Watersheds
Watersheds are pieces of land that separate waters flowing to different rivers or seas. Watersheds are often referred to as “drainage divides”. They can prevent water from a specific stream or river from entering, for example, a lake. We can see this happening in our own local watershed. In the case of Kingston for example, features of the land prevent the natural flow of water within the Carpenter Creek Watershed from entering Carpenter Lake.
Watersheds exist on massively different scales. A strip of land that separates a river from a lake can be referred to as a watershed. A mountain range that divides a river, causing the two channels to flow to different oceans is a watershed, too.
Due to it's shape & slope a watershed can create the perfect collection pool for water draining from higher elevations. A reliable & treasured source of water for farming and recreational activities, water that drains across land within a watershed reflects the care that is put into that land. The intention with which we impact our land (from the amount of water we use in our daily activities, to the chemicals & waste products we allow to wash off of our cars and our plants and our animals) eventually shows up in the water that drains to the pool. It shows up in the health of the plants & the wildlife that the water can support in that pool, and in the experience we have when we canoe, or fish, or swim there.
To help take care of our watersheds (and other bodies of water in the area), be mindful of what you’re throwing away and how much water you’re using. Minimize the use of fertilizers & other chemicals & waste products in your yard or garden. Pledge to wash your car at a car wash where the runoff is treated before entering the watershed. Challenge yourself to do what nature does: seek balance as you seek growth.
Watersheds exist on massively different scales. A strip of land that separates a river from a lake can be referred to as a watershed. A mountain range that divides a river, causing the two channels to flow to different oceans is a watershed, too.
Due to it's shape & slope a watershed can create the perfect collection pool for water draining from higher elevations. A reliable & treasured source of water for farming and recreational activities, water that drains across land within a watershed reflects the care that is put into that land. The intention with which we impact our land (from the amount of water we use in our daily activities, to the chemicals & waste products we allow to wash off of our cars and our plants and our animals) eventually shows up in the water that drains to the pool. It shows up in the health of the plants & the wildlife that the water can support in that pool, and in the experience we have when we canoe, or fish, or swim there.
To help take care of our watersheds (and other bodies of water in the area), be mindful of what you’re throwing away and how much water you’re using. Minimize the use of fertilizers & other chemicals & waste products in your yard or garden. Pledge to wash your car at a car wash where the runoff is treated before entering the watershed. Challenge yourself to do what nature does: seek balance as you seek growth.