A watershed is the area of land that collects the water that drains to a lake, stream, river, or bay.  Every raindrop that falls within a watershed's boundary eventually makes its way into a waterbody whether it flows across the surface or through groundwater. Watersheds provide our drinking water, habitat for wildlife, soil in which to grow our food, and the streams, rivers and lakes we use for fishing, boating and swimming.  We all share a common interest in having a healthy watershed.  Learn more about the Ausable Watershed. 

Everybody lives in a watershed and human activities within a watershed can influence water and river quality.  During land development, forests are cleared, soils are compacted, natural drainage patterns are altered, and impervious surfaces such as roads, buildings and parking lots, are created. These changes increase the amount of polluted runoff that reaches our local waterways. As a result, stream banks begin to erode, critical in-stream habitats are washed way or filled in with sediment, downstream flooding increases, and water becomes too polluted to support sensitive fish and bugs or recreational activities.

What do we know about the Ausable River Watershed? Fact Sheet (PDF)