Watersheds.  
Did you know that you are in a watershed right now? A watershed is any area from which water above and below ground drains to a specific stream, river, lake, bay, or ocean. All of the water that flows over or through a watershed ends up in the body of water it drains to, including whatever this water may pick up along its way.

When it rains, all of the water drains to one body of water. It falls on land and travels to a stream and eventually a river that empties into a lake or ocean. Water also soaks into the ground to add to groundwater and underground rivers. This graphic shows the process of water entering the watershed. The watershed boundary is defined by the dividing line of highest elevation surrounding a given stream or network of streams. Rainwater falling outside the boundary will flow into an adjacent watershed and another receiving water body.

Watersheds can be small or large, and smaller watersheds can combine to make a much larger watershed. Montgomery County is in the larger Chesapeake Bay watershed which means all of the water that comes through, or is from here, goes to the Chesapeake Bay. We also have parts of the Potomac River watershed and the Patuxent River watershed located within our county. Our area is further divided into 8 major watersheds within Montgomery County.

Address:     255 Rockville Pike, Suite 120 Rockville, MD 20850 Email:        Contact:   Ann English Phone:    240-777-0311   FAX:  240-777-7715