Where is a watershed located and why is the watershed, its tributaries, rivers and lakes, similar to a branching pattern of a tree?
A watershed refers to an area of land that drains all the water and precipitation into a common outlet, such as a river, lake, or ocean. It is essentially a basin-like structure, where all the water within its boundaries flows into a central point.
To identify where a watershed is located, you can follow these steps:
1. Determine the location of the river or stream of interest.
2. Find the highest points or ridges on the surrounding landscape.
3. Trace an imaginary line along the ridges that connect all the highest points.
4. The area within this boundary is the watershed for that particular river or stream.
Now, let's discuss why a watershed and its tributaries, rivers, and lakes resemble the branching pattern of a tree.
When water falls as precipitation, it starts to flow downhill, following the path of least resistance. As the water moves across the land, it accumulates into small streams, and these streams eventually join together to form larger rivers. Think of this as the branches of a tree merging to form the trunk.
Similarly, just as a tree's branches become more numerous and finer as you move away from the trunk, a watershed's tributaries become more numerous and smaller as they flow away from the main river or outlet. The smaller streams and tributaries are comparable to the fine branches of a tree.
Ultimately, the branching pattern of a tree and the network of streams and rivers within a watershed both serve the purpose of efficiently distributing resources. For a tree, it's sunlight and nutrients. For a watershed, it's water and sediment. Both systems utilize branching patterns to maximize efficiency and expand their reach over a wider area.