LEQ:LEQ:Where is the land Where is the land area that supplies area that supplies

runoff to the runoff to the Susquehanna River Susquehanna River

Watershed, and where Watershed, and where does all that water does all that water

drain?drain?Key Terms: Headwaters, tributary, Key Terms: Headwaters, tributary, confluence, mouthconfluence, mouth watershed, watershed, sub-basin.sub-basin.

Headwaters The small streams near the source The small streams near the source

or beginning of a river system.or beginning of a river system. Always in the highest elevations of Always in the highest elevations of

the watershed and flow toward the the watershed and flow toward the lower elevations.lower elevations.

Are the streams in the watershed Are the streams in the watershed which are closest to the watershed’s which are closest to the watershed’s divide.divide.

Can flow in any compass direction. Can flow in any compass direction. Join together to form larger streams. Join together to form larger streams.

Stream OrderStream Order All of the streams in the diagram of All of the streams in the diagram of

the watershed below labeled as 1 the watershed below labeled as 1 are headwaters of the river system.are headwaters of the river system.

Tributary

The smaller streams and rivers that The smaller streams and rivers that flow into a main river system.flow into a main river system.

Always flow from higher elevations to Always flow from higher elevations to lower elevations.lower elevations.

Are part of a watershed.Are part of a watershed. Can join together before they reach Can join together before they reach

the main river in the system.the main river in the system. The location where 2 streams or The location where 2 streams or

rivers come together is called a rivers come together is called a confluence..

Stream OrderStream Order All of the streams in the diagram of All of the streams in the diagram of

the watershed below labeled as 1, or the watershed below labeled as 1, or 2 are tributaries of the river system.2 are tributaries of the river system.

MouthMouth The point where the main river system The point where the main river system

flows into a larger body of water.flows into a larger body of water. All of the water (and everything flowing All of the water (and everything flowing

along with the water) from the main along with the water) from the main river system flows into the larger body river system flows into the larger body of water.of water.

The larger body of water can be a larger The larger body of water can be a larger river, a lake, a bay, a sea, or the ocean.river, a lake, a bay, a sea, or the ocean.

Always located at the lowest elevation Always located at the lowest elevation of the watershed.of the watershed.

Stream OrderStream Order The mouth of the river system is The mouth of the river system is

labeled below.labeled below.

Mouth

WatershedsWatersheds Can be different sizes.Can be different sizes.

Can include only a few headwater streams, Can include only a few headwater streams, tributaries, and a small main stream.tributaries, and a small main stream.

Small watersheds can be part of even a Small watersheds can be part of even a larger watershed.larger watershed. If part of a larger watershed, the smaller If part of a larger watershed, the smaller

watershed is referred to as a or sub-basin.watershed is referred to as a or sub-basin. The drainage point of the sub-basin is The drainage point of the sub-basin is

located at the confluence where the located at the confluence where the tributary meets another tributary of the tributary meets another tributary of the main stream, or the main stream of the main stream, or the main stream of the larger watershed.larger watershed.

Susquehanna River Susquehanna River WatershedWatershed

All of us in Central Pennsylvania live All of us in Central Pennsylvania live in the Susquehanna River Watershed.in the Susquehanna River Watershed.

Like any watershed, the Susquehanna Like any watershed, the Susquehanna River Watershed has:River Watershed has: HeadwatersHeadwaters TributariesTributaries A mouthA mouth

The Susquehanna River Watershed is The Susquehanna River Watershed is a very large watershed that drains a a very large watershed that drains a very large area of land. Because it is very large area of land. Because it is so large, it has many sub-basins.so large, it has many sub-basins.

Susquehanna River BasinSusquehanna River Basin

We will be using the internet to do our We will be using the internet to do our map study of the Susquehanna River map study of the Susquehanna River Basin.Basin.

You will be given a worksheet to You will be given a worksheet to complete.complete.

To complete the worksheet, you will To complete the worksheet, you will need to surf and use your internet need to surf and use your internet research skills on the following website:research skills on the following website: Susquehanna River Basin Map GallerySusquehanna River Basin Map Gallery