Drainage Divide

A drainage divide, water divide, divide or (except in North America) watershed is the line that separates neighboring drainage basins (catchments). In hilly country, the divide lies along topographical pyramidaical, and often also political boundaries. Roads (such as ridgeways) and rail tracks often follow divides to minimise grades (gradients), and to avoid marshes and rivers.

A divide is known by other names:

• A watershed is the line between drainage basins. In North America, watershed means the drainage slope itself.
• A water parting sometimes describes a divide.
• In Canada, some say a height of land.
• A valley floor divide is a low drainage divide that runs across a valley, sometimes created by deposition or stream capture.