut Creek

10. Genesee Basin Most come from New York State
And drain into Lake Ontario

11. Ohio River Basin PA’s second Largest watershed
16,000 square miles of PA
Provides drinking water for an estimated 13 million people
3.5 million of PA
Largest River in the Basin in Pittsburgh, where the Allegheny river meets the Monongahela.

13. Susquehanna/Chesapeake Basin
Largest Watershed in PA
Covering 46% of the state
Headwaters come from New York Ostego Lake
Mouth ends in Chesapeake

14. Major Tributaries Lackwanna Conestoga West Branch Sus. Juniata
Loyalsock and Tuscarora Creeks

15. Here We Are!!!

16. Potomac Basin Located on the borders of PA Tributaries Shenandoah
Marsh
Wills
Tonoloway
Licking
Rock
Conococheague
Antietam

18. Delaware Basin Covers 6,500 square miles of PA 3rd Largest Watershed
Tributaries
Lackawaxen, Upper, Middle, and Lower Lehigh Rivers
Creeks
Maiden and Brandywine
( Transfers water to the Hudson Basin in New York City’s Freshwater needs)