What is a Watershed?

 

A watershed is all of the land that water moves across or under while flowing to a specific body of water. A watershed includes the land and the water in it as well as the plants, animals and humans who live and work there. Every area of the earth in which water falls on land is a watershed; so, no matter where you live, you live in a watershed.

Watersheds are called different names depending on their size. Basins are made up of multiple watersheds and drain to larger bodies of water, like the Chesapeake Bay or Delaware River. Subwatersheds are areas within a watershed that drain to smaller bodies of water like creeks and wetlands.

This site provides basin and watershed information as well as links to publications, resources, and data for Delaware’s watersheds. We hope that by learning about your watershed you’ll be inspired to help protect, preserve, and enhance the quality of Delaware’s water resources.

Visit the Find Your Watershed page to search addresses on an interactive web map and determine their watershed.