Manual watershed delineation is a five-step process

Manual watershed delineation is a five-step process. This is Training module 2.04b for the Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model (SELDM). This presentation has 8 slides and will take about 5 minutes. It was prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration. This training module has two learning objectives. At the end of this module you should be able to describe the five steps for watershed delineation, and delineate a simple watershed

The manual watershed delineation process has 5 steps
1. Find the point of interest along a stream on the map;
2. Imagine (or draw) surface water flow lines that point down hill perpendicular to the topographic contours;
3. Mark the location of the topographic high points around the stream;
4. Mark the points along the contours that divide flows toward or away from the stream; and
5. Connect the points along the divide around the stream

Citation:
Amman, Alan, and Stone, A.L., 1991, How to read a topographic map and delineate a watershed, appendix E in The method for the comparative evaluation of nontidal wetlands in New Hampshire: Natural Resources Conservation Service, accessed June 23, 2012, at http://www.nh.nrcs.usds.gov.