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the Soque River -
Watershed Basics
WHAT
EXACTLY IS A WATERSHED?
Rivers, streams, branches, brooks, creeks, and tributaries. There
are literally hundreds of words that describe water, and most of
them role easily off the tongue and conjure up images of your
favorite childhood stomping ground. There is one, however, that
causes folks to pause, scratch their head, and wonder what exactly
it means. That word is “watershed.”
DEFINITIONS
This list of definitions
related to watersheds, water and rivers is being added to piecemeal.
We are beginning with the definitions that appear in our quarterly
newsletter and will add to the list on an occasional basis. If you
would like to offer a definition or request one, please contact us as
srwa@soque.org.
ELEMENTS
OF A WATERSHED
A watershed is the basin of land
within which a river runs. Within that basin land is used in a variety of
ways, each type of land use being an element of the watershed. These
elements are: Forest; Farms; Riparian Zones.
Justin Ellis's piece entitled
"Restoring the
Earth's Armor" discusses the importance of these 'green' elements.
STAKEHOLDERS
Because the Soque River
watershed occupies 57% of Habersham County's landmass and because the Soque
River is the northeastern headwaters for the Chattahoochee River, a large number of people,
entities, creatures and elements of nature hold a stake in the health of the
river and its watershed. Here is a basic list stakeholders within the
Soque River watershed.
WHAT
CAN YOU DO?
In addition to the
work of
the
SRWA, every individual living and working in the watershed has an
opportunity to protect its health and affect water quality and quantity in a
positive way. There are things that we can all do to protect our valuable
natural resources. Here are just a few suggestions so that you can
do your part.
AND
ALL THE REST
Much of
learning about a watershed involves learning about the multiple factors that
make up the place in which we live. It requires gaining a 'sense of
place'. With the Soque River watershed defining the heart of the Habersham
County community, it offers a particularly unique physical setting to gain
that understanding. Visit all of the links in the left-hand menu of this
website under
the Soque River. You will learn about the plants and animals that
inhabit this watershed, the geology and hydrology that shape this area, the
history of human impact on the watershed, and how we enjoy the area today.
Last but not least, learn about each of the 7 sub-basins that makes up the
Soque River watershed. MORE
INFO
The links provided under
Watersheds
on our Links page will lead you to local, regional and national
organizations that offer additional content on the subject of watersheds.
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