Cider Run (Sutton Creek tributary) facts for kids

Cider Run is a small stream, or tributary, that flows into Sutton Creek in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. It's about 2.1 miles (3.4 kilometers) long. The stream flows through Franklin Township.

The area of land that drains into Cider Run, called its watershed, covers about 2.19 square miles (5.67 square kilometers). Sometimes, the stream can have floods, but these usually don't cause much harm. Many tiny water creatures, called macroinvertebrates, live in Cider Run.

Where Cider Run Flows

Cider Run starts in a valley in Franklin Township. This spot is close to the border of Wyoming County.

First, it flows east-northeast for a short distance. Then, it turns to flow east-southeast. After a bit more, it turns south, and the valley around it gets narrower. Further downstream, another small stream joins Cider Run from the right side. Then, Cider Run turns southeast. Finally, it meets Sutton Creek.

Cider Run joins Sutton Creek about 3.22 miles (5.18 kilometers) before Sutton Creek reaches its own end.

Water Levels in Cider Run

The amount of water flowing in Cider Run can change a lot. For example, there's a 10% chance each year that the stream's flow will reach about 445 cubic feet per second (12.6 cubic meters per second). This means it can get quite full, but serious flooding is rare.

Land and Rocks Around the Stream

The place where Cider Run meets Sutton Creek is about 886 feet (270 meters) above sea level. Where the stream begins, its source, the elevation is between 1,060 and 1,080 feet (323 and 329 meters) above sea level.

Cider Run's Watershed

The watershed of Cider Run is the entire area of land where all the rain and snowmelt eventually drain into this stream. This area is about 2.19 square miles (5.67 square kilometers).

The end of Cider Run is in an area mapped by the United States Geological Survey called the Ransom quadrangle. However, its beginning is in the Center Moreland quadrangle. The whole watershed is within Franklin Township. Its northern edge is close to Northmoreland Township in Wyoming County.

Even though Cider Run can flood sometimes, the land around it doesn't have many buildings. This means that floods usually don't cause much damage.

History of Cider Run

Cider Run was officially added to the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. This system keeps track of names for places like rivers and mountains.

A bridge that carries Route 1035 over Cider Run was once listed by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation as needing repairs. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission studied Cider Run on January 20, 2015, to learn more about its health.

Animals and Plants in Cider Run

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is thinking about naming Cider Run a "wild trout stream." This would mean it's a good place for wild trout to live and grow naturally.

There are also wetlands, which are marshy areas with trees, along a small stream that flows into Cider Run.

In a study from 2012, scientists found 173 individual macroinvertebrates in Cider Run. These are small creatures without backbones, like insects and worms, that live in the water. They found 20 different types of these creatures. Some of them included:

• Four kinds of caddisflies
• Three kinds of stoneflies
• Two kinds of beetles
• Two kinds of craneflies
• Aquatic worms (like Oligochaeta)
• Crayfish (like Orconectes)
• Dragonflies (like Aeshna)
• Helgrammites (like Corydalus)
• Riffle beetles (like Dubiraphia)
• Scuds (like Crangonyx)
• Midges (from the family Chironomidae)