One Water:  Watershed-Our Water, Our Home

But what is a watershed? A watershed is an area of land that channels rainfall and snowmelt to creeks, streams, and rivers, eventually leading to outflow points such as reservoirs, bays, and the ocean. Those bodies of water are all connected, so every drop that falls becomes part of one water. Watersheds can be any size and usually have some high points of land like hills, mountains, or ridges. When rain, sleet, or snow falls to the ground, the precipitation runs from those higher points to the lower points. Gravity pulls the water downhill until it reaches a body of water. If the land in the watershed is steep, the water usually runs off into rivers or streams. If the land in the watershed is level, the water will slowly flow into lakes or ponds, or seep into the soil and add to groundwater. If the watershed is close to the ocean, then tidal marshes, estuaries, and wetlands will be part of the watershed. From the top of the mountain all the way to the coast, it is all one water. Have you ever watched it rain? The raindrops fall on the ground and flow through the soil. Water soaks through the soil until it reaches groundwater, which is water that moves through spaces in soil and rock underground. A lot of the water we use and drink every day comes from water in the ground. As it rains and the water runs off, it collects in rivers, lakes, and oceans and then returns to the atmosphere to fall as rain somewhere else. All land across the entire earth is made up of watersheds. We all live in a watershed. We share the water in our watershed with other people, with animals, and with plants because… it is all one water.
Ashtabula SWCD is sponsoring a conservation poster contest open to all Ashtabula County students in grades K-12. Students in public, private or home school are welcome to participate. This is in conjunction with the Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation District (OFSWCD) Auxiliary and the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD). The National Association of Conservation Districts is holding its annual nationwide poster contest with the theme this year of “One Water.” The idea is all of us live in a watershed, and that the puddles, ditches, and streams within the watershed collect at one point, becoming one water. Every rain drop in a watershed eventually makes its way to this one point, be it a lake, a reservoir, groundwater, bay, or ocean. Everything throughout the watershed - the plants, animals, and people, use that water for their needs. If we all share the water, how important is it to care for the water? Healthy, clean water is critical to making sure animals, food, and we are healthy too! Any media can be used to create a flat or two-dimensional effect as National judging is based on a digital photo of the winning posters. Size restriction is set to no larger than 11x17. Digital images must be clear and well-framed. All posters must be created by an individual student rather than a team of students. The 2023 theme, “One Water” must be included on the front side of each poster. A signed and legible entry form must be secured to the back of the poster to be eligible for judging. If submitted by email, please fill out the form, sign the form, and submit. Entry forms can be found at ashtabulaswcd.org Why should your student/child participate? Project based learning through poster design and researching the theme can give your student/child an opportunity to express their voice on local conservation issues and showcase their creativity and talent. (And it’s fun!) Posters are due to Ashtabula SWCD by May 22, 2023. You can either send the submission to 39 Wall Street, Jefferson, OH 44047, or email a digital copy to ashtabulaswcd@gmail.com. Prizes will be awarded to first and second place winners in the following categories: K-1, 2-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12. Winners at the county level will also move on to the state level competition, with a chance to move on to the national level. Posters will be judged on the following criteria: - 50% Conservation message (Poster depicts the correct theme) - 30% Visual effectiveness - 10% Universal appeal - 10% Originality