What is a watershed? After you learn what a watershed is, it is important to understand how to determine
watershed boundaries and become familiar with our state's topographic maps. West Virginia has 32
watersheds divided according to hydrologic unit codes (HUC) that contribute to the Chesapeake Bay and
the Gulf of Mexico. The waters west of the eastern continental divide flow into the Ohio River. The Ohio
joins the Mississippi River at Cairo, IL. The Mississippi flows into the Gulf of Mexico at New Orleans,
LA. The eastern continental divide also changes the course of five eastern rivers toward the Potomac
River. The Potomac flows into the Chesapeake Bay southeast of Washington, DC. A few streams in the
southeastern corner of the state flow toward the James River.
The resources below include watershed definitions, topographic references, major basin context, and an
interactive story map describing a selection of West Virginia's water bodies.