Watersheds
A collecting bowl for every rain drop.
Image above: the watersheds of the United States. You can obtain a detailed, high resolution copy of the remarkable map shown above by going to the CascadiaUnderground link.
WATERSHED: A geographical area where all the flowing water eventually finds its way to the same place
Take a look at the above map of the United States. Every color represents a different watershed. Notice the massive watershed of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers (pink) in the central part of the United States. All the flowing water within the pink area ends up flowing out of the Mississippi Delta in Louisiana.
Everyone resides within a particular watershed, and everything we do affects the watershed we live in. Watersheds can be seen as an organizing principal in maintaining healthy ecosystems.
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An example detail of local watersheds, in this case, coastal San Diego County. Each color is generally a different watershed, however, political issues sometimes alter the science. Note the outlined Escondido Creek watershed in the upper left that was left out of the published map. Source: San Diego County.
Detail of California's watersheds. Notice the large number of separate watersheds along the southern California coast.
More to come...