From the Winter 2009 Conservationist for Kids

The Outside Page

What's Your Watershed Address?

What if your address was described by the water you live near, instead of the street you live on? Look at a map of your area (a topographic map is best) to find the water closest to your home: a stream, river or lake where runoff from your roof would travel to. Where does it go from there? Follow the water until you reach a lake or the ocean. Write down the name of each water body your water travels through, from smallest to largest. This is your watershed address.

Here are two examples:

Watershed address postcard

Waterhouse Creek
Oswego River
Lake Ontario

Maltanne Creek
West Canada Creek
Mohawk River
Hudson River
New York Harbor

Water Words Crossword Puzzle

(NOTE: The words to complete this crossword are all in this issue of Conservationist for Kids.)

Across:
3. A stream whose waters flow into another stream or body of water.
5. The salt water that covers about 71% of the earth's surface.
8. This playful mammal is found along rivers across the state
9. This river is famous around the world for its waterfalls.
10. A large body of fresh water surrounded by land.

Down:
1. A large natural stream of fresh water.
2. The land area from which water drains into a stream, lake, or other body of water.
4. An area where salty ocean water mixes with fresh water from the land.
6. The 400th anniversary of the European exploration of this river is being celebrated in 2009.
7. This river flows across the state, from the west to the east, and drains into the Hudson River.