What is a Watershed
DEFINING WATERSHEDS
Our Wawasee Watershed is fragile. Your smallest actions—on land and water—can have a lasting impact on water quality. Boating, shoreline development, invasive plants, and animal activity can negatively affect water quality. However, if we understand the threats and act responsibly, we can minimize this impact and, in some cases, prevent damage in the first place.
Sediment nutrients (phosphorus and nitrates) and pathogens (primarily E. coli) can change a lake forever. They are currently present in the lakes and streams within our watershed and directly result from human activity. Run-off from farms and residential properties containing fertilizers and animal waste can result in toxic, blue-green algae, killing fish and animals and sickening humans.
But there is good news! Our research leads to direct action that protects the watershed from these threats. Our Wawasee Inlet Nutrient Study is setting a new standard for how glacial lakes are studied, and we are leveraging the investment to request funding for further work with farmers through the National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI) and to study Martin Creek further. In addition to working with the DNR’s Lake and River Enhancement (LARE) and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, WACF will pursue best management practices through the NWQI – making WACF the first glacial lake in the state to earn this designation and bring funding that is 75% paid, 25% by the farmer. The proposal includes water management, cover crops, no-till, and other best management practices.
Invasive plant removal and timber stand improvement will continue in our forests with Environmental Quality Incentive Program funding (EQIP) on 375 acres of WACF-owned land. EQIP is overseen by the US Department of Agriculture and managed locally through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
Where does the watershed flow?
Did you know that bodies of water located north of the Continental Divide flow north, not south? A continental divide is a geographical ridge or boundary that separates a continent’s river systems into distinct drainage basins. It determines the direction in which water flows across the land.
One such divide is the St. Lawrence Divide, which runs east-west just south of Syracuse and north of North Webster, specifically on the hill where the National Weather Service Doppler is located. This divide winds through Noble County, moving east toward South Bend and the US 20 bypass heading west.
So, what does this divide (or any other continental divide) do? A peak in the topography causes water to flow in opposite directions. Therefore, water that falls on the north side of the St. Lawrence Divide flows toward the Great Lakes and eventually empties into the Atlantic Ocean after passing through the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River.
Would you like to see the Continental Divide? Join the WACF canoe team for one of our 10 Lake Canoe trips. This unique experience allows you to travel from the headwater lake of the Wawasee watershed through the ten lakes that feed Lake Wawasee. You’ll gain a real education and enjoy a life-enriching experience on this journey! Many participants return every year. Join us as we explore the value of the Continental Divide and discover how our water flows.
What is a subwatershed
A subwatershed is a smaller watershed that nests inside of a larger watershed. It is the area of land that water flows over or through to drain into a larger body of water. Subwatersheds can be identified by tracing a line on a map along the highest elevations between two areas. Large watersheds may contain hundreds or thousands of smaller subwatersheds that drain into the river or other waterbody.
