Sustainability focuses on supporting biodiversity and protecting the bees, birds, butterflies, caterpillars, and other wildlife in our gardens and back yards. By understanding water flow dynamics, we can learn how actions in our gardens and backyards affect other important outdoor spaces. Realizing that our watershed drains all areas to the lowest point, then into our waterways may help us to prevent harm. We are all connected by a watershed.

A watershed is an area of land that drains and stores water. Watersheds move rainfall and snowmelt into area creeks, streams, and rivers. Surface water comes from lakes, rivers, mountains, and wetlands. Groundwater comes from rainfall and snowmelt that seeps through the soil into aquifers. About sixty percent of stream flow comes from groundwater. Polluted surface water can contribute to groundwater contamination. Water from our urban homes drains into water treatment plants, but stormwater runoff is not treated. Sources of pollution include overfertilizing or overwatering a lawn, inappropriately using pesticides and fertilizers, washing or draining polluted water (pool, car wash, oil, paint) in the yard, and leaving pet waste to decompose. For more information, see Welcome to the Watershed! A Directory and Guide for Yolo County Residents.

River Runner (US) is a fun website that illustrates how a drop of water travels to the ocean from locations in North America. Select a spot near your neighborhood and see where the water goes.