Have you ever wondered how water knows which ocean to flow into? There’s a fascinating natural boundary called the Continental Divide that helps decide this! It stretches all the way from Alaska, through the United States, down to Mexico, and even into South America. This divide splits the land into two big watersheds. On one side, all the water flows into the Pacific Ocean, and on the other side, it flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
In Wyoming, there’s a special place called Two Ocean Pass. Here, the waters of Two Ocean Creek split into two directions. One side of the creek flows towards the Gulf of Mexico and eventually reaches the Atlantic Ocean. The other side flows towards the Pacific Ocean. Imagine a fish swimming upstream from the Pacific Ocean, crossing this marshy area, and then swimming downstream all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. It’s like a watery highway for fish!
Another amazing spot is Triple Divide Peak in Montana. This is where the Continental Divide meets another divide called the Laurentian Divide. Here, water can flow into not just two, but three different oceans: the Pacific, the Atlantic, and the Arctic Ocean. It’s like the ultimate water crossroads! But if you tell a water joke here, be careful—the other side might not get it!
Did you know that the Continental Divide is part of a larger system of divides all over the world? These divides help direct the flow of rivers and streams, guiding them to different oceans and seas. Understanding how these divides work helps scientists learn more about our planet’s water cycle and how water travels around the Earth.
Next time you look at a map, see if you can find the Continental Divide and imagine all the water flowing across the land, making its way to the oceans. It’s a big, exciting journey that happens every day!
Map Exploration: Find a map of North America and try to trace the path of the Continental Divide. Use colored pencils to mark the divide and the two major watersheds it creates. Can you find Two Ocean Pass and Triple Divide Peak on the map? Discuss with a friend or family member how water from these places might travel to different oceans.
Water Flow Experiment: Create a simple model of the Continental Divide using a shallow tray, some sand or clay, and water. Build a small ridge in the middle of the tray to represent the divide. Pour water on top of the ridge and observe how it flows to either side. Which side does more water flow to? Try adjusting the height of the ridge and see how it changes the flow of water.
Story Time: Imagine you are a drop of water starting your journey at Triple Divide Peak. Write a short story about your adventure as you travel to one of the three oceans. What do you see along the way? What challenges do you face? Share your story with your classmates and see how their journeys compare to yours.
Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
“Ever wonder how water decides which ocean to flow into? The Continental Divide is a natural boundary stretching from Alaska to Mexico and even into South America. It splits the continents into two watersheds: all the water on one side flows into the Pacific Ocean, while all the water on the other side flows into the Atlantic.
This is Two Ocean Pass in Wyoming, where the waters of Two Ocean Creek split. One side heads to the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, while the other side flows to the Pacific Ocean. Theoretically, a fish could swim upstream from the Pacific Ocean, cross this marsh, and swim downstream all the way to the Atlantic.
And here at Triple Divide Peak in Montana, where the Continental Divide meets the Laurentian Divide, waters can flow into three different oceans: the Pacific, the Atlantic, and the Arctic. It’s like the ultimate water crossroads! But be careful telling water jokes up here, because the other side might not get it!”
