What is a Watershed?

A watershed is an area that drains water into a creek, river, lake, wetland, bay, or groundwater aquifer. In the Santa Clara Valley, all the water from rain and irrigation that flows over land (called runoff) goes into storm drains, creeks and rivers that flow directly to San Francisco Bay. You live in a watershed, too. All the runoff from your home, yard, and neighborhood flows to a local creek and ultimately to the Bay.

Watersheds are more than just drainage areas in and around our communities. They are necessary to support habitat for plants and animals, and they provide drinking water for people and wildlife. They also provide the opportunity for recreation and enjoyment of nature. Protection of the natural resources in our watershed is essential to maintain the health and wellbeing of all living things, now and in the future.

Watershed Resources

You live in a watershed! View a map of your local Santa Clara Valley watershed.

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Oakland Museum Watershed Maps The Oakland Museum of California has developed a Creek and Watershed Information Source website containing a series of maps and guidebooks to creeks and watersheds in the San Francisco Bay area. See the series of maps.

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“Watching Our Watersheds” interactive map layers using Google Earth Map the course of stormwater from your neighborhood storm drain to the nearest creek, stream or river, all the way to the San Francisco Bay. Explore your Western, Central or Southern Santa Clara County watershed in the past and present.

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Want to learn more about why we should protect watersheds? Check out the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Benefits of Healthy Watersheds website.

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The Watershed Watch Campaign is an initiative of
the following agencies:

Why are Watersheds Important?

Watershed Resources