What is a Watershed? 

A watershed is an area of land over and through which water flows to the lowest point - a stream, river, wetland, or lake. Watersheds catch precipitation and accumulate water into flows across or under the landscape. They come in many different shapes and sizes. Watersheds can be hilly, mountainous, or nearly flat and can be comprised of many land uses including forests, farms, towns and cities.

Why are Watersheds Important?

​We live, play, and raise our children in watersheds. Our drinking water comes from watersheds. Our watersheds provide resources for the economy, recreation, and wildlife. Everything that we do on the land is within a watershed.

What is Your Watershed Address? 

No matter where we are, we are always in a watershed. Look at the following maps and determine your watershed address. A watershed address is the name of the watershed in which you live.

How to Protect Your Watershed

Protecting our watersheds in Sullivan County means clean water in our streams. Clean water in our streams means healthy drinking water in our homes. It provides for safe water activities, such as swimming and boating and a healthy environment for abundant wildlife and natural resources in and around our aquatic environments. Clean water is essential for life. Threats to our clean water do not follow political boundaries, but occur within watersheds.
By joining your local watershed group and volunteering on clean-up and restoration projects, you can play a part in ensuring clean water for future generations.
Watershed associations throughout Sullivan County are working to stabilize stream banks, restore riparian buffers along our streams, control invasive plant species, restore fisheries, monitor water quality, encourage better management practices for storm water and land use, and educate their communities on the importance of environmental protection and conservation.