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{{Unreferenced|date=April 2011}}
{{ref improve|date=April 2011}}
[[Image:Europäische_Wasserscheiden.png|thumb|300px|Main [[Europe]]an drainage divides (red lines) separating drainage basins (grey regions)]]
[[Image:Europäische_Wasserscheiden.png|thumb|300px|Main [[Europe]]an drainage divides or '''ridgelines'''<ref name="RndmHse1">{{cite web|accessdate=7 September 2013|publisher=Random House Inc.|title=ridgeline. Dictionary.com|edition=Dictionary.com Unabridged
|url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ridgeline?s=t|quote='''ridgeline''' ridge·line [rij-lahyn] '''noun ''' 1. a line formed along the highest points of a mountain ridge. 2. an area of higher ground separating two adjacent streams or [[watershed]]s.
}}</ref>| (red lines) separating drainage basins (grey regions)]]
{{TOCright}}
{{dablink
|In English Language traditions,</i> the term '''watershed''' has taken on two diametrically opposed meanings, <i>giving rise to two awkward replacement phrases: "drainage basin" and "drainage divide"; the first being low (and collecting waters), the later being highlands&mdash;places where the waters run down from to puddle and flow away to elsewhere.
&nbsp; <br/>
The British technical literature references'' 'drainage divide' & 'watershed' ''(terms with three dimensional co-ordinates) as meaning the term describing ''''''[[perimeter|the perimeter]]''' 'trace on a map' ''(a 2D representation) or in vernacular, a ''''''ridgeline''''''; the perimeter edge encompassing a 'catchment' (an [[Area]]), or (visually the cup like concave up) '''"drainage basin"'''&mdash;which in North American usages is'' 'a watershed', </i>'catchment' being less used.


}}
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A '''drainage divide''', '''water divide''', '''divide''' or (except in [[North America]]) '''watershed''' is the line that separates neighbouring [[drainage basin]]s (catchments). In [[hill]]y country, the divide lies along [[topography|topographical]] [[ridge]]s and may be in the form of a single range of hills or [[mountain]]s (known as a ''Dividing range''). In flat country—especially where the ground is [[marsh]]y—the divide may harder to define.

⚫
A '''drainage divide''', '''water divide''', '''divide''', '''ridgeline'''<ref name="RndmHse1"/> or (except in [[North America]]) '''watershed''' (Brit) is the line that separates neighbouring [[drainage basin]]s (catchments, or in North America 'a watershed'). In [[hill]]y country, the divide lies along [[topography|topographical]] [[ridge]]s (A ridgeline and may be in the form of a single range of hills or [[mountain]]s (known as a ''Dividing range''). In flat country—especially where the ground is [[marsh]]y—the divide may harder to define.


A divide is known by other names:
A divide is known by other names:
* A ''watershed'' is the line between drainage basins. In [[North America]], ''watershed'' means the drainage slope itself.
* A ''watershed'' is the line between drainage basins. In [[North America]], ''watershed'' means the drained region (an map [[Area]]) itself.
* A ''water parting'' sometimes describes a divide.
* A ''water parting'' sometimes describes a divide.
* In [[Canada]], some say a ''height of land''.
* In [[Canada]], some say a ''height of land''.
* A ''valley floor divide'' is a low drainage divide that runs across a valley, sometimes created by deposition or [[stream capture]].
* A ''valley floor divide'' is a low drainage divide that runs across a valley, sometimes created by deposition or [[stream capture]].
Drainage divides are sometimes [[Border#Natural_borders|natural borders]] defining political boundaries.
* Since ridgelines are easy to see and agree about drainage divides are ofttimes [[Border#Natural_borders|natural borders]] defining political boundaries.
==Types==
==Types==
Drainage divides can be grouped in three types:
Drainage divides can be grouped in three types:
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: A divide in which waters on each side flow to different oceans (for example: the [[Congo-Nile Divide]])
: A divide in which waters on each side flow to different oceans (for example: the [[Congo-Nile Divide]])
* Major drainage divide
* Major drainage divide
: Waters on each side of the divide never meet, but do flow into the same ocean (for example: the divide between the [[Yellow River]] basin and the [[Yangtze River|Yangtze]])
: Waters on each side of the divide never meet, but do flow into the same ocean (for example: the divide between the [[Yellow River]] basin and the [[Yangtze River|Yangtze]], or a more subtle example the Schuylkill-Lehigh divide at [[Pisgah Mountain, Schuylkill County (Pennsylvania)|Pisgah Mountain) in Pennsylvania, where two minor creeks divide to flow and grow east and west respectively joining the [[Lehigh River]] and [[Delaware River]] or the [[Susquehanna River]] and [[Potomac River]] each tributary complex having separate outlets into the Atlantic.)
* Minor drainage divide
* Minor drainage divide
: Waters part, but eventually rejoin at a river confluence (for example: the [[Mississippi River|Mississippi]] and [[Missouri River|Missouri]] divides)
: Waters part, but eventually rejoin at a river confluence (for example: the [[Mississippi River|Mississippi]] and [[Missouri River|Missouri]] divides)
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*[[Mountain pass]]
*[[Mountain pass]]
{{Commonscat|Drainage divides}}
{{Commonscat|Drainage divides}}

==Footnotes and References==
===References===
*ridgeline. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ridgeline (accessed: September 08, 2013).
*ridgeline. Dictionary.com. WordNet® 3.0. Princeton University. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ridgeline (accessed: September 08, 2013).

===Footnotes===
{{Reflist}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Drainage Divide}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Drainage Divide}}

Revision as of 13:30, 8 September 2013

(red lines) separating drainage basins (grey regions)
In English Language traditions, the term watershed has taken on two diametrically opposed meanings, giving rise to two awkward replacement phrases: "drainage basin" and "drainage divide"; the first being low (and collecting waters), the later being highlands—places where the waters run down from to puddle and flow away to elsewhere.

 

The British technical literature references 'drainage divide' & 'watershed' (terms with three dimensional co-ordinates) as meaning the term describing 'the perimeter 'trace on a map' (a 2D representation) or in vernacular, a 'ridgeline'; the perimeter edge encompassing a 'catchment' (an Area), or (visually the cup like concave up) "drainage basin"—which in North American usages is 'a watershed', 'catchment' being less used.

A drainage divide, water divide, divide, ridgeline[1] or (except in North America) watershed (Brit) is the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins (catchments, or in North America 'a watershed'). In hilly country, the divide lies along topographical ridges (A ridgeline and may be in the form of a single range of hills or mountains (known as a Dividing range). In flat country—especially where the ground is marshy—the divide may harder to define.

A divide is known by other names:

  • A watershed is the line between drainage basins. In North America, watershed means the drained region (an map Area) itself.
  • A water parting sometimes describes a divide.
  • In Canada, some say a height of land.
  • A valley floor divide is a low drainage divide that runs across a valley, sometimes created by deposition or stream capture.
  • Since ridgelines are easy to see and agree about drainage divides are ofttimes natural borders defining political boundaries.

Types

Drainage divides can be grouped in three types:

A divide in which waters on each side flow to different oceans (for example: the Congo-Nile Divide)
  • Major drainage divide
Waters on each side of the divide never meet, but do flow into the same ocean (for example: the divide between the Yellow River basin and the Yangtze, or a more subtle example the Schuylkill-Lehigh divide at [[Pisgah Mountain, Schuylkill County (Pennsylvania)|Pisgah Mountain) in Pennsylvania, where two minor creeks divide to flow and grow east and west respectively joining the Lehigh River and Delaware River or the Susquehanna River and Potomac River each tributary complex having separate outlets into the Atlantic.)
  • Minor drainage divide
Waters part, but eventually rejoin at a river confluence (for example: the Mississippi and Missouri divides)

Drainage divides hinder river navigation. In pre-industrial times, water divides were crossed at portages. Later, canals connected adjoining drainage basins.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Drainage divides.

Footnotes and References

References

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b "ridgeline. Dictionary.com" (Dictionary.com Unabridged ed.). Random House Inc. Retrieved 7 September 2013. ridgeline ridge·line [rij-lahyn] noun 1. a line formed along the highest points of a mountain ridge. 2. an area of higher ground separating two adjacent streams or watersheds.
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