Connie Layfiold, age 10, of Allentown, Penn.

What is the Continental Divide?

Lets imagine that our continent is a rather uneven tabletop. Along the east side is a high ridge called the Appalachian Mountains. Along the west side is a much higher ridge called the Rockies. Between these two ridges, the: tabletop is fairly flat. But the wide central plain slopes gently up towards the huge hump along the west.

Imagine what this does to the rainfall. Water, of course, must run downhill. Rain water runs down the mountain slopes and streams gather together in the valleys. The rivers flow down, down to the sea. A stream cannot go over the top of a mountain because it cannot flow uphill.

The highest ridge of our continent runs down through the western mountains. On its western side, all the streams flow westward. On its eastern side, all its streams flow eastward. This ridge which divides the streams of the continent is the Continental Divide. It bobs and weaves down the backbone of the western mountains. later falling on the crest of the Divide can flow either east or west. But once started downhill, a little stream cannot turn around and flow uphill in the opposite direction.