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The North-South Continental Divide of the Americas is an imaginary line that delimits whether water flows into the Pacific or Atlantic Ocean. It follows the peaks of the Rocky Mountains and extends from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego. Other continental divides exist in North America, and at Triple Divide Peak, two major divides converge. Continental divides dictate characteristics of continents, such as glacier flow and river systems.
A continental divide is an imaginary line along a continent that delimits whether water in the area will flow to one body of water (usually an ocean) or another. The most famous Continental Divide is the North-South Continental Divide of the Americas, also known as the Great Divide or simply the Continental Divide. This division is more than 6,000 miles (9,600 km) long and extends from the western tip of Alaska to Tierra del Fuego at the southern tip of South America. This continental divide mainly delimits whether the water flows into the Pacific Ocean or the Atlantic Ocean. Some areas near the watershed, such as the Great Basin, are endorheic basins, meaning they hold water in salt lakes or salt marshes and never flow into the ocean.
In the United States, the Continental Divide does not drop down the middle of the country, but follows the peaks of the Rocky Mountains, which are offset somewhat to the west. Immediately east of the Rocky Mountains and throughout much of the central United States, the water flows into the Gulf of Mexico. In eastern North America, there are three other continental divides: the Northern Divide, the Eastern Divide, and the St. Lawrence Seaway Divide. These divisions indicate whether the water flows to the East Coast, Hudson Bay and the Arctic Ocean, or the Gulf of St. Lawrence. For much of its length, the Northern Divide lies roughly on the border between the United States and Canada.
At Triple Divide Peak in Glacier National Park, Montana, two major continental divides converge: the Great Divide and the Northern Divide. There is a triple junction between the two branches of the Great Divide and the single branch of the Northern Divide, starting at this point and running eastward. Depending on where exactly you are on the summit, a drop of water will eventually flow into the Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific Ocean or the Arctic Ocean. Scientists consider this to be North America’s hydrological peak.
Continental divisions around the world dictate numerous characteristics of the continents that surround them. Glaciers flow slowly in directions away from continental divides, carving huge valleys and fjords in their wake. River systems drift away from continental divides, and many lakes occupying glacier-carved valleys drift away from continental divides. Often, a continental divide can be clearly seen simply by looking at a high-resolution satellite photo of an area.
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