What is a watershed?
A watershed is the area of land that drains into one body of water. A watershed can be as small as the area of land that drains into a pond, or as large as the area of the land that drains into a major river system.
What is an aquifer?
An aquifer is a subsurface layer of rock or other material that is permeable enough to allow the storage and flow of significant quantities of groundwater.
Why is your watershed important?
Healthy watersheds are important for a healthy environment and economy. Our watershed provides water for drinking, irrigation, and industry. Many people also enjoy the river for its beauty and for boating and fishing. Wildlife too need a healthy watershed for food and shelter.
Natural processes and human activities within a watershed also affect water quality within the receiving water body. All water drains to the lowest point in a watershed. On its way, water travels over the surface of the land or seeps into the land and becomes groundwater. During this journey, water can pick up soil particles, oil, road salt, organic materials, pesticides, excess fertilizers and other nutrients.
In urban areas, fertilizers and pesticides are washed off people's lawns and gardens, pollutants in car exhaust are swept from roadways, and industrial chemicals are flushed away from factory yards through the storm sewer system. Other potential problems include domestic and industrial wastewater, spills, storm water run-off containing pesticides, hydrocarbons, chemicals and micro-organisms.
In rural areas, water quality can be impacted by soil erosion from logging activities, run-off from oil and gas sites, and agriculture run-off including livestock manure, pesticides and fertilizers.
What is Watershed Protection?
There are numerous examples of water sources that have had to be abandoned or required extensive treatment to be safe for human consumption. It is far more economical, effective, and environmentally responsible to protect a watershed rather than allowing contamination to occur and then trying to clean it up.
Watersheds represent the most logical basis for managing water resources, because they are defined by the natural hydrology. In the past, water quality programs have focused on a specific problem or stretch of water. By using the watershed approach, all of the stressors on water quality can be identified, prioritized, and addressed. Because watersheds transcend political boundaries, using a watershed approach leads to partnerships and coordinated efforts.
Contact Information
Stephanie Neufeld
Watershed Specialist
Phone: (780) 412-4097
sneufeld@epcor.ca