Watersheds in Pennsylvania

Watersheds in Watersheds in PennsylvaniaPennsylvania

What is a watershed?What is a watershed?• A drainage basin

– A basin that contributes water to a stream, lake, or other body of water.

– Surrounded by topographic highs called divides.

• Any ridge between two streams along which precipitation runs off.

DemonstrationDemonstration

• http://techalive.mtu.edu/meec/module01/whatiswatershed.htm

• Watershed Game

• http://www.bellmuseum.org/distancelearning/watershed/watershed2.html

The Continental DivideThe Continental Divide

• Separation between water that drains into

–Atlantic ocean

– Pacific Ocean

PA Major WatershedsPA Major Watersheds

• Great Lakes

• Ohio River Basin

• Susquehanna/Chesapeake Basin

• Potomac Basin

• Delaware Basin

Question?Question?

• Where would water in PA eventually drain to?

• The Atlantic Ocean

PAPA

• The PA State Water Plan organizes the states freshwater system.

• We have 104 watershed

– Separated into basins and sub basins.

Great Lakes BasinGreat Lakes Basin

• Only 1% of the Great Lakes basin lies in PA.

• Divided into 2 sub basins– Erie Basin– Genesee Basin

Erie BasinErie Basin

• Major Fresh water bodies of water– Conneaut Creek– Elk Creek– Walnut Creek

Genesee BasinGenesee Basin

• Most come from New York State– And drain into Lake Ontario

Ohio River BasinOhio River Basin

• PA’s second Largest watershed– 16,000 square miles of PA

• Provides drinking water for an estimated 13 million people– 3.5 million of PA

• Largest River in the Basin in Pittsburgh, where the Allegheny river meets the Monongahela.

Susquehanna/Chesapeake BasinSusquehanna/Chesapeake Basin

• Largest Watershed in PA

• Covering 46% of the state

• Headwaters come from New York Ostego Lake– Mouth ends in Chesapeake

Major TributariesMajor Tributaries

• Lackwanna

• Conestoga

• West Branch Sus.

• Juniata

• Loyalsock and Tuscarora Creeks

Here We

Are!!!

Potomac BasinPotomac Basin

• Located on the borders of PA• Tributaries

– Shenandoah– Marsh– Wills– Tonoloway– Licking– Rock– Conococheague– Antietam

Delaware BasinDelaware Basin

• Covers 6,500 square miles of PA

• 3rd Largest Watershed

• Tributaries– Lackawaxen, Upper, Middle, and Lower Lehigh Rivers

• Creeks– Maiden and Brandywine

• ( Transfers water to the Hudson Basin in New York City’s Freshwater needs)