Where does your water come from? - Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative

Earth Day is every day. Y2Y is connecting and protecting nature for a healthier planet. You can help.

Where does your water come from?

Starting from the Continental Divide, rivers flow east and west, serving as the lifeblood of the Yellowstone to Yukon region — and beyond.

Water begins high up, fed by snow, rain and glaciers, carving a path through the landscape as it descends.

These water ways rush through towns and cities, under bridges and over plains before emptying into the Bering Sea, Arctic Ocean, Hudson Bay, Pacific Ocean — even as far as the Gulf of California.

Fort Saint John, Vancouver, Lethbridge, Edmonton, Bozeman and Lewiston are just some of the cities that receive water from Yellowstone to Yukon region watersheds.

Are you one of the estimated 15 million people who drink water sourced from rivers in the Yellowstone to Yukon region?

Yellowstone to Yukon region major watersheds map
Major watersheds in the Yellowstone to Yukon region. Watershed names appear in blue text.