Watershed Management
What is a Watershed, anyway?
A watershed collects rain and surface water, and delivers it downslope to a distinct body of water.
Falling rain or melting snow, once on the ground either sinks into the soil (infiltration) or moves across the surface (run-off) carrying debris, pollution, or soil particles with it. Surface runoff affects the quality and quantity of surface and groundwater.
Water, clean water, is the key to life and so many of life’s pleasures.
Diagram courtesy of Maxfield Design
Wherever you are in Bucks County, you stand in one, usually more, watersheds.
What you do in your backyard, doesn’t stay there. Rain and snow carry traces of your life and work into larger and larger watersheds. Leaving your neighborhood, water mingles with the contributions from your entire community. The merging continues throughout the watershed and in the end, we are all living downstream.
Nearly all of Bucks County drains into the Delaware River. Along the northwestern edge of the county, the East Branch Perkiomen, and the Perkiomen Creek feed into the Schuylkill River.
Ten sub watersheds collect water from over 40 named tributaries dissecting the county. Can you find your watershed, your nearest stream?
Bucks County Conservation District works to protect soil and water.
We conserve watersheds. Everyone has a role to play. Are you…
…a Resident?
Solutions for common backyard water problems can benefit people, water quality, and wildlife. Discover conservation landscaping as a means to achieve aesthetic, habitat, and water management goals.
A selection of historical watershed plans and assessments for Bucks County watersheds can be found here.
…a Streamside Landowner?
Streams and creeks can change quickly with rainfall. Storm events can leave a wake of flooding, erosion, and downed trees. Your streamside property is a resource to be managed and cared for.
Check out our new Watersheds Work program to learn about the materials and resources we have available to lend out to you!
Contact Us:
Need more information or assistance? Contact Karen Ogden at 215-345-7577, x107 or email at KOgden@BucksCCD.org.