WATERSHEDS
DEFINITION:
A Watershed can be defined as a region of land that drains downhill until it arrives at a
common point. A watershed is the same thing as a “catchment” area or drainage basin.
Another way to describe a watershed is to state that it is an area of land where all of the
water that falls in it ends up in the same river, lake; and eventually the same ocean. The
ground water also flows down to the common lowest point.
CLASSES:
It is estimated that nine-tenths of Chemung County is drained by the Chemung
River, and the remaining part is drained by Catherine Creek into Seneca Lake and on to
Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. These two watersheds are considered Major
Watersheds.
The Chemung River Watershed is part of a major regional drainage system – the
Susquehanna Watershed. This is further divided into the Upper and Lower Susquehanna.
The Chemung River is part of the Upper Susquehanna Watershed. Within the County
there are several sub-watershed basins. These drain into the Chemung, which flows
through the county from west to southeast. It then drains into the Susquehanna River just
below the NY-PA State line, with that river flowing to the Chesapeake Bay and
continuing out to the Atlantic Ocean. 318 square miles of Chemung County are within
the Susquehanna River Basin and 89 acres drain to the north into the Oswego River
Basin.
IMPLICATIONS
Watersheds in their natural state pose a balanced and effective drainage system.
Alteration of the natural drainage flow within a watershed, either by construction or
unsound agricultural practices, will cause the drainage system to become less effective.
This results in uncontrolled runoff with flooding becoming much more prevalent. By
increasing paved and other non-permeable surfaces in a given watershed, runoff will
increase and so will erosion. Stream beds will be filled with sediments and eroded
material. The stream channels will become narrower, causing flooding in areas that
normally are not flooded. Each activity that may impact a watershed has to be planned
and considered within the context of the watershed characteristics so that future damages
and potential loss of life may be avoided.
DISTRIBUTION
The Chemung County sub watersheds are as follows:
Sub watersheds
sq.miles
drainage basin
Post Creek
10.0
Oswego
Catherine Creek
38.5
Oswego
Sing Sing Creek
54.0
Susquehanna
Hendy Creek
6.0
Susquehanna
Seeley Creek
42.5
Susquehanna
Wynkoop Creek
37.5
Susquehanna
Baldwin Creek
41.5
Susquehanna
Newtown Creek
80.0
Susquehanna
Hoffman Creek
8.0
Susquehanna
The next two maps illustrate these watersheds, most of which are part of the Susquehanna
River Basin. The northern watersheds that flow towards Seneca Lake are Post Creek and
Catherine Creek.