Discover Watersheds

A watershed is all the land and waterways that water touches on its way to a body of water. Watersheds also include the plants, animals, a peoples who live on them. No matter where you live, you live in a watershed! What happens on land, be it in your yard, neighborhood, or nearby farms and industries, determines how healthy water is for us and wildlife.

Everyone Lives in a Watershed – Water Connects Us All

Delaware Watersheds - what happens on our lands determines the health of our water

Delaware contains many small watersheds, the State can be divided into three large watersheds – the Delaware, Chesapeake and the Inland Bays:

  • The Delaware River Watershed spans 330 miles and four states and provides drinking water to more than 15 million people – that’s nearly 5% of the entire United States’ population!
  • One-third of the State of Delaware drains into the Chesapeake Bay.  Rivers and streams that eventually flow into the Chesapeake Bay are the source of drinking water for 75% of the region’s 17 million residents.
  • The Inland Bays/Atlantic Ocean Basin comprises approximately 313 square miles of eastern Sussex County, Delaware and include the Rehoboth Bay, Indian River Bay and Little Assawoman Bay.

Citizen Science for Healthy Water

Become a citizen scientist to uncover vital information about the health of our waters. This work helps inform education, restoration, and preservation efforts to improve water quality. Through our Stream Watch program, we’re uncovering vital information about the health of our watersheds to help inform decision-making and public policy.

Learn More About Stream Watch 


Discover Watersheds With Us

From paddling the Christina River to wildlife viewing at a saltmarsh preserve, our sites and programs offer fun, diverse opportunities to discover and explore our wonderful aquatic habitats.  Trips and education programs range from watershed education field programs for schools, groups, and families to hikes and paddles experiences to some of the regions most beautiful natural areas.

Check Out Our Programs


Working Together to Protect our Watersheds

The Alliance for Watershed Education is a regional initiative of twenty-three partnering environmental education centers including our Dupont Environmental Education Center (DEEC). Each of these centers is located along Circuit Trails or major connecting trails, and on waterways throughout the Delaware River Watershed in Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.  The Alliance shares a mission to provide education and recreational opportunities that inspire personal conservation action, improve water quality, strengthen community ties, and increase access to trails and waterways. Explore the Delaware River Watershed at DEEC and other regional centers.

Red Clay Vally Scenic Byway RCVSB sign

Delaware Nature Society manages the Red Clay Valley Scenic Byway program and chairs
the Red Clay Valley Scenic Byway Alliance. The alliance strengthens the communities’ ability to preserve and protect the land and water health surrounding 28 roads within the Red Clay Creek watershed.