While Harris County is abuzz with talk of the $2.5 billion flood prevention bond referendum that will go before voters in August, the term “watershed” is getting a lot of play this month.

In Spring and Klein, most residents are within the Cypress Creek watershed, but the area also touches Spring Creek, Little Cypress and Willow Creek watersheds and feeds into the San Jacinto River watershed.

The term means “a land area that ultimately drains rainfall runoff or stormwater to a common body of water,” according to the Harris County Flood Control District. That means when it rains, if you live in the Cypress Creek watershed, all of the rain that is not absorbed into the ground will eventually end up in Cypress Creek.

When you think about how much water that is, and how long the creek is—49 miles­—you can see how quickly a downpour can cause a problem.

If you do not know which watershed you live in, visit www.hcfcd.org to use the district’s interactive map. While you are there, you can see which bond projects are proposed for your area.