what makes up a watershed

A watershed is an area of land where all the water, such as rainfall or snowmelt, collects and drains into a common outlet, such as a river, lake, or ocean. It is important to understand what makes up a watershed in order to manage and protect its resources effectively.

To determine what makes up a watershed, follow these steps:

1. Identify the location: Determine where the watershed is located on a map. It can be a specific river, lake, or coastal area.
2. Determine the boundaries: Identify the boundaries of the watershed. This can be done by tracing the high points, such as hills or mountains, that divide the water flow and define the edges of the watershed.
3. Note the drainage area: Assess the size of the watershed by calculating the total area of the land that contributes water to the common outlet. This includes all the streams, creeks, and tributaries within the boundaries.
4. Recognize the land features: Take note of the physical features within the watershed. These can include forests, wetlands, meadows, agricultural areas, urban areas, and other types of land use.
5. Observe the vegetation: Identify the types of plants and vegetation within the watershed. Vegetation can affect water quality and flow, as well as provide habitat for wildlife.
6. Monitor human activities: Consider the human activities within the watershed, such as agriculture, industry, residential areas, and infrastructure development. These activities can impact the quality and quantity of water resources.
7. Evaluate water quality: Assess the water quality within the watershed by determining the concentration of pollutants, such as nutrients, sediments, chemicals, and bacteria. This information helps understand the overall health of the watershed.
8. Analyze the overall health: Consider the ecological health and balance within the watershed, including the presence of wildlife species, aquatic organisms, and the overall biodiversity.

By following these steps, you can understand and assess what makes up a watershed, allowing for better management, conservation, and protection of this vital natural resource.

Since this is not my area of expertise, I searched Google under the key words "watershed" to get these possible sources:

http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=watershed&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

In the future, you can find the information you desire more quickly, if you use appropriate key words to do your own search. Also see http://hanlib.sou.edu/searchtools/.