What is a watershed? Give example.

A watershed is an area of land that drains or “sheds” water into a specific waterbody. Everybody of water has a watershed. Watersheds drain rainfall and snowmelt into streams and rivers. These smaller bodies of water flow into larger ones, including lakes, bays, and oceans. Gravity helps to guide the path that water takes across the landscape.

Example: The Mississippi and Missouri Rivers are the two longest rivers in North America, and together form the backbone of the much larger Mississippi watershed that supplies fresh water to a huge portion of the continental United States.

Further Reading:

• Water – A Resource
• What are the Parts of a River Called?