Introduction to our

Watershed

a partnership between the City of Chattanooga Stormwater Division & Chattanooga State

Protecting NATURE’S resource through knowledge and

awareness of our Watershed

What is a Watershed?

A watershed is an area of land where precipitation falls from the clouds or

snow melts and all of the run-off both surface and sub-surface drains to

one point located on the downstream end of a watershed. The watershed is

bordered by peaks and ridges that create the watershed’s boundary or water-

shed divide. 

Precipitation falls from clouds over the watershed area. The precipitation lands

on the surface and becomes run-off that can move along the surface or per-

colate into the sub-surface. Surface run-off moves though tributaries and other

drainage systems such as pipes, culverts, gutters, etc. Sub-surface run-off

travels through aquifers and other underground conduits such as caves and

underground stream networks. 

The watershed is broken into many regions:  Forestry, Agriculture, Towns,

Cities, Lakes, Wetlands, Riparian Zones, Grasslands and Tributaries.

A watershed is a very complex system that moves precipitation/run-off from the

watershed divide to the downstream outlet whether it be another watershed,

gulf, ocean or sea.