Science Common Sense

268 - What is a watershed, and why is it important?

Imagine a big area of land where all the rain and snowmelt flow into a river or lake. This area is called a watershed. A watershed is like a big bucket that collects all the water that falls on it, and then sends it flowing into a body of water.

Watersheds are important because they:

• Provide drinking water for people and animals
• Irrigate crops for food
• Support plants and animals that live along the rivers and lakes
• Help prevent floods by slowing down the water
• Keep our environment clean by filtering out pollutants

So, taking care of our watersheds is crucial to keeping our water clean and healthy for us and the environment.