What is a Watershed?What is a Watershed?• A watershed is an area of land A watershed is an area of land

that drains downhill to a body that drains downhill to a body of water, such as a stream, of water, such as a stream, lake, river or wetland. lake, river or wetland. 

• A watershed includes both the A watershed includes both the waterway and the land that waterway and the land that drains to it.  Each watershed is drains to it.  Each watershed is separated topographically by a separated topographically by a ridge or hill.  ridge or hill. 

• A watershed is like a funnel - A watershed is like a funnel - collecting all the water within collecting all the water within the drainage area and the drainage area and channeling it into a waterway. channeling it into a waterway.

• Watersheds are natural bodies Watersheds are natural bodies that don’t recognize political that don’t recognize political boundaries. boundaries.

Point Source PollutantsPoint Source Pollutants

• As the groundwater or surface As the groundwater or surface water travels, pollutants and water travels, pollutants and sediments attach to the water sediments attach to the water molecules. These pollutants molecules. These pollutants also travel to the next closest also travel to the next closest body of water. body of water.

• Pollutants originating from a Pollutants originating from a single source, such as a pipe, single source, such as a pipe, that you can ‘point your finger’ that you can ‘point your finger’ toward are referred to as point toward are referred to as point source pollution. source pollution.

• Point source pollution is Point source pollution is regulated by federal, state and regulated by federal, state and local laws.local laws.

Nonpoint source pollution refers to pollutants that come from a multitude of sources. Nationwide, nonpoint source pollution is the major contributor to water quality problems.

Nonpoint Source Pollution comes from a variety of human activities, including agricultural runoff, applications of fertilizers and pesticides, metals and oils from cars, household chemicals, erosion from construction sites and other land clearing activities, stormwater runoff from urban areas and sewage system overflow.

We all contribute to nonpoint source pollution.

Non PointSourcePollutants

Often we don’t Often we don’t understand how our understand how our activities affect local activities affect local waterways. How we use waterways. How we use and dispose of household and dispose of household or yard chemicals can or yard chemicals can make a difference.make a difference.

Although we may be small Although we may be small contributors individually, contributors individually, the cumulative impact the cumulative impact from all residents in a from all residents in a watershed has a big effect. watershed has a big effect. Everyone counts. And Everyone counts. And sometimes accidents sometimes accidents happen. happen.

For example, one gallon of For example, one gallon of spilled motor oil can spilled motor oil can pollute up to two million pollute up to two million gallons of water. gallons of water.

Connecticut River Connecticut River WatershedWatershed • The 410 mile-long Connecticut River is New England's The 410 mile-long Connecticut River is New England's

longest river. Its headwaters are Fourth Connecticut Lake at longest river. Its headwaters are Fourth Connecticut Lake at the Canadian border, and it empties into Long Island Sound the Canadian border, and it empties into Long Island Sound at Old Saybrook, CT.at Old Saybrook, CT.

• The watershed encompasses an area of over 11,000 square-The watershed encompasses an area of over 11,000 square-miles and includes parts of four states -- Connecticut, miles and includes parts of four states -- Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. The River is Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. The River is the boundary between Vermont and New Hampshire (but is the boundary between Vermont and New Hampshire (but is wholly in NH).wholly in NH).

• The watershed is 80% forested, 12% agricultural, 3% The watershed is 80% forested, 12% agricultural, 3% developed, and 5% wetlands and water. There are 390 developed, and 5% wetlands and water. There are 390 towns, villages and cities, which are home to 2.3 million towns, villages and cities, which are home to 2.3 million people.people.

Connecticut RiverHeadwater Lakes

Connecticut RiverBrattleboro, Vermont

Connecticut RiverFrench King Gorge

Connecticut RiverHadley Meadows

Connecticut River down river of Middletown, CT