Do you know that if you live in the White Clay watershed, all of the water that leaves your property eventually reaches the Wilmington Riverfront? The White Clay watershed is a 107 square mile area that extends across the Pennsylvania-Delaware border. It is a part of the larger Brandywine-Christina basin which ultimately drains out to the Delaware Bay.
This past summer, two local high school students and a University of Delaware student set out to ask a few general questions regarding our local waterways to pedestrians enjoying a beautiful day along the Wilmington Riverfront. Watch below to see how they responded. Challenge yourself and see if you can do any better!
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRq2Waj4rVg&feature=youtu.b[/embed]
How did you do?
A watershed is simply an area of land that drains to a body of water; so everything we do on land impacts our local waterways. While much of the water we see moves across the land as surface runoff, it’s also moving unseen underground, deep beneath our feet. Unlike townships, counties, and states, watersheds have no political boundaries, only geographical ones. This is beneficial in that it brings local residents together for a common and uniting cause, such as improving water quality. It can also be problematic if we don’t work collaboratively with our neighbors, both upstream and downstream, to collectively improve upon conditions that lead to polluted waters.
When you sit down this Thanksgiving weekend for your turkey dinner you are in a watershed. Remember - no matter where you live, work, or play, you are always in a watershed. Click here to learn your watershed address.