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Table of Contents
Introduction
Introduction
A watershed is "a land area that channels rainfall and snowmelt to creeks, streams, and rivers, and eventually to outflow points such as reservoirs, bays, and the ocean.
The size of a watershed (also called a drainage basin or catchment) is defined on several scales—referred to as its Hydrologic Unit Codes (HUC)—based on the geography that is most relevant to its specific area. A watershed can be small, such as a modest inland lake or a single county." - NOAA: Watershed
"Water from hundreds, and often thousands, of creeks and streams flow from higher ground to rivers that eventually wind up in a larger waterbody. As the water flows, it often picks up pollutants, which may have sinister effects on the ecology of the watershed and, ultimately, on the reservoir, bay, or ocean where it ends up.
Not all water flows directly to the sea, however. When rain falls on dry ground, it can soak into, or infiltrate, the ground. This groundwater remains in the soil, where it will eventually seep into the nearest stream. Some water infiltrates much deeper, into underground reservoirs called aquifers. In other areas, where the soil contains a lot of hard clay, very little water may infiltrate. Instead, it quickly runs off to lower ground.
Rain and snowmelt from watersheds travel via many routes to the sea. During periods of heavy rain and snowfall, water may run onto and off of impervious surfaces such as parking lots, roads, buildings, and other structures because it has nowhere else to go. These surfaces act as "fast lanes" that transport the water directly into storm drains. The excess water volume can quickly overwhelm streams and rivers, causing them to overflow and possibly result in floods." - NOAA: Watershed
Parts of a Watershed
Parts of a Watershed
Mountains & Hilltops
Mountains & Hilltops
Human Infrastructure
Human Infrastructure
Rooftops
Rooftops
Waterways
Waterways
Headwaters
Headwaters
Riparian Areas
Riparian Areas
Wetlands
Wetlands
Problems with Watersheds
Problems with Watersheds
Farmland & Landscaping Pollution Runoff
Farmland & Landscaping Pollution Runoff
Livestock & Water Pollution
Livestock & Water Pollution
Pesticides
Pesticides
Human Infrastructure
Human Infrastructure
Sewage
Sewage
Solutions
Solutions
Farmland & Gardening Changes
Farmland & Gardening Changes
Human Infrastructure Changes
Human Infrastructure Changes
The following are listed alphabetically and are examples of water and storm water management.
Water Harvesting & Storm Water Management
Water Harvesting & Storm Water Management
10:11 minute video "UBC's Master of Land and Water Systems program presents the final educational video in a series on Urban Stormwater Management at the watershed scale. Stream channels, riparian buffer zones and design flood storage are explored.
This series is useful for developers, students, real estate agents, homeowners, municipal/regional planners, managers and engineers."
Rewilding
Rewilding
Tree Planting
Tree Planting
Wildlife Reintroductions
Wildlife Reintroductions
Tools & Apps
Tools & Apps
North America
North America
USA
USA
Stormwater Management and Restoration Tracking (SMART) Tool (Interactive) Tool tracks storm water management practices in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed which spans, Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia
Resources & Guides
Resources & Guides
Rain Gardens & Bioswales Includes coloured examples of what components are needed for a rain garden and bioswale along with information on how they work to provide a variety of benefits - the watershed project
North America
North America
Canada
Canada
Alberta
Alberta Clean Runoff Action Guide: Permeable Pavement (PDF) "Almost every landscape design has to incorporate hard surfaces such as driveways, walkways, and patios. Even these surfaces can be designed to reduce runoff and improve water quality."
Indicators for Assessing Environmental Performance of Watersheds in Southern Alberta (PDF) This gives general guidance, but doesn't focus much on specific species.
Programs & Projects
Programs & Projects
North America
North America
USA
USA
California
The Watershed Project their "mission is to inspire San Francisco Bay Area communities to understand, appreciate, and protect our local watersheds."
New Jersey
StreamWatch Schools "Water monitoring and research form the foundation of The Watershed Institute’s efforts to protect streams and rivers in central New Jersey. We recently launched a new Watershed program we call StreamWatch Schools, a water quality monitoring program led by children. The program enables students of all ages to contribute water quality data to a central online platform and to download data from other schools and water monitors.
The StreamWatch Schools program engages elementary, middle, and high school students in water quality monitoring, data collection, and data analysis with the support of Watershed Institute Educators. Depending on your class’s specific needs, Watershed Educators provide in-class and/or streamside instruction to assist with data collection. Our aim is to create an accessible program that is flexible and customizable based on your interests and needs. The StreamWatch Schools Program features access to lesson plans aligned to Next Generation Science Standards, with detailed fieldwork procedures, community discussion boards, and a new, custom-built web-based platform for inputting, viewing, analyzing, and sharing water quality data."
Watershed Academy For High School Students "offers immersive environmental investigations on the Watershed Reserve. Each five-day session engages students in a world of science where they ask questions and identify problems, gain skills and knowledge, propose solutions, and learn about career opportunities. Students will get hands-on experience as they participate in ongoing scientific studies at the Watershed and learn how to help influence environmental policy in their own communities.
These experiences engage students in science and stewardship practices to elevate them into awareness, investigation, action, and leadership as they prepare to enter adult roles in their communities."
Organizations
Organizations
North America
North America
USA
USA
Arkansas
Mississippi Watershed Management Organization "works to protect and improve water quality, habitat and natural resources in an urban watershed that drains directly into the Mississippi River. We are a joint-powers local government unit and one of approximately three dozen watershed organizations in the Twin Cities metropolitan area."
California
The Watershed Project their "mission is to inspire San Francisco Bay Area communities to understand, appreciate, and protect our local watersheds."
Florida
Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance "To promote swimmable, fishable waterways in our community through monitoring, education, restoration, and research. "
Matanzas Riverkeeper "is a grassroots, non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that the Guana, Tolomato, Matanzas watershed remain clean and healthy through our commitment to drinkable, fishable, and swimmable water.
The mission of the Matanzas Riverkeeper is to protect the health of the Matanzas River and its watershed through advocacy, education, and engagement."
Georgia
Satilla Riverkeeper "The mission of the Satilla Riverkeeper is to PROTECT, RESTORE, and EDUCATE about the ecological values and unique beauty of the Satilla River. We work to ensure excellent quality and quantity of water in the Satilla River for all uses. We are the eyes and ears of the watershed and estuary."
St Marys Riverkeeper "We protect and enrich the St. Marys River watershed and engage the community to keep our river pristine."
Illinois
Mississippi Watershed Management Organization "works to protect and improve water quality, habitat and natural resources in an urban watershed that drains directly into the Mississippi River. We are a joint-powers local government unit and one of approximately three dozen watershed organizations in the Twin Cities metropolitan area."
Maine
Penobscot Riverkeepers "Each year the Penobscot River and Bay Institute (PRBI) offers on-the-river experiences for school children throughout the Penobscot River watershed as part of its Penobscot Riverkeepers program.
Founded in 1992 to promote experiential environmental education, PRBI’s mission is to foster good stewardship of natural resources through hands-on learning. PRBI serves towns and schools in the Penobscot River watershed and coastal communities surrounding the bay. The Penobscot Riverkeepers program has been successfully used in Bangor, Millinocket, Lincoln, and Bucksport."Schoodic Riverkeepers "Tribal members united in vision and mission dedicated to strengthen tribal cultural, sustenance and ancestral roots within our tribal Homeland and to join with allies to bring attention to the state of the environment to help bring real and positive change for restoring the natural balance, abundance and biodiversity within the Schoodic River watershed, Passamaquoddy Bay, Bay of Fundy and Gulf of Maine ecosystems."
Minnesota
Mississippi Watershed Management Organization "works to protect and improve water quality, habitat and natural resources in an urban watershed that drains directly into the Mississippi River. We are a joint-powers local government unit and one of approximately three dozen watershed organizations in the Twin Cities metropolitan area."
Mississippi
Mississippi Watershed Management Organization "works to protect and improve water quality, habitat and natural resources in an urban watershed that drains directly into the Mississippi River. We are a joint-powers local government unit and one of approximately three dozen watershed organizations in the Twin Cities metropolitan area."
New Jersey
The Watershed Institute offers professional guides, activism networks, and educational opportunities for teachers, and students.
Oklahoma
Mississippi Watershed Management Organization "works to protect and improve water quality, habitat and natural resources in an urban watershed that drains directly into the Mississippi River. We are a joint-powers local government unit and one of approximately three dozen watershed organizations in the Twin Cities metropolitan area."
Oregon
Tualatin Riverkeepers "is a community-based organization that protects and restores the Tualatin River watershed. We build watershed stewardship through engagement, advocacy, restoration, access, and education."
Pennsylvania
Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper works to "ensure drinkable, fishable, swimmable water on the Lower Susquehanna River and raise community awareness for current and future generations on the ecological and economic value of the Lower Susquehanna Watershed."
Middle Susquehanna RIVERKEEPER® "is dedicated to protecting, improving, and preserving the health of the Middle Susquehanna River Watershed, an approximate 11,000-square-mile area defined by the North and West Branches of the Susquehanna River, its tributaries, and drainage area. Residents of and visitors to the Middle Susquehanna River Watershed expect and deserve clean (swimmable, drinkable, and fishable) water."
South Carolina
Winyah Rivers Alliance wants "to protect, preserve, monitor and revitalize the health of the lands and waters of the greater Winyah Bay watershed."
Texas
The Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance (GEAA) "is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that promotes effective broad-based advocacy for protection and preservation of the Edwards and Trinity aquifers, their springs, watersheds, and the Texas Hill Country that sustains them.
Wisconsin
Mississippi Watershed Management Organization "works to protect and improve water quality, habitat and natural resources in an urban watershed that drains directly into the Mississippi River. We are a joint-powers local government unit and one of approximately three dozen watershed organizations in the Twin Cities metropolitan area."
Maps
Maps
North America
North America
The Rivers of the Mississippi Watershed "The Mississippi Watershed is the largest drainage basin in North America at 3.2 million square kilometers in area. The USGS has created a database of this area which indicates the direction of waterflow at each point. By assembling these directions into streamflows, it is possible to trace the path of water from every point of the area to the mouth of the Mississippi in the Gulf of Mexico. This animation starts with the points furthest from the Gulf and reveals the streams and rivers as a steady progression towards the mouth of the Mississippi until all the major rivers are revealed. The speed of the reveal of the rivers is not dependent on the actual speed of the water flow. The reveal proceeds at a constant velocity along each river path, timed so that all reveals reach the mouth of the Mississippi at the same time."
USGS: Hydrologic Unit Maps includes info about specific Regions
USA
USA
Stormwater Management and Restoration Tracking (SMART) Tool (Interactive) Tool tracks storm water management practices in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed which spans, Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia
Florida
Texas
Texas Watershed Viewer (interactive, click specific areas to see watersheds)"allows users to identify local watersheds, sub watersheds, river basins, and river sub basins throughout the State of Texas."
South America
South America
Grants & Funding
Grants & Funding
North America
North America
USA
USA
California
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power: Turf Replacement Program "Take advantage of LADWP’s most popular water conservation program. Transform your lawn and create a sustainable landscape that includes:
California Friendly® plants, including native species, appropriate for the Los Angeles climate
Mulch and other groundcover to help retain moisture in the soil
A rain capturing feature like a rain garden, rain barrel, cistern, infiltration trench, or vegetated swale
Drip irrigation (as needed)
A sustainable landscape will not only help you save on your water bill by reducing your water use. You will also help recharge the groundwater, reduce urban runoff and enhance wildlife habitat—overall benefiting yourself and the Los Angeles watershed."
Minnesota
Capital Project Grants "are designed to support final engineering and construction of large-scale, innovative projects that protect or improve water quality and habitat within the MWMO watershed. The MWMO provides both technical and financial assistance to eligible projects. (Smaller-scale projects may be eligible for a Stewardship Fund Grant.)"
Stewardship Fund Grants "support public efforts to manage stormwater, control pollution, and improve water quality and habitat."
Pennsylvania
PHS: Trees for Watersheds Grant Program "(formerly TreeVitalize Watersheds), which helps municipalities, nonprofits, and private landowners plant trees along streams, neighboring upland areas, and natural stormwater basins. The result is thousands of trees planted every year in sensitive water protection zones."
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