What CAUSED the Continental Divides?

Question

Continental Divides normally define watershed directions (e.g., Atlantic vs. Pacific); however, are continental divides the result of fault lines or tectonic plates? If not, what caused them to form?

Answer 1

Continental divides are generally associated with mountain ranges, which themselves are generally the result of 2 tectonic plates in collision.

In North America, the most obvious example is the Rocky Mountains. The western slopes drain to the Pacific, the eastern slopes drain to the Arctic, Hudson's Bay or Gulf of Mexico.

In the interior of the continent, watersheds are not always so easily defined.

Height of land between watersheds can be the result of fault lines (although I can't think of one off the top of my head) but are normally a result of isostatic rebound. Isostatic rebound is normally associated with rise in elevation of land after periods of being covered with large areas of ice or water)

Not surprisingly, most rivers in Canada date from the time of the last ice age when retreating ice and water allowed land to rise. Some land rose (is rising) at faster rates, thus creating slope required for drainage

Answer 2

What is the Continental Divide? The Continental Divide in the Americas is the line that divides the flow of water between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean. Rain or snow that drains on the east side of the Continental Divide flows toward the Atlantic Ocean while precipitation on the west side drains and flows toward the Pacific Ocean. (However, some rivers empty into the desert and don't end up in the oceans.) The continental divide runs from northwestern Canada along the crest of the Rocky Mountains to New Mexico. Then, it follows the crest of Mexico's Sierra Madre Occidental. In South America, the Continental Divide lies along the Andes. Every continent except for Antarctica has a continental divide.

Answer 3

I don't quite understand your question. Whenever you have a land mass (like North America), some of the rain will form rivers to one side (like west), and some of the rain will form rivers to the the other side (like east). Also north and south. So there must be some line that divides the west flowing water from the east flowing water; that line is the continental divide.

In North America, there is a mountain ridge formed by the Rocky Mountains. These were formed by an uplift process, which is related to tectonic plates.

Answer 4

What I think the question is asking is more on what caused the cracks or tectonics plates. Could an asteroid, per say, have crashed into the earth causing the cracks in the earths mantel causing the continental divide, which is a theory that could explain earth being younger then said and closer to what the bible says......

Answer 5

Tectonic Plates, fault lines are cracks in the plates. But the tectonic plates are the things that actually move.

Answer 6

Continental Fault Lines

Answer 7

tectonic plates is what casued these divides and the change in the oceans flow..the geo station had a awsome documentary on this and also showed where things may move to next..

Answer 8

Underwater Earthquakes caused all of these to happen. they also spilit tyhe Continents