Watershed Two major factors define a watershed: Gravity and Topography How is the water cycle connected to a watershed?

Defining Factors- Watershed Gravity: force of nature that pulls water downhill. 2. Topography: the form of the land; hills, valleys, plains and other features that influence where and how water will flow.

Definition- Watershed AKA: water basin & catchment basin The entire physical area/basin drained by a distinct stream system, separated from other watersheds by ridge-top boundaries.

Watershed Puzzles Cross county, state and national lines. Each is a part of a larger picture. Larger watersheds contain smaller watersheds.

The Great Divide An area of high elevation that runs through: North America Central America South America From the Seward peninsula in North Western Alaska through the Isthmus of Panama and finally through the Tierra del Fuego , near the southern tip of South America.

Continental Divide All the water in North America eventually empty into 3 oceans: Pacific Atlantic Arctic I took this picture in Yellowstone National Park- 2013

Divergence This peak, shed waters to the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic Oceans Triple Divide Peak- Montana

United States There are 2,267 watersheds in the United states including Alaska and Hawaii.

Tale of Three Rivers Mississippi- 4th largest in the world- drains into the Gulf of Mexico. Columbia- 4th largest river in U.S.- It has the greatest flow of any river draining into the Pacific Ocean. Chesapeake – largest watershed of the Atlantic Seaboard. It drains into the Atlantic Ocean.

Mississippi River 4th longest in the world. 10th largest in the world. Largest drainage system in North America. Drains all or parts of 31 states. Its headwaters are in Northern Minnesota and its mouth is Mississippi river delta at the Gulf of Mexico

Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico is part of the Atlantic Ocean.

Columbia River 4th largest River in the United States. Basin includes parts of 7 states. Headwaters are in British Columbia, Canada. Mouth is in Astoria, Oregon. Drains into the Pacific Ocean.

Chesapeake River Drains portions of 6 states including Washington D.C. Largest East coast basin draining into the Atlantic Ocean. Chesapeake bay is the largest estuary in the United States.

Texas Watersheds There are 23 major river basins that are confined within the state, shared with neighboring states, or shared along an international border. All of the state’s water drains into: Mississippi River Gulf Coast Rio Grande River

Texas Rivers All of the state’s water drains into: 15 Major Rivers. Mississippi river- such as: Red river Gulf Coast- such as: Sabine, Brazos and Colorado. Rio Grande such as: Pecos River. 15 Major Rivers. 3,700 named streams Texas river mouths are located in 7 major estuaries including: Colorado River Guadalupe River

Dripping Springs: Onion Creek Watershed Onion Creek is a small tributary of the Colorado River. Onion Creek watershed spans an area of 211 sq. miles Headwaters- Dripping Springs, TX Mouth – Colorado River (elevation 374 ft.) Length- 79 miles (127 km) Source of falls at McKinney State Park.

Colorado River TX- Watershed 18th longest river in the United States. 5th longest river in Texas (862 mi.) Longest river in Tx. having both the headwaters and the mouth located within the state. Headwaters- on the Llano Estacado near Lamesa. (south of Lubbock) Mouth- Matagorda Bay- near Bay City. Estacado-large, semi-arid plateau (plain) in the S. Western U. S.

Watershed Vocabulary Tributary- a river or stream flowing into a larger river or lake. Mouth of River- where water and sediments empty into a larger body of water. Headwater- source of the river or stream. Estuary-tidal mouth of a large river- where the tide meets the stream. (A type of wetland) Watershed Divide- a relatively high ground that separates watershed basins.