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EzraThe exact line of the Continental Divide was determined based on the natural topographic feature of elevated terrain where precipitation falling on one side flows towards one ocean, and precipitation falling on the other side flows towards another ocean. This line was mapped and marked by early explorers, geographers, and surveyors using a combination of field observations, scientific measurements, and mapping techniques.
It didn't form as a continental divide. Every little hillock has streams flowing down in different directions. If they meet a steeper river going in a different direction the water goes there, whether it is towards lowlands or through a gorge of more easily eroded rock in the mountains.
The continental divide is just the line where none of the steepest rivers cut back over the line. This will change with time as other areas get uplifted, and the continental divide area gets eroded, and eventually it is easier for a river to change direction and go across the divide.
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What is the dividing line between atlantic and pacific watersheds?
The continental divide serves as the dividing line between Atlantic and Pacific watersheds in North America. This ridge runs along the Rocky Mountains and separates the direction in which water flows towards the Atlantic Ocean from the water flowing towards the Pacific Ocean.
Are the Continental Divide and the rocky mountains are different land forms?
Yes, the Continental Divide and the Rocky Mountains are different landforms. The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range that spans western North America, while the Continental Divide is an imaginary line that determines the flow of rivers either east or west on the continent. The Continental Divide runs along the peaks of the Rocky Mountains in North America.
What best explain the significance of the continental divide?
It has no 'purpose' it is a natural occurring division. The continental divide is a line that runs down through the Rocky Mountains and on the west side of the line rivers and streams flow down toward the Pacific Ocean and on the east side of the line rivers and streams flow towards the Atlantic Ocean.
What does the Continental Divide of the Americas refer to?
The Continental Divide of the Americas, typically called the Continental Divide, is a line running from the Bering Strait southward through the entirety of North, Central and South America that divides river systems flowing into the Pacific Ocean from those that empty into the Atlantic Ocean or, in the extreme northern regions of North America, the Arctic Ocean.
In which state is the continental divide located?
The continental divide is not in any single state. It is a line rather than a point. In the United States it runs south from Montana, along part of the Idaho-Montana state line and then through Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico.The continental divide is basically the Rocky Mountains running through many states, not just oneMontana
