Ways to a Winning Watersheds

June 27, 2022

Written by: Caroline Kim

In the next two weeks, I’ll have the opportunity to work with other students from across the U.S. and Greenland to research and learn more about the environment. In preparation, one of the topics discussed was watersheds, which is an aspect of the environment I feel as though I haven’t thought about since 7th grade. However, these watersheds are important for ecological function and are defined as “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” (NOAA). For example, rainfall might flow into a neighborhood stream, flow into a lake, and eventually reach the ocean. Ultimately, it works to “transport water” and “collect sediment” along the way (Introduction to Watershed Ecology). Not only does this network sustain our water supply, it also provides recreational activity, manufacturing, and agriculture (How We Protect Watersheds). It is clear that this complex web of water is a necessary asset for survival, and so efforts to protect it are crucial.

Drainage basins are often polluted from chemicals, urban runoff, and wastewater. Some simple ways you can protect drainage basins by not pouring toxic chemicals down the drain, cautious or no fertilizer use, not littering, using environmentally friendly transportation (How We Protect Watersheds). In turn, healthy drainage basins result in increased biodiversity, nutrient cycling, lowered economic costs, and lower illness rate (Benefits of Healthy Watersheds). Overall, a healthy watershed system is crucial for habitat connectivity, quality, and invasive species.

Sources:

US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “What Is a Watershed?” What Is a Watershed?, 30 Nov. 2017, https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/watershed.html.

“Introduction to Watershed Ecology.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, https://cfpub.epa.gov/watertrain/moduleFrame.cfm?parent_object_id=586#:~:text=Because%20a%20watershed%20is%20an,watersheds)%20onward%20to%20the%20ocean.

“How We Protect Watersheds.” The Nature Conservancy, https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-priorities/protect-water-and-land/land-and-water-stories/how-we-protect-watersheds/.

“Benefits of Healthy Watersheds.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 5 Apr. 2022, https://www.epa.gov/hwp/benefits-healthy-watersheds.