Birch Island Run facts for kids

Birch Island Run is a stream located in Cameron County and Clinton County, Pennsylvania. It flows into the West Branch Susquehanna River and is about 7.2 miles (11.6 kilometers) long. The area around the stream, called its watershed, is mostly covered by forests. While some parts of the stream are affected by pollution from old mines, amazing brook trout still live there!

The Stream's Journey

Birch Island Run begins its journey in Grove Township, Cameron County. It flows a short distance southeast before entering Clinton County.

Through the Forest

Once in Clinton County, the stream continues flowing southeast through Sproul State Forest. Along its path, it meets another stream called Amos Branch. As Birch Island Run keeps moving southeast, its valley gets deeper and deeper.

Meeting Other Streams

The stream flows past some areas where old strip mines used to be. It then meets Little Birch Island Run not far from where it ends. Finally, Birch Island Run empties into the West Branch Susquehanna River. This happens right on the border between Clinton County and Centre County.

Tributaries

The main streams that flow into Birch Island Run are Amos Branch and Little Birch Island Run. There are also several smaller streams that join Birch Island Run along its way.

Water Quality

Scientists study the water in Birch Island Run to see how healthy it is. They measure things like how much manganese or sulfate is in the water. They also check the water's pH, which tells us how acidic or basic the water is. A lower pH means the water is more acidic.

Acid Mine Drainage

Some parts of Birch Island Run are affected by acid mine drainage. This is polluted water that comes from old mines. It can make the stream water more acidic, which can be tough for fish and other creatures. For example, one small stream that flows into Little Birch Island Run has a high amount of sulfates and is quite acidic.

pH Levels

The pH of Birch Island Run changes along its path. In some upper parts of the stream, the pH is naturally a bit low. However, in other areas, especially where acid mine drainage enters, the pH can be lower due to pollution.

The Watershed

The Birch Island Run watershed is the entire area of land where all the rain and snow eventually drain into Birch Island Run. Most of this watershed is in southwestern Clinton County, with a small part in southeastern Cameron County.

A Forested Home

A huge part of the watershed, about 95%, is covered by forests. This means it's mostly wild and undeveloped. There are some old, unused mines in the area, and a few homes and camps along Keating Road.

Size of the Watershed

The total area of the Birch Island Run watershed is 15.3 square miles (39.6 square kilometers). Little Birch Island Run's watershed makes up 6.6 square miles (17.1 square kilometers) of this, and Amos Branch's watershed is 2.3 square miles (6.0 square kilometers).

Protected Lands

Much of the northern part of the watershed is covered by State Forests. Some of the southern part is State Game Lands, which are areas set aside for wildlife. Areas where old mining used to happen are mostly in the southern and eastern parts of the watershed.

Land and Rocks

Birch Island Run starts high up at about 2,000 feet (610 meters) above sea level and ends at a lower elevation of about 800 feet (240 meters). The stream is located in the Appalachian Plateau, a large area of high, flat land.

Coal and Rocks

The land around Birch Island Run has several layers of coal seams, which are layers of coal underground. These include the Lower Kittanning, Middle Kittanning, and Upper Kittanning coal seams. Most of the rocks in the watershed were formed a very long time ago, during the Pennsylvanian and Mississippian periods. You can also find iron ore in the watershed.

Underground Folds

The land here also has interesting geological features like the Clearfield-McIntyre syncline, which is a downward fold in the rock layers. Another feature, the Chestnut Ridge-Wellsboro anticline, which is an upward fold, is found near the stream's beginning.

A Look Back in Time

In 1835, a man named Samuel Grove spent several weeks exploring the Birch Island Run watershed. He was looking for silver but didn't find any.

Mining History

Parts of the Birch Island Run watershed have been mined in the past. Permits were given for surface mining, where minerals are dug up from near the surface. However, no mining has happened in the watershed since the 1980s.

Elk Habitat

More recently, in 2010, a large area of grassland was created in the Little Birch Island Run watershed. This 135-acre (55-hectare) area was made to be a home for elk.

Wildlife in the Stream

Birch Island Run is a special place for fish and other aquatic animals.

Fish Life

Brook trout are found in Birch Island Run and other streams in its watershed. In fact, almost all the fish species found here are brook trout! In 1915, about 1,000 brook trout were seen in the stream. All the streams in the watershed are considered excellent places for coldwater fishing. Besides trout, some scuplins have been found in the lower parts of the stream, and a smallmouth bass was once seen near the stream's mouth.

Insects and More

You can also find different kinds of macroinvertebrates (small creatures without backbones) in Birch Island Run, like mayflies and stoneflies. These insects are an important part of the stream's ecosystem.