River Systems and Watersheds

Rivers and Streams River systems are made up of tributaries of smaller streams that join along their course. Rivers and streams generally have wide flat border areas, called flood plains, onto which water spills out at times of high flow. Rivers and streams carry and deposit sediment (load). As water flow decreases in speed, the size and amount of sediment it carries decreases.

Watersheds A watershed is land that water flows across or through on its ways to a stream, lake, wetland, or other body of water. Ridgelines and divides separate watersheds.

The Continental Divide separates the waters flowing to the Atlantic Ocean from the waters flowing to the Pacific Ocean.

Virginia’s Watersheds

Virginia has five regional watersheds. The three major regional watersheds are- Chesapeake Bay North Carolina Sounds Mississippi/ Gulf of Mexico The Chesapeake Bay is the largest. We live in the Gulf of Mexico watershed.

Virginia has 14 major watersheds. We live in the Holston River watershed. The three major tributaries to the Holston River watershed are- – North Fork of the Holston River – Middle Fork of the Holston River – South Fork of the Holston River.

James River is the largest. Yadkin is the smallest.

Southwest Virginia’s watersheds.