Bear Brook (Roaring Brook tributary) facts for kids

Bear Brook (also called Bear Brook Creek) is a small stream, or tributary, located in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It flows into a larger stream called Roaring Brook. Bear Brook is about 3.0 miles (4.8 km) long. It winds its way through two towns: Madison Township and Moscow.

The area of land that drains water into Bear Brook is called its watershed. This watershed covers about 2.26 square miles (5.9 km²). One cool fact about Bear Brook is that wild trout live and reproduce naturally in its waters! A bridge for Pennsylvania Route 690 also crosses over this stream.

Where Does Bear Brook Flow?

Bear Brook starts on a hill in Madison Township. From there, it flows northwest, moving downhill and entering a lake.

After leaving the lake, the stream turns and flows west-southwest for over a mile. It travels through a valley, running alongside Pennsylvania Route 690. Along its path, it passes by a few small ponds or lakes.

Journey Through Moscow

Eventually, Bear Brook turns west and enters the town of Moscow. It then flows south for a short distance before turning west again. Finally, it crosses under Pennsylvania Route 690 one last time before joining Roaring Brook. Bear Brook meets Roaring Brook about 14.48 miles (23.30 km) upstream from where Roaring Brook itself ends.

What Is the Land Around Bear Brook Like?

The land around Bear Brook has different elevations. The place where Bear Brook joins Roaring Brook is about 1,473 feet (449 m) above sea level. Where Bear Brook begins, its source, the elevation is higher, between 1,800 and 1,820 feet (550 and 550 m) above sea level.

The ground and rocks near the lower parts of Bear Brook are made up of different materials. These include:

• Wisconsinan Ice-Contact Stratified Drift: This is material left behind by glaciers.
• Wisconsinan Till: Another type of material deposited by glaciers.
• Bedrock: The solid rock underneath the soil, which here is made of conglomeratic sandstone (a type of rock with pebbles), sandstone, and shale.
• Alluvium: This is sand, silt, and clay deposited by flowing water, found in a few spots.

The Bear Brook Watershed

The watershed of Bear Brook, which is the entire area of land that collects and drains water into the stream, covers about 2.26 square miles (5.9 km²).

The mouth of Bear Brook (where it joins Roaring Brook) is located in an area mapped by the United States Geological Survey called the Moscow quadrangle. However, the stream's source is in a different mapped area known as the Sterling quadrangle.

A Look Back: Bear Brook's History

Bear Brook was officially added to the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. This system helps keep track of names and locations of geographical features.

Bridges Over the Brook

In the early 1900s, the Lackawanna County Commissioners were given permission to build a bridge over Bear Brook on Nork Road. Later, in 1933, a concrete slab bridge was built to carry Pennsylvania Route 690 across the stream. This bridge is 25.9 feet (7.9 m) long and is located in Moscow.

In the early 2000s, a plan for protecting the Lackawanna River watershed suggested that Madison Township should include protecting streams like Bear Brook in its local planning.

Wildlife in Bear Brook

One of the most interesting things about Bear Brook is its wildlife. Wild trout naturally live and reproduce in the stream. You can find these trout from the very top of the stream all the way down to where it meets Roaring Brook. This means the stream is a healthy home for these fish!