The posted coordinates will take you to a sign within Bob Hunter Memorial Park, which is part of the Rouge National Urban Park. Enjoy the trails within this park! The Park is under the jurisdiction of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) and permission has been obtained for publication of this cache.
Although not required photos of you in the area are always nice and add to the interest of the geocache page.
What is a Watershed?
A watershed, also known as a drainage basin, is an area of land that sheds its water into rivers and lakes.
Surface water from rainfall, melting snow, smaller streams, reservoirs, and wetlands soaks into the ground and the overflow, once the ground is saturated, needs to runoff into streams and creeks reaching larger rivers and eventually lakes. The water underground filtered through sandy soil and rocks also runs off to these steams and rivers. From there the water in rivers feeds the lakes and lakes feed the oceans.
A large watershed area is naturally formed containing ridges and hills, which direct the water above and below the surface to streams and rivers. A smaller runoff area (a small watershed) that drains into a larger river system (a larger watershed) is called a sub-watershed.
The Rouge River Watershed
The southern third of the Rouge River watershed is protected by Rouge National Urban Park, with a small established area of urban development to the west of the park. The middle and western sections of the watershed are urban with sparse natural cover outside of the park. The northeastern areas of the watershed are primarily rural and agricultural with small towns and villages. The watershed spans the Regions of York and Durham, cities of Toronto, Pickering, and Markham, and the towns of Richmond Hill and Whitchurch-Stouffville.
The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) approved the Rouge River Watershed Plan in 2008, after four years of intensive study and community consultation.
Types of Watersheds Drainage Divides
1) a continental divide – occurs when water on each side of the boundary flow to different oceans
2) a major drainage divide – occurs when water on each side of the boundary come from different sources to meet and will eventually end up in the same ocean
3) a minor drainage divide – occurs when water on each side of the boundary separate but meet up later.
Features of a Watershed
1) Size – larger sheds drain a larger area and have different characteristics
2) Boundary – determines if water is flowing toward or away from an area
3) Terrain – determines if an area will flood and erode if terrain is steep or have slower rivers if flatter
4) Soil type – sandy soil will absorbs water whereas clay soil will not absorb much water affecting erosion and groundwater accumulations differently
The Importance of Watersheds
The drainage shape of watersheds not only direct water but also filter and clean water as the water runs off and soaks through sand and rocks underground. In a healthy watershed the wells, rivers and lakes have cleaner water. Animals, trees, and plants drink from rivers and lakes. Humans mostly get their drinking water from the lakes. Wildlife need clean watersheds for food and shelter.
Wetlands are important for gathering the water that floods once the soil is too saturated. They eventually filter the water pollutants, replenish ground water and provide a unique habitat for wetland ecosystems.
Water sources and communities downstream from the top of a watershed area are affected by the health of the waters and land above it. If the land is contaminated with chemicals or animal waste, for example, the water will not be as clean as it makes it way to the bottom of the watershed into the lake.
Questions - please message answers to me:
According to the sign near the posted coordinates:
1) How big is the Rouge River watershed?
2) Where does the Rouge River watershed stretch?
From a map of the area, or the trail system information available at the trail heads:
3) What is the name of the body of water that the bridge you are at goes over?