- Definition
A drainage basin is all the land where water flows downhill into a single river and its branches.
The Mississippi River drainage basin covers a huge part of the United States, collecting water from as far away as the Rocky and Appalachian mountains.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: A drainage basin is like a bathtub — all the water that falls inside it eventually flows toward one single drain.
Ask your child: Where do you think all the rain that falls in our area eventually ends up?
Common mix-up: Kids often think a drainage basin is just the river. A drainage basin is the entire area of land, including hills and fields, that sends water into that river system.
Examples
- All the smaller creeks and streams that flow into a larger local river are part of its drainage basin.
- A small valley where all the rainwater collects and runs into a single pond at the bottom.
drainage basin is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
