A Deep Dive into Watersheds

Published on February 20, 2025

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A Deep Dive into Watersheds

What is a watershed and why should we protect ours? When you think of the word, it may be helpful to think of the expression “all streams lead to the ocean.” Simply put, watersheds – also known as drainage basins or catchment areas – describe how water flows over a landscape.  A watershed is the channel or pathway of water from land to sea and is not defined by size (NOAA, n.d.). Watersheds may be large, like the Hillsborough River, or much smaller, like a roadside ditch. When it rains, the water must have somewhere to go. So, it gathers into puddles that eventually travel as runoff into creeks, streams, or rivers – like Curlew or Cedar Creek. Eventually, these tributaries discharge off into the ocean via St. Joseph’s Sound or Clearwater Harbor. In some cases, water does not flow directly into the ocean from surface waters, and instead pools in an underground aquifer through percolation, or water infiltration, before eventually making its way to the ocean. Dunedin sits on top of what is known as the Floridian Aquifer.

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Does Dunedin Have a Watershed?

Communities may have several different watersheds. For example, Dunedin has three – Curlew Creek, Cedar Creek, and Spring Branch (a segment of Stevenson Creek). The watersheds listed here flow into other, bigger watersheds, such as the St. Joseph Sound and Clearwater Harbor. These watersheds and the surrounding vegetation help regulate the flow of water, supporting diversity in ecosystems, and mitigating the risk of flooding due to tidal movements or rainfall from a storm.

What Are the Benefits of a Healthy Watershed?

A healthy watershed serves as a natural filter, protecting the quality of water in a larger water body, such as the ocean. Watersheds not only enhance water quality but they also may provide other vital services. For example, a healthy watershed may offer “clean drinking water, productive fisheries, and outdoor recreation” (EPA, 2024). In a number of ways, watersheds are beneficial to the environment as a whole, supporting local wildlife, economies, and quality of life.

What Can Be Potentially Harmful to Watersheds?

We all live on a watershed so it is vital that we maintain our watershed’s health, nurturing the chemical, physical and biological integrity of water and its path. Watersheds are susceptible to pollution and erosion from human activity (EPA, 2024). Some of the leading pollutants include excess sediments and nutrients—like nitrogen and phosphorus, which exacerbate algal blooms—and bacteria, such as E. coli, which can spread disease to both humans and wildlife. These contaminants are typically sourced from pesticides, fertilizer, pet wastes, oil and grease, litter and other debris from urban runoff.

What Steps Can You Take to Protect Our Watersheds?

To do your part in ensuring a healthy urban watershed, you can take these steps:

  • Use hardy, native plants in gardens that do not require much water and fertilizer. When fertilizer is necessary, consider using natural, organic and slow-releasing options instead. (The Nature Conservancy, n.d.).
  • Walk and bike wherever possible as opposed to driving.
  • Pick up after your pets and properly dispose of their waste.
  • Consider opting for wood, brick, or gravel walkways/driveways/decks. These surfaces allow rain to soak through rather than run off into our creeks.
  • Conserve water whenever you can! Take shorter showers, fix leaks immediately, and mindfully do laundry.
  • Keep debris and sediment out of roads
  • Avoid dumping household chemicals, oil, antifreeze or other wastes down the storm drain or into the street where it can run off into drains and our watershed. Only rain down the storm drain!

Sources:

“What is a watershed?” National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/watershed.html

“What is a Healthy Watershed?” United States Environmental Protection Agency, https://www.epa.gov/hwp/basic-information-and-answers-frequent-questions

“How We Protect Watersheds” The Nature Conservancy, https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-priorities/protect-water-and-land/land-and-water-stories/how-we-protect-watersheds/#:~:text=A%20watershed%20is%20an%20area,to%20numerous%20plants%20and%20animals.

 

 

 

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