What defines a watershed?

A watershed is defined as an area of land that drains to a common outlet, such as a river, lake, or ocean. This definition captures the essence of how watersheds function: they collect precipitation and surface water, channeling it through the landscape until it converges at a single point of discharge. This process is essential for understanding hydrological cycles, water resource management, and ecological health—because everything that happens within a watershed can affect the quality and quantity of water that flows to its outlet.

In contrast, a body of water with inflowing streams simply describes a geographical feature but does not incorporate the concept of land area that contributes to it. A wetland ecosystem refers to a specific type of environment within a watershed and does not encompass the entire area that drains to an outlet. Similarly, a place where water is stored does not necessarily define a watershed, as it could refer to reservoirs or artificial water bodies that may not be involved in the natural drainage processes.