Waters and Watersheds
On this page you will find information and links for the following topics:
- Watersheds - Information on the 17 major watersheds in New York State, including individual waterbody reports (see below on this page)
- Lakes and Rivers - Material for lake and river management programs
- Oceans and Estuaries - Material on the five major, unique estuary systems in New York State
- Wetlands - Information on New York's tidal and freshwater wetlands
- Groundwater - Reports, maps, and definitions for groundwater
Watersheds
New York's waters (lakes, rivers and streams) fall within one of 17 major watersheds, or drainage basins. A watershed is an area of land that drains water into a specific body of water. Watersheds include networks of rivers, streams, and lakes and the land area surrounding them. Watersheds are separated by high elevation geographic features (mountains, hills, ridges).
