Watersheds and milksheds can best be classified as functional regions.
- A watershed is defined as a region where all rainfall flows downhill through streams and tributaries into the same body of water, functioning as a hydrological system centered around water flow
- A milkshed is a region around a dairy farm where fresh milk can be produced and delivered without spoilage, centered on the dairy farm as a node of economic activity
- Both types of regions operate around a central node or focal point and are defined by the functional relationships within them, rather than by formal political boundaries or cultural traits
Therefore, watersheds and milksheds are examples of functional (or nodal) regions, characterized by the spatial system organized around a central point and the activities or flows associated with it.
