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C.2.2 Q 4 Watershed

A watershed is an area of land that drains all water (from rainfall, streams, etc.) into a common body of water such as a river, lake, or ocean. Small watersheds make up larger watersheds, as tributaries drain into rivers which ultimately drain into a large river or ocean. Water quality is affected as runoff picks up pollution from the land and deposits it into streams and rivers throughout the watershed. The goal of watershed management is to reduce runoff and pollution, conserve soil and water resources, and protect water quality within the watershed.

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53 views

C.2.2 Q 4 Watershed

A watershed is an area of land that drains all water (from rainfall, streams, etc.) into a common body of water such as a river, lake, or ocean. Small watersheds make up larger watersheds, as tributaries drain into rivers which ultimately drain into a large river or ocean. Water quality is affected as runoff picks up pollution from the land and deposits it into streams and rivers throughout the watershed. The goal of watershed management is to reduce runoff and pollution, conserve soil and water resources, and protect water quality within the watershed.

Uploaded by

deeptiv2004
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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What Is A Watershed?

A watershed describes an area of land that contains a common set of


streams and rivers that all drain into a single larger body of water, such
as a larger river, a lake or an ocean. For example, the Mississippi River
watershed is an enormous watershed. All the tributaries to the Mississippi
that collect rainwater eventually drain into the Mississippi, which
eventually drains into the Gulf of Mexico. Rainwater that falls on more
than half of the United States subsequently drains into the Mississippi.  
  
A watershed can cover a small or large land area.
In the St. Louis vicinity, for instance, the
Meramec River is a small river draining a
relatively small amount of land. Small watersheds
are usually part of larger watersheds. The
Meramec River watershed, which is supplied by
even smaller watersheds from dozens of streams,
drains into the Mississippi River. All the streams
flowing into small rivers, larger rivers, and
eventually into the ocean, form an
interconnecting network of waterways.  
  
Not only does water run into the streams and rivers from the surface of a
watershed, but water also filters through the soil, and some of this water
eventually drains into the same streams and rivers.  
  
These two processes, surface runoff and infiltration are important for a
number of reasons. 
 

For one, they affect water quality. Think about it... The water that runs off
the surface of the Earth picks up water pollution and deposits the
pollution in streams and rivers as it drains
the watershed. Along with many different
types of pollution that are carried by
surface runoff, soil also becomes a water
pollutant as it is eroded from farm lands.
Water that filters through the soil can also
become contaminated with pollution that
is left over from agricultural, industrial,
commercial, and other types of human
activity.   A Stream in Washington State
  
The network of streams and rivers that drain our watershed and carry
water pollution ultimately empty into larger bodies of water, such as lakes
and oceans. As the larger rivers carrying water pollution from the land
flow into lakes and oceans, all of the pollution that was in the rivers now
is concentrated into these other bodies of water. The oceans of the world
become the final resting place for tons of pollution. Through our
watersheds, pollution is distributed far away from its original source. And
obviously, polluted water affects water quality.

Objectives of watershed management


The watershed management is designed with the following objectives
o To reduce the risk designed with the following objectives.
o To control damaging runoff and degradation and thereby conservation of soil and water.
o To manage and utilize the runoff water for the useful purpose.
o To protect, conserve and improve the land of a watershed for more efficient and
sustained production.
o To protect and enhance the water resources originating in the watershed.
o To check soil erosion and reduce the effect of sediment yield on the watershed.
o To moderate infiltration of rainwater.
o To improve and increase the production of timbers, fodder and wildlife resources.
o To enhance the groundwater recharge, wherever applicable.

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