Rock Creek Watershed

What is a Watershed?

A watershed is an area of land that channels water, such as rain or snow, into a body of water like a lake, river or stream. Broadly speaking, watersheds are the land that collect, store, and transport water. A watershed can be small, such as an individual lake, or relatively huge, and include hundreds of thousands of square miles.

Rock Creek Watershed contains the Corvallis Forest, and is one of the City's main sources of water. Read more about where Corvallis gets its water at City Water - What's The Source?.

What is the connection between watersheds and water quality?

Everything that occurs in the watershed can impact water quality downstream. If there is pollution, that pollution can be carried through the watershed and negatively impact the water quality.

Can I visit?

Rock Creek Watershed is generally closed to the public. This is because the watershed's primary purpose is to protect and clean our drinking water. Water quality for domestic use is the first priority for all management practices within the watershed on City-owned land. Occasionally, however, tours are available to the public. Check out our Corvallis Forest page to find out more.