Watershed

What is a watershed?
It is a geographic area of land in which all surface and ground water flows downhill to common point, such as a river, stream, pond, lake or wetland, or estuary.

Water from falling rain and melting snow generally drains into ditches, streams, wetlands, lakes and coastal waters, or seeps into the ground. As water moves over the land it picks up sediment and dissolved materials and transports them to lakes, rivers, ponds, streams and coastal bays. Vegetation, leaf litter, fallen logs and the naturally uneven terrain of forests and other natural areas slow down and filter runoff. Water flowing over parking lots and other developed areas speeds up and can pick up a variety of pollutants on its way to water bodies. Development in watershed has the potential to affect water resources in several important ways. Impervious surfaces - ranging from parking lots to building roofs - change the amount of rain water that seeps into the ground. Increased runoff over these impervious surfaces and through storm drains causes higher flood levels down stream. Reduced amounts of ground water can affect wells and reduce stream flows during the summer affecting water supplies, fish and other aquatic life. In addition, pollution that run off farmland, parking lots, highways, industrial sites and residential yards, or leach into groundwater from septic systems and underground storage tanks are significant threats to water resources. Finally our demand for water threatens to deplete many streams and groundwater sources, affecting aquatic life and concentrating pollutants in streams, rivers, lakes, ponds and coastal waters.

What Should I Do?

• Maintain smaller lawns and native vegetation. Don't over-water or over-fertilize lawns and gardens. Lawn watering accounts for nearly 1/2 of summer drinking water use and native vegetation is important habitat for wildlife.
• Involve yourself in local decision-making; an estimated 80-90% of decisions to protect the environment are made locally!
• Maintain Septic Systems, for more info follow this link
• Properly dispose of household hazardous waste
• Establish and maintain natural vegetation along streams and rivers to provide wildlife habitat and a natural buffer to pollution. More than 3/4 of the 100,000+ miles of mass rivers and streams are on private land, so your action can make the difference
• Support the work of local conservation groups (watershed associations, land trusts, soil and water conservation districts).
  
  

We are part of the Blackstone Valley Watershed
Learn more ~ Visit the Massachusetts Watershed Initiative