Stream Care Guide:

Management Tips for Streamside Property Owners

How Your Watershed Works

Some Definitions and Descriptions

A watershed is a drainage basin, an area of land where a stream gets its water supply. It is bounded by a divide, which separates it from adjacent watersheds. It's important to recognize that activities or conditions anywhere within a watershed can influence the condition of the stream itself.

Knowing the different parts of your watershed helps in understanding how it works and what you can do to help.

A perennial stream flows year-round. An intermittent stream has water in it just part of the year. An ephemeral stream only carries water during a storm. Even ephemeral stream channels are important, since they carry water, soil and other materials into larger streams.

Habitat is the living place of animals. It includes areas that provide food and shelter. Good quality instream habitat is necessary for fish survival.

Clean gravel, abundant aquatic insects, a variety of pools and riffles (undulations in the sand or gravel in a streambed), plenty of places to hide, and clean, cool water are important elements of good instream habitat.

Riparian, or streamside, habitat usually consists of a corridor of vegetation along a stream. This vegetation provides essential food, shelter, and shade for fish and other wildlife, as well as nesting areas and travel corridors. Riparian habitat is used by more species of wildlife than any other habitat type.

Riparian vegetation also provides important streambank stabilization. Roots bind the soil together and vegetation protects the banks from erosion.

Streamside plants get their nutrients from the soil, and then contribute these to the stream food chain when leaves, twigs, and logs fall. Insects and microscopic organisms eat the plant material and algae that grows in the stream. These small creatures are eaten by fish, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. In turn, the fish, birds, reptiles, and amphibians are eaten by larger animals, such as raccoons and eagles.

Some animals are very particular about what they eat; others will eat whatever they can get. Generally, the more types of food there are, the more types of animals there will be. Since plants are an essential part of the food chain, it is crucial that there is abundant and diverse vegetation along the streams.

A stream is an oasis of life. Kids are naturally drawn to play in and along the neighborhood creek. A well-managed stream in a developed area is a place for kids to play and adults to enjoy, as well as a home for fish and wildlife and a channel to carry storm water.

Flood problems, bank erosion, pollution, and degradation of fish and wildlife habitat need not occur. You can stop all of these problems with a little help.

Knowing the different parts of your watershed helps in understanding how it works and what you can do to help.

(Click image for larger view.)

Previous section Next section