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Watershed 101

What is a watershed? Watch the video below to sum it up!

We live in the chesapeake bay watershed

What is a watershed? A watershed is an area of land that drains into a particular river, lake, or other body of water. Watersheds are sometimes called “basins” or “drainage basins.” We all live in a watershed. Some watersheds, like that of a stream or creek, are small. Others, like the Chesapeake Bay watershed, are large. 


The Chesapeake Bay watershed spans more than 64,000 square miles. It encompasses parts of six states—Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia—and the entire District of Columbia. More than 18 million people call the Bay watershed home. The Chesapeake Bay is an estuary meaning it is a body of water where fresh and salt water mix. It is the largest of more than 100 estuaries in the United States and third largest in the world. The Bay receives about half its water volume from the Atlantic Ocean in the form of saltwater. The other half (freshwater) drains into the Bay from the enormous 64,000-square-mile watershed. The Susquehanna River is the Bay’s largest tributary, and contributes about half of the Bay’s freshwater. This is why our actions on land have such a big impact on the Bay’s health.  


Learn more...

Click the links below to learn more about our Chesapeake Bay Watershed

  •  Bay 101 
  •  Bay History 
  •  Bay Animals and Habitat 
  •  Bay Ecosystem 
  •  Bay Issues 


York, PA has 11 main watersheds. Which one do you live in?

York, PA Watersheds

Yellow Breeches

Little Conewago West

Yellow Breeches

  • 20,000+ people live here
  • 43 square miles of this watershed is in York County
  • 1,410 feet is the highest elevation point of this watershed
  • 103 miles of streams exist here
  • Land use here is 33% residential, 3% commercial, 54% agriculture, 10% other

Conewago West

Little Conewago West

Yellow Breeches

  • 55,000+ people live here
  • 180 square miles of this watershed is in York County
  • 1,410 feet is the highest elevation point of this watershed
  • 377 miles of streams exist here
  • Land use here is 23% residential, 2% commercial, 64% agriculture, 1% industrial, 10% other

Little Conewago West

Little Conewago West

Little Conewago West

  • 49,000+ people live here
  • 66 square miles of this watershed is in York County
  • 1,060 feet is the highest elevation point of this watershed
  • 140 miles of streams exist here
  • Land use here is 31% residential, 5% commercial, 50% agriculture, 9% industrial, 7% other

Codorus

East Branch Codorus

Little Conewago West

  • 148,000+ people live here
  • 161 square miles of this watershed is in York County
  • 1,220 feet is the highest elevation point of this watershed
  • 258 miles of streams exist here
  • Land use here is 28% residential, 6% commercial, 44% agriculture, 6% industrial, 15% other

East Branch Codorus

East Branch Codorus

East Branch Codorus

  • 20,000+ people live here
  • 45 square miles of this watershed is in York County
  • 1,070 feet is the highest elevation point of this watershed
  • 82 miles of streams exist here
  • Land use here is 27% residential, 2% commercial, 61% agriculture, 1% industrial, 9% other

Kreutz

East Branch Codorus

East Branch Codorus

  • 23,000+ people live here
  • 35 square miles of this watershed is in York County
  • 1,050 feet is the highest elevation point of this watershed
  • 63 miles of streams exist here
  • Land use here is 34% residential, 4% commercial, 47% agriculture, 6% industrial, 11% other

Muddy

Deer Creek

Deer Creek

  • 25,000+ people live here
  • 137 square miles of this watershed is in York County
  • 1,040 feet is the highest elevation point of this watershed
  • 267 miles of streams exist here
  • Land use here is 14% residential, 1% commercial, 82% agriculture, 5% other

Deer Creek

Deer Creek

Deer Creek

  • 11,000+ people live here
  • 26 square miles of this watershed is in York County
  • 1,060 feet is the highest elevation point of this watershed
  • 44 miles of streams exist here
  • Land use here is 21% residential, 3% commercial, 69% agriculture, 1% industrial, 6% other

Gunpowder

Deer Creek

Susquehanna

  • 4,000+ people live here
  • 11 square miles of this watershed is in York County
  • 1,090 feet is the highest elevation point of this watershed
  • 19 miles of streams exist here
  • Land use here is 21% residential, 3% commercial, 69% agriculture, 1% industrial, 6% other

Susquehanna

South Branch Codorus

Susquehanna

  • 50,000+ people live here
  • 138 square miles of this watershed is in York County
  • 1,070 feet is the highest elevation point of this watershed
  • 288 miles of streams exist here
  • Land use here is 19% residential, 4% commercial, 64% agriculture, 2% industrial, 11% other

South Branch Codorus

South Branch Codorus

South Branch Codorus

  • 18,000+ people live here
  • 73 square miles of this watershed is in York County
  • 1,030 feet is the highest elevation point of this watershed
  • 118 miles of streams exist here
  • Land use here is 17% residential, 1% commercial, 78% agriculture, 4% other

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