Welcome to the Long Island Sound Watershed
Have you ever heard the term “watershed” before? Fun fact, you are living in one! A watershed, in simple terms, is where all the water from lakes, rivers, ponds, etc., and precipitation (i.e. rain and snow), drains to a larger common body of water. Often a basin, estuary, or in our case, the Long Island Sound.
The Long Island Sound watershed is comprised of two countries and six states, including Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island and venturing into parts of Quebec, Canada – a total of 17,814 square miles. As water flows over the land, all our trash and pollutants are carried through, and because our watershed is all connected, those pollutants will eventually end up in the Sound. This is known as runoff.
So, you’re saying that if I go skiing in Vermont, my trash and litter can end up in the Long Island Sound? The answer is yes. It’s crazy to think about, but that one wrapper will eventually make its way to the Sound. If you think about it, there are 9 million people living in Long Island Sound’s watershed and we’re all connected to one another. The watershed not only helps filter and clean drinking water, but it is also important for the health of the ecosystems and animals that make Long Island Sound so special. Think of a watershed as a big sponge for the environment. What are sponges good for? Cleaning and absorbing liquids. Watersheds have similar attributes, filtering out trash and pollutants before reaching the water.
Thinking about the watershed on a larger scale and understanding how we are all connected, your footprint matters. Maybe you live in Vermont or Canada, feeling far removed from the Sound. But your impact does indeed matter. Our watersheds are the heart of human society and our ecosystems.
