Black Creek (Nescopeck Creek tributary) facts for kids
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Black Creek is a long stream in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It's like a smaller river that flows into Nescopeck Creek, which then joins the Susquehanna River. This means Black Creek is part of the huge Susquehanna River area where all the water drains. There's another stream with the same name nearby in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, but this article is about the one in Luzerne County.
Long ago, in the early 1800s, the valley of Black Creek became an important path for travelers. It was part of the Lausanne–Nescopeck Turnpike, a special road that connected big cities like Philadelphia to newer settlements in the Wyoming Valley and along the Susquehanna River.
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Where Black Creek Flows
Black Creek starts in Foster Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. It flows southwest for a short distance, passing through a small community called Jeddo. Then it enters Hazle Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Here, the creek turns west and flows between two mountains, going through South Ebervale.
Further along, Black Creek leaves the mountains and flows north of Hazleton. It crosses Pennsylvania Route 940 and Pennsylvania Route 309. Right after this, it meets a smaller stream called Little Black Creek. A bit downstream, it enters West Hazleton, crossing Pennsylvania Route 93 and picking up another stream called Stony Creek. It also crosses Interstate 81 in West Hazleton.
After leaving West Hazleton, Black Creek goes back into Hazle Township and continues west. Soon, it flows into Sugarloaf Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. For a few miles, it runs alongside the border of Sugarloaf and Hazle townships. Then it turns southwest and enters Black Creek Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, briefly passing through Hazle Township again.
In Black Creek Township, the creek keeps flowing west, passing through communities like Gum Run, Derringer, Fern Glen, and Gowen. At Gowen, it turns north and flows through a narrow valley called a water gap, with Buck Mountain on one side. After the water gap, it goes through Rock Glen and picks up Falls Run. It continues north for a few miles, getting more water from Barnes Run and Scotch Run. Finally, it turns northeast for a little over a mile and joins Nescopeck Creek near a place called Tank.
Black Creek joins Nescopeck Creek about 8.72 miles (14.03 km) before Nescopeck Creek reaches its own end.
Water Quality of Black Creek
The water in Black Creek has some problems. Experts from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection say that the entire creek is affected by something called acid mine drainage. This happens when water from old coal mines mixes with the creek, making the water acidic and adding metals to it. The main sources of this pollution are old mine openings near Gowen and Derringer, but many smaller abandoned mines also contribute.
Because of this mine drainage, the creek has higher levels of metals like aluminum, iron, and manganese. It also has high levels of acidity, which means the water is more like a weak acid than pure water. The pH level, which measures how acidic or basic water is, changes along the creek. In some parts, it's quite acidic (low pH), while in others, it's closer to neutral.
The amount of water flowing in Black Creek, called its discharge, also changes a lot along its path. It starts smaller in the upper parts and gets much larger as it flows downstream and collects more water from other sources and wastewater treatment plants.
Land and Rocks Around the Creek
The land around Black Creek is quite hilly and "mountainous." The creek starts high up, between 1580 and 1600 feet (482 and 488 meters) above sea level, and drops to about 626 feet (191 meters) near its mouth. This means the water flows downhill quite a bit!
The upper part of the creek flows through a wide valley, while the lower part is in a narrow valley. There are some wet, swampy areas near where the creek begins. The creek's path is curvy, winding through different types of rocks, including sandstone and shale, which are common in areas where coal is found.
There's a special area near Hazleton called Black Creek Flats. Even though it was damaged by mining in the past, it's still an important natural area. You can also find a small waterfall, called a cataract, on Black Creek near Interstate 81.
Black Creek's Watershed and Fun Activities
The watershed of Black Creek is the entire area of land where all the rain and snowmelt drain into the creek. It covers about 61.70 square miles (159.8 km2). This area is part of a larger region known for its coal fields and the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians mountains. The watershed includes parts of Luzerne, Columbia, and Schuylkill counties.
You can get to the beginning of Black Creek by using Pennsylvania Route 309.
In its upper parts, Black Creek flows through areas where coal mining used to happen. Further downstream, it flows through beautiful woodlands. However, the creek's water is affected by runoff from Hazleton and coal mines. In its upper parts, it can also have pollution from sewage and bacteria.
For those who enjoy adventure, it's possible to go canoeing on about 14.6 miles (23.5 km) of Black Creek, especially after a heavy rain in the spring. One book describes the scenery along the creek as ranging from "very good to poor" and calls it a "little-known whitewater wonder." The difficulty of canoeing can range from easy to very challenging, with some difficult rapids in the lower parts of the creek.
History of the Area
Coal mining has been a big part of the history in the Black Creek watershed, as well as in the areas around its smaller streams like Little Black Creek.
In the early 1900s, some of the biggest towns in the Black Creek watershed were Hazleton, Freeland, and West Hazleton. Back then, the Pennsylvania Railroad followed Black Creek in its lower sections, and the Lehigh Valley railroad went through the upper parts of the watershed. The main jobs in the area at that time were coal mining and agriculture. Many of the smaller streams that flow into Black Creek were also used to supply water to nearby communities.
Plants and Animals
In the lower parts of Black Creek, you can find hemlock trees growing in a wooded area called a glen. The Black Creek Flats area, which is listed on the Luzerne County Natural Areas Inventory, is home to many interesting species. These include different kinds of butterflies like the common roadside skipper, the bog copper, the long dash, the eyed brown, and the Aphrodite fritillary. You might also spot insects like the seepage dancer and the elfin skimmer, and plants like the Hartford fern.
