Watersheds

Nathan St-Laurent and Jordan Turcotte

 

What are watersheds? A watershed is the area where two rivers drain into

a single river. Watershed can also mean a ridge, formed by a chain of

mountains, which sends water to two different rivers on either side. The

great lakes, the lower mackenzie, the st-lawrence river and the maritime

coastal are some of Canada’s major watersheds. How does it works?

The principle is very simple. The water starts from a higher point and slip

down the rivers because of the gravity force. The watersheds are essential

to navigate, they are creating the river's current. The bigger the watershed

will be the stronger the current will be. The weather has a big influence

on the current too. When it is rainy, there is more water in the rivers the

pressure caused is bigger so the current is stronger. Just the opposite, when there is a dryness the water is less important so the river’s current force is lower. Nowadays, water is becoming a huge need all around the world but we keep wasting it and polluting it. The principle of the watersheds apply to the pollution too. When we are polluting the river on a higher point all the part belong will be contaminated. The wastewater is drag by the current all down the rivers and finally in the ocean. All the rivers of the world are connected so the pollution of one affects all the others.

 

http://www.leps.bc.ca/stewardship/watersheds-of-langley/

http://watershedreports.wwf.ca/#ws-19/by/threat-overall/profile