East Branch Tunkhannock Creek facts for kids

The East Branch Tunkhannock Creek is a cool stream in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. It's like a smaller river that flows into a bigger one, called Tunkhannock Creek. This creek is about 19 miles (31 km) long.

It flows through several towns, including Gibson Township, Herrick Township, Clifford Township, and Lenox Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. The area that drains water into the creek is quite large, covering about 68.3 square miles (177 km²).

The East Branch Tunkhannock Creek has four smaller streams that flow into it. These are Little Creek, Tinker Creek, Dundaff Creek, and Idlewild Creek. Good news! This creek is considered clean and healthy, meaning it's not listed as a polluted water body. In its upper parts, it's a "freestone stream," which means its water flows over rocks and gravel, not soft soil. The land around the creek is quite "rough and hilly."

You'll find many small lakes and swamps in the area around the creek. Some of these are Handsome Pond, Robinson Lake, Harding Pond, and Idlewild Lake. A long time ago, in the early 1900s, people in this area mostly worked in farming or visited summer resorts. Several bridges have been built over the creek for roads. The creek is a great place for fish, especially trout, and it's known as a "Coldwater Fishery" and "Migratory Fishery." Both wild trout and trout that have been put there by people live in different parts of the creek.

Where the Creek Flows

The East Branch Tunkhannock Creek starts on the side of East Mountain in Gibson Township. It flows generally south and southeast, making its way through Herrick Township and then Clifford Township.

Along its journey, it meets up with its smaller streams. First, it gets water from Little Creek, then Tinker Creek, and later Dundaff Creek. After that, it crosses US Route 11 and is joined by Idlewild Creek.

The creek continues to flow, crossing Pennsylvania Route 374 and even going under Interstate 81. It then crosses Pennsylvania Route 374 again and Pennsylvania Route 407. Finally, after about 19 miles (31 km), it reaches its end, flowing into the Tunkhannock Creek. At its very end, it forms a small delta, which is a fan-shaped area where the creek spreads out before joining the larger creek.

Creek Branches

The East Branch Tunkhannock Creek has four main branches, or tributaries, that feed into it:

• Little Creek: This creek joins the East Branch about 13.78 miles (22.18 km) from its mouth, near a place called Elkdale. It drains an area of about 4.56 square miles (11.8 km²).
• Tinker Creek: This one meets the East Branch about 11.80 miles (18.99 km) from its mouth, also near Elkdale. It drains an area of about 5.02 square miles (13.0 km²).
• Dundaff Creek: This creek joins the East Branch about 8.16 miles (13.13 km) from its mouth, near Clifford. It drains a larger area of about 10.3 square miles (27 km²).
• Idlewild Creek: This last branch joins the East Branch about 7.50 miles (12.07 km) from its mouth, near Royal. It drains an area of about 8.14 square miles (21.1 km²).

Water and Weather

The East Branch Tunkhannock Creek is known for its clean water. It's not considered a "polluted" water body. The water in this creek is usually cooler than the water in the South Branch Tunkhannock Creek or the main Tunkhannock Creek.

In the early 1900s, the area around the creek typically received about 35 to 40 inches (89 to 102 cm) of rain each year.

Land and Rocks

The creek starts high up, at about 1,953 feet (595 m) above sea level. By the time it reaches its end, it's at about 764 feet (233 m) above sea level. This means the water flows downhill quite a bit! The creek is usually about 30 to 35 feet (9.1 to 10.7 m) wide.

The land around the East Branch Tunkhannock Creek is very "hilly." The creek flows through a narrow valley surrounded by steep hills. These hills have been smoothed and rounded over time by glaciers. The creek's path is curvy, and it flows over sandstone and material left behind by glaciers.

Elk Mountain, the highest point in the entire Tunkhannock Creek area, is located in the eastern part of the East Branch Tunkhannock Creek's watershed. Its peak is about 2,680 feet (820 m) above sea level.

Many ponds, lakes, and swamps are found in the area that drains into the East Branch Tunkhannock Creek. These include Handsome Pond, Robinson Lake, Harding Pond, Tamarack Swamp, Tea Pond, two lakes called Mud Pond, Idlewild Lake, and Coterell Lake. There are also many smaller, unnamed bodies of water.

Creek's Surroundings

The entire area that collects water for the East Branch Tunkhannock Creek covers about 68.3 square miles (177 km²). The creek's mouth is near Glenwood. Most of the creek's watershed is in southern Susquehanna County, but a small part of it extends into northern Lackawanna County.

Interstate 81, a major highway, passes through the western part of the East Branch Tunkhannock Creek's watershed.

History and Fun

The East Branch Tunkhannock Creek was officially added to the Geographic Names Information System (a list of place names) on August 2, 1979.

A small town called Clifford is located near the creek. It was settled by Adam Miller way back in 1800.

In the early 1900s, the main activities in the creek's watershed were farming and summer resorts. The creek also provided power for a small watermill in Dundaff. Towns like Clifford, Dundaff, and Lenoxville were home to many people during this time.

Several bridges cross the East Branch Tunkhannock Creek. For example, a bridge carrying State Route 2021 was built in 1965 and is about 154.9 feet (47.2 m) long. Another bridge for Pennsylvania Route 374 was also built in 1965 and is about 86.9 feet (26.5 m) long.

The East Branch Tunkhannock Creek is a good spot for fishing, and there's plenty of space for casting your line. There's also a walking and biking trail near the creek in Clifford Township, which is great for outdoor activities.

Animals and Nature

The area around the East Branch Tunkhannock Creek is a great place for fish. It's known as a "Coldwater Fishery" and a "Migratory Fishery," which means it's a good habitat for fish that like cold water and for fish that travel. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission even calls a part of the creek "Class B Wild Trout Waters," meaning it's excellent for wild trout.

You can find Brook trout in the creek. Wild trout naturally reproduce in the East Branch Tunkhannock Creek from its beginning all the way down to Pennsylvania Route 374, which is a long stretch of about 17.25 miles (27.76 km). The creek is also "stocked" with trout, meaning extra trout are put into the creek by people to help with fishing. In 2016, the trout fishing season opened on April 16.

The upper part of the creek's watershed has a very high "Habitat Quality Index," which means it's a great place for brook trout to live and thrive.