Chartiers Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chartiers Creek |
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1751 map depicting Chartiers Creek (labeled as "Shartees Cr.", at top edge of map)
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Location of Chartiers Creek mouth
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| Other name(s) | Tributary to Ohio River |
| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Allegheny Washington |
| City | Washington |
| Borough | Canonsburg Carnegie McKees Rocks Thornburg Heidelberg Bridgeville Houston |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Fork of Bane Creek divide about 0.25 miles north of Van Buren, Pennsylvania 1,220 ft (370 m) 40°05′05″N 080°17′16″W / 40.08472°N 80.28778°W |
| River mouth | Ohio River McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania 710 ft (220 m) 40°27′54″N 080°03′10″W / 40.46500°N 80.05278°W |
| Length | 47.60 mi (76.60 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | generally northeast |
| River system | Ohio River |
| Basin size | 277.42 square miles (718.5 km2) |
| Tributaries |
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| Waterbodies | Reservoir #2 |
| Bridges | PA 18 (x4), Farmer Lane, Old Scales Road, Vaneal Drive, Mounts Road, Jolly School Road, Old Plank Road, PA 18, Walker Lane, PA 18, Ridgewood Drive, US 40, I-70, Caldwell Avenue, Jessop Place, W Wylie Avenue, Woodland Avenue, PA 844, Wallace Lane, PA 18, Oak Grove Road, N Main Street Ext., Country Club Road, Pike Street, Racetrack Road, Vandale Drive, S. Johnson Road, S Main Street, Strabane Avenue, S. Jefferson Avenue, S Central Avenue, Morganza Road, Curry Avenue, Curry Hill Road, Southpoint Boulevard, I-79, Morganza Road, Atlas Lane, Maple Lane, Georgetown Road, Boyce Road, Mayview Road, PA 50, I-79, Prestley Road, Steen Road, I-79, PA 50, Greentree Road, Washington Avenue, Carothers Avenue, W Main Street, Chestnut Street, I-376, Rutgers Road, Stubenville Pike, Wind Gap Bridge, PA 51, W Carson Street |
Chartiers Creek is a stream in Western Pennsylvania. It flows into the Ohio River. The creek was named after Peter Chartier. He was a trapper who set up a trading post here in 1743. Peter Chartier was part French and part Native American.
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About Chartiers Creek
Chartiers Creek is an important waterway in Western Pennsylvania. It is about 47.6 miles (76.6 km) long. The creek starts in Washington County. It then flows through Allegheny County. Finally, it joins the Ohio River. This meeting point is near McKees Rocks. It is also close to the West End of Pittsburgh.
Where Does it Flow?
The creek begins in Washington County. This is its headwaters. From there, it winds its way generally northeast. It passes through several towns and boroughs. These include Canonsburg and Carnegie. Its journey ends when it flows into the Ohio River. This happens at McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania.
Smaller Streams Joining In
Many smaller streams flow into Chartiers Creek. These are called tributaries. They add water to the main creek.
Here are some of the streams that join Chartiers Creek:
- Little Chartiers Creek joins near Peters Township.
- Chartiers Run joins at the borough of Houston.
- Other streams include Georges Run, Millers Run, and McLaughlin Run.
Keeping the Creek Clean
In the past, Chartiers Creek faced many pollution problems. These included acid mine drainage. This is polluted water from old mines. There was also runoff from farms and factories. Sometimes, sewers would overflow into the creek. All these things made the creek one of the most polluted in Pennsylvania.
Cleaning Up the Water
Good news! Things are getting better for Chartiers Creek. People are working hard to clean it up. One big source of pollution was the Gladden Discharge. This was a flow of iron-filled water from a mine. It entered Millers Run Creek. Millers Run is a stream that flows into Chartiers Creek.
In 2020, a group called the South Fayette Conservation Group started a project. They are treating the polluted water from Gladden Discharge. This will make Millers Run much cleaner. It will also greatly reduce the pollution in Chartiers Creek.
Future Plans for the Creek
There are exciting plans for Chartiers Creek. People want to create a greenway along the creek. A greenway is a path or area of green space. This path would be for walking and biking. It would stretch from Canonsburg Lake all the way to the Ohio River.
This new path could connect to other trails. It might link up with the Montour Trail and the Panhandle Trail. It could also connect to the Three Rivers Heritage Trail. This would create a large network of trails for everyone to enjoy.
