*Note that Coal Bank Road cannot be accessed via Riverview/Columbia Bottom Road. Use this route instead: From I-270 take exit 33 for Lilac Avenue. Go north on Lilac. Turn right onto Coal Bank Road.
This Ranger Rick's cache has been placed by The Confluence Partnership: An organization dedicated to bringing people closer to our majestic rivers and streams. Please visit our website at Confluencegreenway.org to learn of upcoming events and volunteer opportunities. Also be sure to visit our other caches in the area!
Watkins Creek is an important watershed for this community.
What exactly is a watershed?
It doesn’t matter where you live—on a farm or in the city, on the seashore or in the mountains, in the woods or even in the desert—you live in a watershed. A watershed is defined by the topography around you. All the rain or snow that falls in your neighborhood drains toward a body of water. In our case, that’s Watkins Creek. And then, of course, Watkins Creek flows into a larger body of water, the Mississippi, which then flows into the Gulf of Mexico…it’s all connected. From your backyard to the ocean.
How does a healthy Watkins Creek Watershed affect the neighborhood?
- Provides a natural water filter and helps to provide clean drinking water
- Reduces erosion
- Helps control stormwater and flooding
- Provides space for recreational areas including hiking, swimming and fishing
- Naturally cools the air
- Increases property value
- Promotes economic growth
- Provides water for industry and transportation
Learn more about the Watkins Creek Watershed Project from the Spanish Lake Community Association