A watershed consists of all the land that drains into a common body of water. Small watersheds combine to form big watersheds that eventually lead to the ocean! In Cocke County, all watersheds flow into the Gulf of Mexico.

There are two watersheds in Cocke County, the Pigeon River watershed and the upper French Broad River watershed. Land use such as agricultural, forestry, grazing, septic systems, recreational boating, urban runoff, construction, physical changes to stream channels, and habitat degradation all impact the water quality in Cocke County.