Watershed Vocabulary

Watershed

An area of land that drains water toward a common river.

Headwaters

Water origin of a river. Found at the highest elevations of a watershed.

Tributaries

A stream that flows to a larger stream or other body of water.

Main Stem

The primary downstream segment of a river.

Runoff

Water from rain, melting snow and ice which travels over Earth's surface.

Porosity

the volume of open spaces in rock or soil

Permeability

Ability of rock or soil to allow water to flow through it

Point Source Pollution

Pollution that originates from a single, identifiable source, such as a pipe or drain.

Non Point Source Pollution

Pollution that comes from multiple, diffuse sources rather than a single point, making it harder to identify and control.