Deep Creek (Mahantango Creek tributary) facts for kids

Deep Creek is a small river, also called a tributary, that flows into Mahantango Creek in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. It's about 5.9 miles (9.5 km) long. The creek travels through areas like Lykens Township and Pillow. The land area that drains into Deep Creek, called its watershed, covers about 10.6 square miles (27 km²). Even though it's not officially listed as polluted, scientists have found high levels of nitrates in its water. The land around the creek is mostly used for farming and forests. Deep Creek is also known as a good place for "Warmwater Fishery," meaning it's suitable for fish that prefer warmer water.

Journey of Deep Creek

Deep Creek starts its journey in a pond located in Lykens Township. It flows north, passing through a few more ponds. Then, the creek turns to flow west-northwest.

As it continues, Deep Creek receives water from several smaller streams, which are called tributaries. Some join from its right side, and others from its left. The creek then winds its way west-northwest before turning west-southwest for over a mile.

Eventually, Deep Creek makes several turns towards the northwest. More small streams join it along this path. The creek then flows north-northwest through a water gap in Mahantango Mountain. This is where it enters the town of Pillow. In Pillow, a small branch of the creek, called a distributary, splits off. Deep Creek then turns north-northeast and soon joins Mahantango Creek. Deep Creek meets Mahantango Creek about 10.30 miles (16.58 km) before Mahantango Creek reaches its own end.

Water Quality of Deep Creek

As of 2004, Deep Creek was not officially listed as a polluted water body. However, local conservation groups have noticed something important. The levels of nitrates in Deep Creek are among the highest found in Dauphin County. Nitrates can come from things like fertilizers used in farming. It's also thought that the creek might carry a lot of sediment, which is like dirt and small rocks.

Where Deep Creek Flows

The land around the mouth of Deep Creek is about 482 feet (147 m) above sea level. The area where the creek begins, its source, is higher up, at about 741 feet (226 m) above sea level.

Deep Creek is special because it cuts right through Mahantango Mountain. This means that the land area that drains into Deep Creek extends south of Mahantango Mountain. This is unusual for the Mahantango Creek watershed.

Land and Life Around the Creek

The entire watershed of Deep Creek covers an area of about 10.6 square miles (27 km²). The mouth of the creek is located in the United States Geological Survey map area called Pillow. However, its source is in the map area of Lykens. The creek also flows through the Klingerstown map area.

In the upper parts of the Deep Creek watershed, most of the land is used for farming. But there are also other types of land use scattered around. In the lower parts of the watershed, forests are more common. The only exception is near where the creek joins Mahantango Creek.

Deep Creek is one of the main streams that flow into Mahantango Creek in Dauphin County. Another important one is Pine Creek.

Deep Creek Through History

Deep Creek was officially added to the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. This system helps keep track of names for places like rivers and mountains.

In the past, there were two important mills located on Deep Creek. One was a cotton mill, which made cotton fabric. The other was a sawmill, which cut wood into lumber.

In 1985, a concrete bridge was built over Deep Creek. This bridge carries State Route 1009/N. Cross Road and is about 24.0 feet (7.3 m) long. It's located about 1 mile (1.6 km) south of Pillow.

More recently, in 2013, there was a plan to use money from an environmental program to help protect and fix the stream banks along Deep Creek. Then, in 2015, a permit was given to allow stormwater to flow into Deep Creek during construction work.

Wildlife in Deep Creek

The area around Deep Creek is classified as a Warmwater Fishery. This means it's a good habitat for fish that prefer warmer water temperatures. Scientists have studied the small creatures living in the creek, called macroinvertebrates. They found eleven different types of these creatures in samples. However, only four of these types are sensitive to pollution, which suggests some environmental concerns.

Deep Creek often doesn't have enough riparian buffers. These are natural areas of trees and plants along the banks of a stream. They help filter pollution and keep the water healthy. While the main Mahantango Creek has better buffers, Deep Creek often lacks them. In 2008, a spot on Deep Creek near Luxembourg Road was found to be in "poor" health. Tests also suggested that there was likely organic pollution in the watershed.