Community of Spanish Lake

What is a Watershed?

What exactly is a Watershed?

It doesn’t matter where you live—on a farm or in the city, on
the seashore or in the mountains, in the woods or even in the
desert—you live in a watershed. A watershed is defined by the topography
around you. All the rain or snow that falls in your neighborhood drains
toward a body of water. In our case, that’s Watkins Creek. And then,
of course, Watkins Creek flows into a larger body of water, the
Mississippi, which then flows into the Gulf of Mexico…it’s all
connected. From your backyard to the ocean.

How does a healthy Watkins Creek Watershed affect my neighborhood?
• Provides a natural water filter and helps to provide
clean drinking water
• Reduces erosion
• Helps control stormwater and flooding
• Provides space for recreational areas including
hiking, swimming and fishing
• Naturally cools the air
• Increases property value
• Promotes economic growth
• Provides water for industry and transportation

We forget that the water cycle and the life cycle are one.
Jacques Cousteau