Rivers of Life: Resources - Watershed Maps

River Rat Map Quiz

Quiz #1 concerns the identity of the major rivers that make up the Mississippi river system.
Quiz #2 examines several details in a focused area within the Mississippi system.
Quiz #3 looks at how waterways in the United States have served as sites for cities
Quiz #4 examines how the behavior of the Mississippi River can affect state boundary lines.
Quiz #5 explores major drainage basins in the United States and where their waters eventually go.
Quiz #6 looks at two kinds of maps with different info on the Mississippi basin
Quiz #7 looks at the routes traveled on North American rivers by the zebra mussel--an exotic species causing a variety of river problems.

Watersheds are Everywhere

Stand anywhere on the surface of planet Earth and you're standing in a watershed. Water falling to the ground as precipitation is absorbed into the soil--becoming groundwater--and drains from the surface of the land into the nearest creek or stream. Streams join other streams and flow into rivers which, in turn, are fed by the groundwater through underwater springs. All of the area that drains into each creek, stream, or river is called its watershed.

Thanks ESRI! The maps on these pages are courtesy of ESRI's ArcView GIS software. Visit the ESRI web site to learn more about this terrific resource.