### Clue: Hear people talk initially in drainage basin (9)
### Answer: CATCHMENT 
 ### Explanation: Definition: drainage basin
 CATCH(to hear, as with a conversation) + MEN(people in general, or at least about half of them) + **1st letter of**(… initially) "talk ".
Defn: A structure, eg. a reservoir, for collecting water drained from the surroundings.