Conival lies on the main east-west watershed of Scotland with drainage from its slopes reaching both coasts. The southern slopes are drained by the River Oykel which flows to the Dornoch Firth on the eastern coast. Streams on the northern flanks also go east to the Dornoch Firth via Loch Shin while the western slopes are drained by the River Traligill which flows west through Loch Assynt to find the sea at Lochinver.