| Revision as of 01:13, 11 May 2017 edit24.131.180.7 (talk)No edit summaryTag: Visual edit← Previous edit | Revision as of 01:18, 11 May 2017 edit undo24.131.180.7 (talk) ←Replaced content with 'done'Tag: possible vandalismNext edit → | ||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| done | |||
| ] with other ].]] | |||
| ] and ].]] | |||
| The '''Continental Divide of the Americas''' (also known as the '''Great Divide''', the '''Continental Gulf of Division''', or merely the '''Continental Divide''') is the principal, and largely ]ous, ] of the ]. The Continental Divide extends from the big ] to the ], and separates the ] that drain into the ] from (1) those river systems that drain into the ] (including those that drain into the ] and the ]), and (2) along the northernmost reaches of the Divide, those river systems that drain into the ]. | |||
| Though there are many other hydrological divides in the Americas, the Great Divide is by far the most prominent of these because it tends to follow a line of high peaks along the main ranges of the ] and ], at a generally much higher elevation than the other hydrological divisions. | |||
| __TOC__ | |||
| ==Geography== | |||
| ] of the ] of north central ], taken from the ] on October 28, 2008]] | |||
| The Continental Divide of the Americas begins at ], ], the westernmost point on the mainland of the Americas. The Divide crosses northern Alaska into the ], then zig-zags south into ] via the ] and ] and northern ] to ], north of the city of ] and just south of the community of ]. From there the Divide traverses the ] to the spine of the Rockies, following the crest of the ] southeast to the ], from there forming the boundary between southern British Columbia and southern ]. | |||
| ], here in mid-June 2007, at 14,278 ft it is the highest point of the Continental Divide in North America. ]] | |||
| ].]] | |||
| The Divide crosses into the ] in northwestern ], at the boundary between ] and ]. In Canada, it forms the western boundary of Waterton Lakes National Park, and in the US bisects Glacier National Park. Further south, the Divide forms the backbone of the ] (Front Range) in the ], heads south towards ] and ], then west past the namesake community of ] through the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness to the ], where it forms the eastern third of the state boundary between ] and Montana. The Divide crosses into ] within ] and continues southeast into ] where it reaches its highest point in North America at the summit of ] at {{convert|4352|m|abbr=in}} {{citation needed|date=November 2015}} . It crosses US Hwy 160 in southern Colorado at ], where a line symbolizes the division. The Divide then proceeds south into western ], passing along the western boundary of the endorheic Plains of San Agustin. Although the Divide represents the height of land between watersheds, it does not always follow the highest ranges/peaks within each state or province. | |||
| In Mexico, it passes through ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], the ], ], ], ], and ]. In Central America, it continues through southern ], southwestern ], western ], western/southwestern ], and southern ]. The divide reaches its lowest point in Central America at the ] at {{convert|47|m|abbr=in}} in Nicaragua. | |||
| The Divide continues into ], where it follows the peaks of the ], traversing western ], central ], western and southwestern ], and eastern ] (essentially conforming to the Chile-] and Chile-] boundaries), southward to the southern end of ] and ]. | |||
| In North America, another, mainly non-mountainous divide, the ] (or Northern Divide), further separates the ]-] drainage region from the Atlantic watershed region. Secondary divides separate the watersheds that flow into the ] and ] (ultimately into the Atlantic) from watersheds that flow to the Atlantic via the ]. Another secondary divide follows the Appalachian chain, which separates those streams and rivers that flow directly into the Atlantic Ocean from those that exit via the Mississippi River. | |||
| ===Triple points=== | |||
| ] in ], Montana, is the point where two of the principal continental divides in North America converge, the Great Divide and the Northern or ]. From this point, waters flow to the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean via the Gulf of Mexico, and the ] via ]. Most geographers, geologists, meteorologists, and oceanographers consider this point the hydrological apex of North America.{{citation needed|date=June 2012}} This is not the only place on earth where two oceanic divides meet, i.e., where waters from a single point area feed into three different oceans.{{citation needed|date=September 2012}} This status of Triple Divide Peak is the main reason behind the designation of ] as the "Crown of the Continent" of North America.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://flbs.umt.edu/lake/stateofthelake.aspx |title=State of Flathead Lake |publisher=University of Montana Flathead Lake Biological Station |accessdate=2015-09-28}}</ref> Sources differ, however, on whether Hudson Bay is part of the Atlantic or Arctic Ocean. Hudson Bay's waters flow predominantly to the Atlantic and do not directly contribute to the Arctic Ocean.<ref name="LewisJones2000">{{cite book|editor-last1=Lewis|editor-first1=Edward Lyn |editor-last2=Jones|editor-first2=E. Peter |display-editors=etal |title=The Freshwater Budget of the Arctic Ocean|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sZX_p5IKAxUC&pg=PA101|accessdate=26 November 2010|year=2000|publisher=Springer|isbn=978-0-7923-6439-9|page=101}}</ref> | |||
| Another triple divide or ''triple point'' occurs in Canada at an unimportant-looking hump on the border between ] and ], on the south slope of ]. At {{convert|3456|m|ft|sigfig=3}}, the point is higher than Triple Divide Peak. The exact location of the triple point is somewhat indeterminate because the Columbia Icefield and the snow on top of it shift from year to year. The snow that falls on it (about {{convert|10|m|ft}} per year) doesn't really flow downhill as water, it creeps downhill in the form of glacial ice. | |||
| Ice flowing away from that point down the ] goes to the Arctic Ocean, via the ] and ]s. Ice flowing west goes to the Pacific Ocean via Bryce Creek and the ] and ]s. Ice flowing down the ] goes via the ], ], and ]s into ].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=24218 |title=Snow Dome-South Slope, British Columbia |work=Peakbagger |accessdate=2015-09-28}}</ref> Some people believe the point on the south slope of Snow Dome to be the hydrological apex of North America because they consider Hudson Bay an extension of the Atlantic Ocean.<ref>{{cite book |last= Sanford |first= Robert W. |title= Our World's Heritage: Creating a Culture Worthy of Place in Canada's Western Mountain Parks |year= 2010 |publisher= Athabasca University Press |isbn= 978-1-897425-57-2 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=2aPnUlT5HAkC&pg=PA160 |page= 160}}</ref> Despite the fact that many people think of it as being an ] water body, Hudson Bay lies entirely south of the ]. The channels to the north of it are almost completely cut off by ], so nearly all of the water that enters it flows out east via ] into the ] rather than north into the ].The result is that nearly all of the ice flowing down the Saskatchewan Glacier eventually ends up as water in the Atlantic Ocean.<ref>{{cite web | |||
| | last = Timmer | |||
| | first = Henry | |||
| | title = Snow Dome - The Hydrological Apex of North America | |||
| | work = Snow Dome | |||
| | publisher = climbwild.net | |||
| | year = 2006 | |||
| | url = http://climbwild.net/MP_Snow_Dome_page_one.html | |||
| | accessdate = 2007-12-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | |||
| | last = Timmer | |||
| | first = Henry | |||
| | title = The Columbia Icefield | |||
| | publisher = climbwild.net | |||
| | url = http://climbwild.net/MP_Columbia_Icefield_page_one.html | |||
| | accessdate = 2014-07-30}}</ref> | |||
| In fact, there are such triple divide points wherever any two continental divides meet. North America can be considered to have five major drainage systems: into the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, plus Hudson Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Within this system there are four continental divides and three triple points, the two mentioned previously and a third near ] where the ] intersects the ] divide.<ref> | |||
| {{cite book | |||
| | last = monica driscollian rivers atlas | |||
| | first = | |||
| | chapter = Minnesota Rivers Map | |||
| | title = Minnesota State Map Collection | |||
| | publisher = Geology.com | |||
| | year = 2006 | |||
| | url = http://geology.com/state-map/minnesota.shtml | |||
| | accessdate = 2007-12-29}}</ref> Since there is no true consensus on what a continental divide is, there is no real agreement on where the triple points are.<ref> | |||
| {{cite web | |||
| |last=Gonzalez | |||
| |first=Mark A. | |||
| |title=Continental Divides in North Dakota and North America | |||
| |work=NGDS Newsletter | |||
| |publisher=North Dakota Geological Survey | |||
| |year=2002 | |||
| |url=https://www.dmr.nd.gov/ndgs/Newsletter/NLS03/pdf/Divide.pdf | |||
| |accessdate=2007-12-29 | |||
| |deadurl=yes | |||
| |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117052801/https://www.dmr.nd.gov/ndgs/NEWSLETTER/NLS03/pdf/Divide.pdf | |||
| |archivedate=2013-01-17 | |||
| |df= | |||
| }}</ref> However, the main Continental Divide described in this article is a far more distinctive geological feature than the others and its two main triple points are much more prominent. | |||
| ===Hiking trail=== | |||
| ] | |||
| The ] (CDT) follows the Divide through the U.S. from the ] to the ]. The trail itself is a corridor of pathways - i.e. dedicated footpaths or back roads, either on or near the Continental Divide. A less-developed Canadian extension called the ] continues through five ] and six ]s, ending at Kakwa Lake in east-central British Columbia.<ref>{{cite book | |||
| | last = Lynx | |||
| | first = Dustin | |||
| | title = Hiking Canada's Great Divide Trail | |||
| | publisher = Rocky Mountain Books | |||
| | year = 2000 | |||
| | url = http://rmbooks.com/book_details.php?isbn_upc=9781894765893 | |||
| | isbn = 0-921102-79-8}}</ref> | |||
| ==Exceptions== | |||
| Many ] regions in North America complicate the simple view of east or west, "ocean-bound" water flow. Several endorheic basins appear to straddle the Continental Divide, including the ] in Wyoming, the ] in New Mexico, the ] in New Mexico and Chihuahua, Mexico, and the ] in Mexico. However, such a basin can be conceptually assigned to one side of the Divide or the other by its lowest perimeter pass; in other words, the proper assignment can be made by determining how the drainage would occur if the basin were to overflow. In line with this, USGS topographic maps show a unique path for the Divide even when a basin is adjacent. | |||
| Another kind of exception occurs when a stream falling onto the Divide splits and flows in both directions, or a lake straddling the divide overflows in both directions. Examples of these are, respectively, ] and ], both located on the Continental Divide in Wyoming. The ] has this same feature, being man-made. Both the ] and Gatun rivers flow into ], which empties to both oceans. | |||
| Numerous small lakes along the Divide in the ] between Alberta and British Columbia flow into both provinces and thus into both Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. An example is the "Committee Punch Bowl", a small lake named by ], governor of the ], while touring his vast Canadian fur-trading empire in 1825. According to historical sources, "The small circular basin of water at the summit, twenty yards in diameter, is dignified with the name of the 'Committee's Punch Bowl' in honour of which the Governor treated them (his fur traders) to a bottle of wine as they had 'neither time nor convenience to make a bowl of punch, although a glass of it would have been acceptable.'" The reference is to the governing committee of the Hudson's Bay Company in London, England.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://apps.gov.bc.ca/pub/bcgnws/names/11551.html |title=Committee Punch Bowl | author=GeoBC |date= 2013 |website=http://www2.gov.bc.ca/ |publisher= Copyright © 2013, Province of British Columbia |accessdate=2014-09-29}}</ref> | |||
| The ]'s ] sits directly astride the Divide in ] on the boundary between ] and ], and thus rainwater falling on the eastern half of the roof flows via ] into Hudson Bay, while rain falling on the western half flows via ] into the Pacific Ocean. Ski Resort ] crosses the Divide, causing confusion about which province skiers should pay taxes to, Alberta or British Columbia. British Columbia has a 7% provincial sales tax which Alberta does not have. | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] (Northern Divide) | |||
| *] | |||
| ==References== | |||
| {{Reflist|30em}} | |||
| ==External links== | |||
| {{Sister project links|Continental Divide}} | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * from ''The National Atlas of the United States'' | |||
| * | |||
| * {{GNIS|205015|Continental Divide}} (New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana) | |||
| * {{GNIS|1400648|Continental Divide}} (Alaska) | |||
| {{Physical geography topics}} | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
Revision as of 01:18, 11 May 2017
done