What is a Watershed?

A watershed is an area of land where all of the rain and snow in it drains to the same water body, like a stream, river, pond, lake, or ocean.

Watersheds are named after the water body they drain into. As an example, all of the land that drains to Capisic Brook is part of the Capisic Brook watershed. The Capisic Brook watershed is also a part of the Fore River watershed and the Casco Bay watershed. In fact, all of Portland’s streams, ponds, rivers, and wetlands flow into Casco Bay .

It’s all connected!

When water flows across the land it can pick up pollutants and carry them directly to a water body or into the storm drains that then direct the untreated and unfiltered water to the water body. We all live in a watershed that feeds a local water body which might be used as a drinking water source or for recreational or commercial activities. 

Watershed management often involves multiple communities working together on mutual land use policies and reducing polluted runoff to improve water quality. The City of Portland works with the City of Westbrook on issues that impact Capisic Brook and Nasons Brook, as those watersheds are in both cities.