DESERT STORMWATER DISCOVERIES

Make Your Own Mini-Watershed!

This activity accompanies the Desert Stormwater Discoveries Activity Book. Make your own model to discover more about watersheds.

Supplies:  

Blank piece of printer paper, washable marker, spray bottle filled with water, cookie sheet

Directions:

1.  Loosely crumple a piece of paper into a ball, but don’t squeeze it too tightly. 

2.  Open up your paper ball, but don’t completely flatten it out. Leave the bumps and creases - this is your watershed model! The ridges represent high points and the valleys represent low points.

3.  Using a washable marker, color along the ridges.

4.  Place your watershed on a cookie sheet.

5.  Gently use a spray bottle of water to “make it rain” on top of your watershed. 

6.  What do you observe? What happens to the rain as it lands on your watershed?