What is a Watershed?

A watershed is where you are. No matter where you live, you live in a watershed. A watershed is the area of land drained by a body of water, so a little brook in your backyard or a pond in a nearby park has a watershed. Lake Winnepasaukee in New Hampshire has a watershed as does the Connecticut River. The Connecticut River Watershed, the area of land from which water drains into the river, is 11,000 square miles and includes land in four states:

New Hampshire | Vermont | Massachusetts | Connecticut

There are many habitats in the Connecticut River Watershed, from the barrier beach to the northern bog and from the floodplain to the uplands. A habitat is a place where an organism lives. The habitat supports the organism by providing water, food, shelter, and space. You'll learn more about habitats in the Connecticut River Watershed in this virtual field trip.

The water we use in the Connecticut River Watershed, for everything from drinking to generating electricity, comes from the watershed and returns to it, eventually ending up in Long Island Sound, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. Students learn in elementary school that water is essential to all life and that living things are comprised mostly of water. It is important to continue to understand and appreciate the importance of water throughout our lives, so we can better comprehend the complex relationships, controversies, and challenges presented by multifaceted issues in our watershed.

If the next generation is to act responsibly with regard to the natural world, young people must be guided to an understanding of how the Earth functions and their relationship to it. Responsible action is born of concern for the natural world and concern is born of knowledge and understanding. What better place to begin this educational process than right at home, in your watershed? The Connecticut River Watershed is the home environment for 2.3 million people. For those who live in the watershed, it defines their bioregion, their home place, and it can serve as an excellent resource for interdisciplinary education. By exploring and learning about their home place and developing personal sense of that place, people in a watershed can be empowered to act responsibly to conserve and protect natural resources.

Real world issues and decisions are complex and involve a variety of biological, political, chemical, economic, geologic, and social factors. Watershed education helps people to develop a sense of place as well as an appreciation of the world we live in. This sense of place and appreciation of the watershed are the cornerstone for responsible action. Responsible action should begin at home, in your watershed.