502:
42:
290:
or to the Gulf of
Carpentaria or to the Lake Eyre Basin. Two significant continental drainage divide tripoints are found along the Great Divide. Kennedy Junction marks the hydrological apex of waters running to the Pacific Ocean, via the Fitzroy Basin, the Southern Ocean, via the Murray Darling
121:
Whether a divide is considered a continental divide distinguished from other secondary drainage divides may depend on whether the associated gulfs, seas, or oceans are considered separate. For example, the Gulf of Mexico is considered separate from the
Atlantic Ocean, so the Eastern Continental
811:
The
Colorado River Divide (not an official name) separates the Colorado River basin which drains to the Gulf of California from the Pacific Ocean basin. It runs between the Continental Divide and Great Basin Divide in Wyoming. It intersects the divides at the respective triple points
130:
Together, continental divides demarcate a set of drainage basins or watersheds, each of which drains to a specific ocean, sea or gulf, such as the North
American Atlantic seaboard watershed which is demarcated by the Eastern Continental Divide and Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Divide.
126:
is usually not considered separate from the
Pacific Ocean, so the divide between the Colorado River watershed, which drains to the Sea of Cortez, and the Columbia River watershed, which drains to the Pacific Ocean, is not considered to be a continental divide.
89:
in Canada, may also host part of a continental divide or have their own island-spanning divide. The endpoints of a continental divide may be coastlines of gulfs, seas or oceans, the boundary of an endorheic basin, or another continental divide. One case, the
703:
watershed from the
Pacific Ocean watershed. The region is bounded by the Wasatch Mountains to the east, the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Ranges to the west, and the Snake River Basin to the north. In the south, the divide extends to the boundary of the
868:
and south there are numerous lakes on the eastern slopes that drain to the
Pacific, crossing the line of highest peaks. These lakes in Patagonia are moraine-dammed streams, which used to drain to the Atlantic, rather than the Pacific, before the
806:
If the Gulf of
California or Sea of Cortez is considered to be separate from the Pacific Ocean, there is a divide which separates the Pacific Ocean basin from the basin which drains into that gulf/sea, i.e the Colorado River basin:
81:, not connected to the open sea. Every continent on earth except Antarctica (which has no known significant, definable free-flowing surface rivers) has at least one continental drainage divide; islands, even small ones like
291:
Basin and the Lake Eyre Basin. Just a little to the north
Mitchell Junction marks the hydrological apex of waters running to the Indian Ocean (via the Gulf of Carpentaria and
98:. The endpoints where a continental divide meets the coast are not always definite since the exact border between adjacent bodies of water is usually not clearly defined. The
1150:
566:
and became part of a transcontinental trade route from
Atlantic to Pacific. It was of significance in Canadian history because it marked the northern boundary of
890:
1075:"Geomorphologic and Glacial Evolution of the Cachapoal and southern Maipo catchments in the Andean Principal Cordillera, Central Chile (34°-35º S)"
759:. The divide traverses very flat terrain, especially in North Dakota, causing many travelers to believe the sign marking the divide is a joke.
1118:
731:. The western part of it from Glacier National Park in the Rocky Mountains to the Great Lakes watershed marked the northern boundary of the
282:, or Great Divide, largely separates those rivers flowing to the eastern seaboard and the Pacific Ocean from those flowing westward to the
106:
defines exact boundaries of oceans, but it is not universally recognized. Where a continental divide meets an endorheic basin, such as the
1004:
820:
Triple Divide (Colorado, Columbia, Great Basin at 42°35′18″ N, 110°44′9″ W. The divide is very short, running only about 90 miles.
519:
99:
195:; in the south of the continent the divide between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans snakes between the watersheds of the Congo,
915:
which redefined the U.S./ British Canadian boundary west of the Great Lakes from the Laurentian Divide to the 49th parallel
857:
the continental divide in the Principal Cordillera was about 20 km to the west of the modern water divide. Subsequent
295:), the Pacific ocean via the Burdekin Basin and the Lake Eyre Basin. Many of the continents interior rivers drain into the
35:
17:
834:
582:
585:, also called the Great Divide, and, especially in Alaska, the Pacific-Arctic Divide, separates the watersheds of the
538:
on the eastern border of British Columbia, northeasterly across Alberta, Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories and
139:
Note: A 'continent' for the purpose of water divides may not correspond to a geopolitical or geophysical continent.
31:
30:
This article is about hydrological continental divides in general. For geophysical or geopolitical boundaries, see
861:
shifted the divide to the east. Compression and uplift in this part of the Andes has continued into the present.
771:
1074:
622:
614:
763:
496:
45:
Major continental divides, showing drainage into the major oceans and seas of the world. Grey areas are
900:
850:
661:
523:
933:
1165:
618:
1170:
547:
283:
239:
747:. In Canada, it historically marked the southern boundary of the fur trading monopoly area of the
114:, the continental divide splits and encircles the basin. Where two divides intersect, they form a
894:
748:
634:
575:
522:
or Northern Divide in northern and western Canada, separates the Arctic Ocean watershed from the
766:
separates the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Basin from the rest of the Atlantic Ocean watershed. Two
705:
292:
1046:(in Spanish). Cámara de Turismo de Mendoza and Cooperativa El Portal de Mendoza. 13 March 2014
1015:
978:
562:
in northwestern Saskatchewan was discovered in 1778, which opened up the Arctic rivers to the
813:
736:
677:
654:
275:
846:
535:
449:
279:
1039:
8:
885:
799:
740:
506:
164:
77:, and the basin on the other side either feeds into a different ocean or sea, or else is
1124:
906:
732:
696:
527:
484:
425:
107:
91:
558:
is the nearest inhabited place. This divide was a barrier to transportation until the
1070:
783:
720:
669:
531:
314:
192:
152:
1088:
817:
681:
598:
567:
350:
775:
689:
610:
389:
299:
296:
263:
251:
247:
212:
95:
82:
78:
58:
46:
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912:
858:
744:
724:
713:
709:
665:
590:
559:
322:
287:
259:
235:
208:
66:
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has various divides, depending on the definition of "ocean" (for example, the
1159:
1093:
842:
830:
779:
638:
586:
555:
543:
510:
410:
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255:
200:
180:
123:
115:
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501:
795:
673:
642:
594:
452:
437:
397:
326:
204:
184:
86:
226:
is not generally considered to have a continental divide. The interior of
873:
870:
700:
470:
445:
406:
380:
359:
354:
188:
160:
684:, then southeasterly through the Georgia plateau and swampy lowlands of
897:
forming part of the Continental Divide of the Americas in South America
787:
751:, and the easternmost portion still marks part of the boundary between
728:
646:
626:
441:
384:
367:
330:
243:
227:
223:
1073:; Iturrizaga, Lafasam; Charretier, Sebastién; Regard, Vincent (2019).
791:
563:
466:
393:
372:
338:
334:
172:
62:
816:(Colorado, Columbia, Mississippi at 43°23′13″ N, 109°46′58″ W), and
699:
in the western United States is a closed circuit that separates the
318:
1143:
756:
650:
571:
551:
363:
176:
1069:
672:
watershed. It runs from near the middle of the northern border of
854:
798:
watershed. Historically there were additional canals, e.g., the
685:
539:
310:
196:
111:
41:
546:
then runs southeast along the spine of the island to the tip of
958:
In Europe and internationally, divides are called 'watersheds'.
849:
makes up the continental divide. This divide forms much of the
752:
630:
606:
602:
433:
419:
168:
148:
838:
767:
653:
in Yellowstone National Park, and by the Two Ocean Creeks at
429:
376:
70:
230:
receives very little precipitation, and that in the form of
345:
231:
156:
118:, or a tripoint, a junction where three watersheds meet.
74:
302:, which during previous Ice Ages was a much larger sea.
1005:"Continental Divides in North Dakota and North America"
122:
Divide separates their respective watersheds. But the
1127:
Continental Divides in North Dakota and North America
1129:
by Mark A. Gonzalez. Excellent article on America's
1014:. North Dakota Geographical Society. Archived from
891:
Boundary Treaty of 1881 between Chile and Argentina
1065:
1063:
1061:
909:whose northern boundary was the Laurentian Divide
735:and was the border between the United States and
151:, the most significant continental divide is the
1157:
1058:
802:, but most of these are no longer in operation.
903:which followed the Eastern Continental Divide
893:which boundary followed the ridgeline of the
976:
1092:
234:, and the continent is surrounded by the
69:on one side of the divide feeds into one
1032:
1002:
500:
171:, a vast area drains into the endorheic
40:
664:in eastern United States separates the
526:watershed. The Arctic Divide runs from
266:toward the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
134:
100:International Hydrographic Organization
14:
1158:
977:Foster, John E.; Eccles, W.J. (1985).
629:. From there, it follows the crest of
597:. It runs from the western tip of the
428:with the triple divide of North Sea (
191:by the endorheic lake systems of the
985:. The Historica Foundation of Canada
36:Continental divide (disambiguation)
24:
845:and nearby areas of Argentina the
835:Continental Divide of the Americas
692:drainage basin in central Florida.
583:Continental Divide of the Americas
163:, passing through the area of the
25:
1182:
1112:
32:Boundaries between the continents
1151:Map of drainage basins in Canada
824:
490:
478:
772:Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal
739:until it was superseded by the
723:separates the watershed of the
49:that do not drain to the ocean.
996:
970:
961:
952:
926:
155:between the watersheds of the
27:Drainage divide on a continent
13:
1:
919:
218:
94:, is a closed loop around an
623:Rocky Mountain National Park
269:
167:. Between the Congo and the
7:
879:
764:Saint Lawrence River Divide
497:Watersheds of North America
10:
1187:
967:Latin for "unknown limits"
901:Royal Proclamation of 1763
662:Eastern Continental Divide
637:and extends to the tip of
494:
305:
183:divide. The Mediterranean–
29:
983:The Canadian Encyclopedia
619:Yellowstone National Park
142:
104:Limits of Oceans and Seas
1094:10.5027/andgeoV46n2-3108
676:southwesterly along the
649:, by the two outlets of
548:Meta Incognita Peninsula
240:Transantarctic Mountains
1003:Gonzalez, Mark (2007).
895:Cordillera de los Andes
641:. It is crossed by the
635:Sierra Madre Occidental
609:along the crest of the
187:divide is punctured in
1040:"OrografĂa de Mendoza"
851:Argentina–Chile border
770:cross the divide: the
514:
293:Indonesian Throughflow
262:, from those draining
50:
34:. For other uses, see
814:Three Waters Mountain
737:British North America
678:Appalachian Mountains
655:Parting of the Waters
615:Glacier National Park
530:, on the edge of the
504:
341:). Examples include:
44:
1133:continental divides"
1044:El Portal de Mendoza
847:Principal Cordillera
749:Hudson's Bay Company
613:, including through
576:Hudson's Bay Company
554:to the northwest on
536:Jasper National Park
507:hydrological divides
436:) and Mediterranean
379:(Volga–Pechora/Ob):
284:Murray–Darling Basin
280:Great Dividing Range
135:Divides by continent
938:Australian Extremes
886:Bioceanic principle
800:Ohio and Erie Canal
786:watershed, and the
668:watershed from the
211:terminating in the
165:African Great Lakes
18:Continental divides
1071:Charrier, Reynaldo
934:"Kennedy Junction"
907:Louisiana Purchase
733:Louisiana Purchase
697:Great Basin Divide
605:, through western
589:from those of the
528:Snow Dome Mountain
515:
485:Scottish watershed
426:European watershed
108:Great Divide Basin
92:Great Basin Divide
55:continental divide
51:
1119:nationalatlas.gov
784:Mississippi River
721:Laurentian Divide
708:watershed in the
670:Atlantic Seaboard
532:Columbia Icefield
409:(Yamuna–Ganges):
315:Mediterranean Sea
193:East African Rift
175:, puncturing the
153:Congo-Nile Divide
16:(Redirected from
1178:
1166:Drainage divides
1147:
1139:
1137:
1106:
1105:
1103:
1101:
1096:
1067:
1056:
1055:
1053:
1051:
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1000:
994:
993:
991:
990:
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968:
965:
959:
956:
950:
949:
947:
945:
940:. March 18, 2021
930:
818:Commissary Ridge
682:Atlanta, Georgia
599:Seward Peninsula
550:. The hamlet of
362:(Yenisei–Lena):
353:(Sutlej–Indus):
351:Himachal Pradesh
317:and its various
47:endorheic basins
21:
1186:
1185:
1181:
1180:
1179:
1177:
1176:
1175:
1171:Montane ecology
1156:
1155:
1141:
1135:
1123:
1115:
1110:
1109:
1099:
1097:
1068:
1059:
1049:
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1038:
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1033:
1024:
1022:
1018:
1012:NDGS Newsletter
1007:
1001:
997:
988:
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971:
966:
962:
957:
953:
943:
941:
932:
931:
927:
922:
882:
837:lies along the
827:
776:Chicago Portage
690:Lake Okeechobee
680:to the city of
611:Rocky Mountains
499:
493:
481:
390:Tibetan Plateau
308:
300:Lake Eyre Basin
272:
264:East Antarctica
252:Ronne Ice Shelf
248:West Antarctica
221:
213:Kalahari Desert
145:
137:
102:'s publication
96:endorheic basin
83:Killiniq Island
59:drainage divide
39:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1184:
1174:
1173:
1168:
1154:
1153:
1148:
1121:
1114:
1113:External links
1111:
1108:
1107:
1087:(2): 240–278.
1080:Andean Geology
1057:
1031:
995:
969:
960:
951:
924:
923:
921:
918:
917:
916:
913:Treaty of 1818
910:
904:
898:
888:
881:
878:
859:river incision
826:
823:
822:
821:
804:
803:
760:
745:treaty of 1818
725:Atlantic Ocean
717:
714:Baja Peninsula
710:Sonoran Desert
693:
666:Gulf of Mexico
658:
579:
570:, the trading
560:Methye Portage
492:
489:
488:
487:
480:
477:
476:
475:
474:
473:
459:
458:
457:
456:
432:), Black Sea (
416:
415:
414:
413:
404:
387:
370:
357:
323:Atlantic Ocean
307:
304:
288:Southern Ocean
271:
268:
260:Ross Ice Shelf
236:Southern Ocean
220:
217:
144:
141:
136:
133:
67:drainage basin
65:such that the
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
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1035:
1021:on 2013-01-17
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844:
843:Central Chile
840:
836:
832:
831:South America
825:South America
819:
815:
810:
809:
808:
801:
797:
793:
789:
785:
781:
780:Lake Michigan
778:and connects
777:
773:
769:
765:
761:
758:
754:
750:
746:
742:
741:49th parallel
738:
734:
730:
727:from that of
726:
722:
718:
715:
711:
707:
706:Laguna Salada
702:
698:
694:
691:
687:
683:
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675:
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659:
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652:
648:
644:
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639:South America
636:
632:
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616:
612:
608:
604:
600:
596:
595:Arctic Oceans
592:
588:
587:Pacific Ocean
584:
580:
577:
573:
569:
568:Rupert's Land
565:
561:
557:
556:Hudson Strait
553:
549:
545:
544:Baffin Island
541:
537:
533:
529:
525:
521:
520:Arctic Divide
517:
516:
512:
511:North America
508:
503:
498:
491:North America
486:
483:
482:
479:British Isles
472:
468:
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411:Bay of Bengal
408:
405:
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402:Pacific Ocean
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277:
267:
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261:
258:and into the
257:
256:Pacific Ocean
254:, toward the
253:
249:
245:
241:
237:
233:
229:
225:
216:
214:
210:
206:
205:Orange Rivers
202:
198:
194:
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186:
182:
181:Mediterranean
178:
174:
170:
166:
162:
158:
154:
150:
140:
132:
128:
125:
124:Sea of Cortez
119:
117:
116:triple divide
113:
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80:
76:
72:
68:
64:
60:
56:
48:
43:
37:
33:
19:
1130:
1126:
1098:. Retrieved
1084:
1078:
1048:. Retrieved
1043:
1034:
1023:. Retrieved
1016:the original
1011:
998:
987:. Retrieved
982:
972:
963:
954:
942:. Retrieved
937:
928:
863:
828:
805:
796:Hudson River
774:crosses the
674:Pennsylvania
643:Panama Canal
574:area of the
542:to northern
462:Europe-Asia
453:Eastern Alps
446:Lunghin Pass
438:Adriatic Sea
398:Indian Ocean
327:Arctic Ocean
309:
273:
222:
185:Indian Ocean
146:
138:
129:
120:
103:
87:Labrador Sea
54:
52:
979:"Fur Trade"
874:glaciations
871:Pleistocene
701:Great Basin
564:fur traders
471:Caspian Sea
465:Don-Volga:
407:Uttarakhand
381:Caspian Sea
360:Lake Baikal
355:Arabian Sea
286:and to the
244:ice streams
242:divide the
207:, with the
189:East Africa
1160:Categories
1142:(123
1025:2009-03-29
989:2007-12-30
920:References
866:Lácar Lake
788:Erie Canal
729:Hudson Bay
647:Gatun Lake
627:New Mexico
524:Hudson Bay
505:Principal
495:See also:
385:Arctic Sea
368:Laptev Sea
337:, and the
331:Baltic Sea
228:Antarctica
224:Antarctica
219:Antarctica
944:March 18,
853:. In the
792:Lake Erie
790:connects
467:Black Sea
394:Himalayas
373:Perm Krai
339:North Sea
335:Black Sea
297:endorheic
276:Australia
270:Australia
250:into the
246:draining
173:Lake Chad
79:endorheic
63:continent
1050:June 29,
880:See also
757:Labrador
651:Isa Lake
591:Atlantic
572:monopoly
552:Kimmirut
364:Kara Sea
209:Okavango
177:Atlantic
159:and the
1100:June 9,
855:Miocene
794:to the
782:to the
743:in the
712:of the
688:to the
686:Florida
540:Nunavut
450:Central
448:in the
311:Eurasia
306:Eurasia
238:. The
201:Limpopo
197:Zambezi
112:Wyoming
85:on the
1140:
833:, the
768:canals
753:Quebec
631:Mexico
621:, and
607:Canada
603:Alaska
434:Danube
420:Europe
333:, the
329:, the
325:, the
321:, the
278:, the
203:, and
169:Sahara
149:Africa
143:Africa
1136:(PDF)
1131:other
1019:(PDF)
1008:(PDF)
864:From
841:. In
839:Andes
625:, to
444:) at
430:Rhine
377:Urals
319:lobes
161:Congo
71:ocean
61:on a
57:is a
1102:2019
1052:2019
946:2021
762:The
755:and
719:The
695:The
660:The
593:and
581:The
518:The
424:The
346:Asia
232:snow
157:Nile
1144:KiB
1089:doi
829:In
645:at
633:'s
601:in
534:in
509:of
396:):
274:In
147:In
110:of
75:sea
73:or
1162::
1085:46
1083:.
1077:.
1060:^
1042:.
1010:.
981:.
936:.
876:.
617:,
469:,
442:Po
400:,
383:,
366:,
215:.
199:,
53:A
1146:)
1138:.
1125:"
1104:.
1091::
1054:.
1028:.
992:.
948:.
716:.
657:.
578:.
513:.
455:.
440:(
392:(
375:/
179:–
38:.
20:)
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