How does one identify watersheds, their size, and their scale?
A system for identifying and numbering watersheds has been developed in the United States by the United States Geological Service. Through this system all U.S. watersheds have a proper name and a corresponding number called a Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC), (see below). USGS HUC Description Proper Name Address (HUC) Region Ohio River 05 Subregion Wabash, Patoka and White Rivers 0512 Basin Wabash River 051201 Subhead Vermilion River 05120109 Watershed North Fork Vermilion 0512010909 Subwatershed Lake Vermilion 051201090905 While this represents the federal watershed identification number, the state of Maryland has a different numbering system (but of course!). In the WRAS Program, we work at the Maryland 8-digit watershed level. This is the same as the federal 12-digit watershed level, or, as in the above example, it is described as the subwatershed, named Lake Vermilion, with the 12-digit HUC address. There are 127 Maryland 8-digit watersheds (or Federal 12-digit watersheds). Even the Mary
