What's a Watershed?

A watershed is an area of land that drains into a specific site.  Think of it as a connecting the highest points in a region.  Precipitation falling inside this is carried by small streams or tributaries to our rivers and lakes.  Everything that happens upstream affects water quality for all communities downstream. 

A watershed is an area of land that drains into a specific site.  Think of it as a connecting the highest points in a region.  Precipitation falling inside this is carried by small streams or tributaries to our rivers and lakes.  Everything that happens upstream affects water quality for all communities downstream. 

For more information about watersheds, or to discover which watershed you live in, check out the EPA designed "Surf Your Watershed" website. Additional EPA information is available at their watershed homepage.

Discover more about your river basin by using this interactive map from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Education.