Continental Divides

Definition

• A high mountain range that separates water flowing into different oceans…the Rocky Mountains in the United States

Definition

• A “Continental Divide” is any point that separates watersheds that eventually flow into different major bodies of water (i.e. oceans, seas, gulfs, major bays).

U.S. Watersheds?

U.S. Watersheds

Pacific Ocean(Colorado River)

Gulf of Mexico(Mississippi River)

Atlantic Ocean(Hudson River)

Gulf of St. Lawrence(Great Lakes)

Hudson Bay(Red River)

U.S. Continental Divides

Great Divide (Pacific vs Gulf of Mexico)

Eastern Divide (Gulf of Mexico vs Atlantic)

Northern Divide (Gulf of St. Lawrence vs Hudson Bay vs Gulf of Mexico)

St. Lawrence Seaway Divide (Atlantic vs Gulf of St. Lawrence)

U.S. Triple Points

Triple Divide Peak(Glacier National Park, Montana)

Hill of Three Waters(Hibbing, Minnesota)

unnamed peak(Gold, Pennsylvania)

(click picture for Wikipedia page)

(click picture for ironrange.org page)

Credits

• Sound Effects – PacDV, www.pacdv.com

• Graphic– National Atlas of the United States via

Wikipedia, www.wikipedia.com

• Triple Divide Peak photo– Wikipedia, www.wikipedia.com

• Hill of Three Waters photo– Wikimapia, www.wikimapia.org