Eastern Continental Divide

A map of the principal hydrological divides of North America. The Eastern Continental Divide (orange line) demarcates two watersheds of the Atlantic Ocean: the Gulf of Mexico watershed and the Atlantic Seaboard watershed.

The Eastern Continental Divide, in conjunction with other continental divides of North America, demarcates two watersheds of the Atlantic Ocean: the Gulf of Mexico watershed and the Atlantic Seaboard watershed. Prior to 1760, the divide represented the boundary between British and French colonial possessions in North America. The ECD runs south-southwest from the Eastern Triple Divide in Pennsylvania to the watershed of the Kissimmee River, which drains via Lake Okeechobee and the Okeechobee Waterway to both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.

The geography for the 1763 demarcation line separating the Thirteen Colonies from lands west of it generally runs along, or close to, the Eastern Continental Divide's line going from the southern Georgia border northwards to the existing Pennsylvania/New York state border, and from there northeastwards along the St. Lawrence Divide into New England.

Because the divide represents the highest terrain, air is forced upwards regardless of wind direction. This process of orographic enhancement leads to higher precipitation than surrounding areas. In winter, the divide is often much snowier than surrounding areas, due to orographic enhancement and cooler temperatures with elevation. Some locations in North Carolina average up to 100 inches (2,500 mm) of snow a year, and up to 175 inches (4,400 mm) a year falls in parts of West Virginia.

Red Creek west of the crest of the Allegheny Front in the Dolly Sods area of West Virginia; the creek originates along the Eastern Continental Divide, with its waters flowing to the Gulf of Mexico as part of the Ohio River watershed.

Seneca Creek, incised into the Allegheny Front west of Seneca Rocks, West Virginia. This short but steep creek originates along the Eastern Continental Divide; its waters flow into the Atlantic Ocean via the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay.

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ECD points

Area	Point	Summit or other feature
Pennsylvania: Eastern Triple Divide	2,523 feet (769 m) 41°50′48″N 77°50′14″W / 41.84667°N 77.83722°W	triple watershed point: watersheds of the Atlantic Seaboard, Gulf of Mexico, & Gulf of Saint Lawrence at the respective headwaters of Pine Creek (West Branch Susquehanna River), the Allegheny River, and the Genesee River.
Pennsylvania: Babcock Ridge
Pennsylvania: List of tunnels in Pennsylvania	2,167 feet (661 m) 40°28′53″N 78°33′01″W / 40.48139°N 78.55028°W	summit near Allegheny/Gallitzin Tunnels
Pennsylvania: Allegheny Mountain	2,690 feet (820 m) 39°57′41″N 78°51′24″W / 39.96139°N 78.85667°W	summit above Allegheny Mountain Tunnel (Pennsylvania Turnpike)
Pennsylvania: Allegheny Mountain	2,460 feet (750 m) 39°48′37″N 78°57′38″W / 39.81028°N 78.96056°W	summit above Sand Patch Tunnel
Pennsylvania: Savage Mountain	2,392 feet (729 m)[1]39°45′12″N 78°54′58″W / 39.75333°N 78.91611°W	railroad cut on Great Allegheny Passage
Pennsylvania/Maryland: Savage Mountain	2,840 feet (870 m) 39°43′21″N 78°54′51″W / 39.72250°N 78.91417°W	highest summit of the Mason–Dixon Line
Maryland: Interstate 68	2,620 feet (800 m) 39°40′58″N 79°02′16″W / 39.6828°N 79.037704°W	crossing near Green Lantern Road
Maryland: Savage Mountain	2,600 feet (790 m) 39°30′27″N 79°13′9″W / 39.50750°N 79.21917°W	saddle point at planned route of 1828 C&O Canal
Maryland: Backbone Mountain	3,380 feet (1,030 m) 39°14′15″N 79°29′8″W / 39.23750°N 79.48556°W	highest Backbone summit on ECD (near MD/WV border)
West Virginia: Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia		Midland Trail: planned crossing for the 19th century James River and Kanawha Turnpike
West Virginia: US Route 33 North / State Route 55W	3,295 feet (1,004 m) 38°53′31″N 79°28′04″W / 38.892050°N 79.467781°W	Saddle Point at Pendleton County and Randolph County.
West Virginia/Virginia: Interstate 64	2,460 feet (750 m) 37°47′15″N 80°13′28″W / 37.787539°N 80.224528°W	crossing
Virginia: Jefferson National Forest	3,620 feet (1,100 m) 37°20′27″N 80°32′4″W / 37.34083°N 80.53444°W	saddle point at Johns Creek headwaters (James River tributary), and near triple point of Mississippi River (W) & Chesapeake Bay (NE)/Albemarle Sound (Roanoke River) (SE)
Virginia: Appalachian Trail	3,397 feet (1,035 m) 37°22′50″N 80°18′23″W / 37.380422°N 80.306368°W	Parallel Route Begin
Virginia: Appalachian Trail	3,224 feet (983 m) 37°20′37″N 80°21′53″W / 37.343516°N 80.364647°W	Parallel Route Begin
Virginia: Interstate 81	2,180 feet (660 m) 37°07′43″N 80°22′17″W / 37.128708°N 80.371299°W	crossing
Virginia: Christiansburg, VA	2,180 feet (660 m) 37°05′41″N 80°26′44″W / 37.094853°N 80.445558°W	2940 Riner Rd, Christiansburg, VA 24073
Virginia: Interstate 77	2,860 feet (870 m) 36°39′03″N 80°42′20″W / 36.650896°N 80.705609°W	crossing
North Carolina: Thurmond Chatham Wildlife Management Area	36°22′38″N 81°13′15″W / 36.377344°N 81.220722°W	triple point of New River and Yadkin/West Prong Roaring rivers
North Carolina: Interstate 40	2,880 feet (880 m) 35°37′06″N 82°15′47″W / 35.618233°N 82.263007°W	crossing
North Carolina: Interstate 26	2,130 feet (650 m) 35°17′24″N 82°24′07″W / 35.290048°N 82.40193°W	crossing
North Carolina: U.S. Route 276	2,910 feet (890 m) 35°07′47″N 82°38′21″W / 35.129807°N 82.63921°W	crossing
North Carolina: U.S. Route 178	2,694 feet (821 m) 35°05′46″N 82°48′34″W / 35.096133°N 82.80940°W	crossing, approx. 1 mile north of NC/SC border
North Carolina: NC 226 and Blue Ridge Parkway	2,820 feet (860 m) 35°51′10″N 82°03′03″W / 35.85266°N 82.0507166°W
North Carolina/South Carolina: French Broad watershed		tributary of the Tennessee River along NC/SC border dividing mountain ridges running southeast meets Santee watershed flowing into Atlantic
North Carolina/South Carolina: Sassafras Mountain	3,564 feet (1,086 m) 35°03′53″N 82°46′38″W / 35.06472°N 82.77722°W	located along the South Carolina-North Carolina border in northern Pickens County, South Carolina and southern Transylvania County, North Carolina nearest to the town of Rosman, North Carolina
North Carolina/South Carolina: Savannah watershed		across the border of Pickens County, South Carolina & Greenville County, South Carolina up into Transylvania County, North Carolina, Jackson County, North Carolina, and Macon County, North Carolina to dividing mountain ridges to Tennessee River tributaries
North Carolina: Highlands, North Carolina	4,100 feet (1,200 m) 35°3′15″N 83°12′8″W / 35.05417°N 83.20222°W
North Carolina: Cowee Gap	4,199 feet (1,280 m) 35°05′27″N 83°08′52″W / 35.09083°N 83.14778°W	divides Tennessee (Cullasaja) and Savannah (Chatooga) rivers
Georgia: Black Rock Mountain State Park	3,640 feet (1,110 m) 34°54′53″N 83°20′38″W / 34.91472°N 83.34389°W	a Blue Ridge summit
Georgia: ACF River Basin at Young Lick	3,809 feet (1,161 m) 34°49′22″N 83°39′09″W / 34.82278°N 83.65250°W	triple point at intersection of 3 GA counties: Hiwassee (Towns Co)/Chattahoochee River (Habersham Co) on the west & on the east: Savannah River (Rabun Co)
Georgia: Altamaha watershed		triple point along border of Hall & Banks (GA) counties: Chattahoochee River-Banks (west) & Altamaha River-Hall/Savannah River-Banks (east)
Georgia: Suwanee watershed		triple point: Chattahoochee River/Suwanee (west) & Altamaha River (east)
Georgia: Interstate 85	1,280 feet (390 m) 34°04′31″N 83°55′04″W / 34.075235°N 83.917737°W	crossing (1 of 5)
Georgia: Interstate 85	1,120 feet (340 m) 33°59′53″N 84°04′36″W / 33.998098°N 84.07661°W	crossing (2 of 5)
Georgia: Norcross, Georgia		through Norcross historic district
Georgia: Interstate 85	1,050 feet (320 m) 33°54′44″N 84°12′29″W / 33.912202°N 84.207973°W	crossing (3 of 5)
Georgia: Interstate 285	1,020 feet (310 m) 33°48′11″N 84°15′00″W / 33.803115°N 84.250031°W	crossing (1 of 2)
Georgia: Atlanta		near Dekalb Av
Georgia: Interstate 75/85	1,020 feet (310 m) 33°45′08″N 84°22′46″W / 33.752354°N 84.37942°W	crossing (1 of 4 crossings of I-75/4 of 5 crossings of I-85)
Georgia: Interstate 20	1,050 feet (320 m) 33°44′28″N 84°24′38″W / 33.741221°N 84.410663°W	crossing
Georgia: Interstate 85	1,000 feet (300 m) 33°39′42″N 84°25′39″W / 33.661782°N 84.4274°W	crossing (5 of 5)
Georgia: Interstate 75	976 feet (297 m) 33°39′19.60″N 84°23′42.52″W / 33.6554444°N 84.3951444°W	crossing (2 of 4)
Georgia: Interstate 285	960 feet (290 m) 33°37′51.56″N 84°23′34.40″W / 33.6309889°N 84.3928889°W	crossing (2 of 2)
Georgia: Interstate 75	927 feet (283 m) 33°34′29.77″N 84°20′7.67″W / 33.5749361°N 84.3354639°W	crossing (3 of 4)
Georgia: Fall line of the United States		near Macon, Georgia, this intersection is a triple physiographic point of the Piedmont (to the north) and the Gulf & Atlantic coastal plains (southwest & southeast).
Georgia: Interstate 75	410 feet (120 m) 32°10′16.10″N 83°45′9.25″W / 32.1711389°N 83.7525694°W	crossing (4 of 4)
Georgia: Satilla watershed		triple point: Suwanee (west) & Altamaha River/Satilla River (east)
Georgia: St. Marys watershed		triple point: Suwanee (west) & Satilla River/St. Marys River (east)
Florida: St. Johns watershed		triple point: Suwanee (west) & St. Marys River/St. Johns River (east)
Florida: Interstate 10	159 feet (48 m) 30°15′14.64″N 82°23′57.84″W / 30.2540667°N 82.3994000°W	crossing
Florida: Florida Trail		Central Florida crossing over the Florida crustal arch
Florida: Withlacoochee watershed		triple point: Suwanee/Withlacoochee River (Florida) (west) & St. Johns River (east)
Florida: Miami watershed		triple point: Withlacoochee (west) & St. Johns River/Miami River (east)
Florida: Kissimmee/Okeechobee watershed		south point of ECD @ Withlacoochee & Miami/Kissimmee triple point (Kissimmee drains to both Gulf & Atlantic via Lake Okeechobee & Okeechobee Waterway)

References

1. "Elevation Chart". The Great Allegheny Passage: The Cumberland and Pittsburgh Trail. Allegheny Trail Alliance. Archived from the original on May 6, 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-09. Maps: Eastern Continental Divide