East Fork Harveys Creek facts for kids

East Fork Harveys Creek is a cool stream in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. It flows into a bigger stream called Harveys Creek. This creek is about 4.8 miles (7.7 km) long. It winds its way through Lehman Township and Jackson Township. The land area that drains water into the creek is about 7.31 square miles (18.9 km2).

East Fork Harveys Creek has one main helper stream. It is known as Drakes Creek. Sometimes, the water in East Fork Harveys Creek isn't as clean as it should be. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is working to understand why. In 2005, there was an idea to change the creek's name to "Bidlack Creek," but it didn't happen. This creek is a great place for cold-water fish.

The Creek's Journey

East Fork Harveys Creek starts in a valley. This valley is located in Lehman Township. It flows mostly south-southwest for over a mile. Along the way, two small streams join it from the right side.

The creek keeps winding south-southwest. It then leaves Lehman Township and enters Jackson Township. In Jackson Township, the creek turns southeast. It flows through two small lakes. After the lakes, it turns south-southeast.

About a mile and a half later, Drakes Creek joins it. Drakes Creek is its only named helper stream. It flows in from the left side. East Fork Harveys Creek then turns southwest. After a short distance, it meets and joins Harveys Creek. East Fork Harveys Creek joins Harveys Creek about 3.12 miles (5.02 km) before Harveys Creek ends.

Drakes Creek: A Helper Stream

East Fork Harveys Creek has one important helper stream. This stream is called Drakes Creek. Drakes Creek joins East Fork Harveys Creek about 0.40 miles (0.64 km) before its end. The area that drains water into Drakes Creek is about 2.10 square miles (5.4 km2).

Water Quality

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection checks the water in East Fork Harveys Creek. They have found that the water sometimes has too much organic material. It also has low levels of dissolved oxygen. This means there isn't enough oxygen for fish and other water creatures. These issues might come from natural sources or other unknown reasons. Experts are still trying to figure out the exact cause.

In 1999, a state facility was allowed to release treated water into the creek. This water is cleaned before it goes into the creek.

Land and Rocks Around the Creek

The land around the end of East Fork Harveys Creek is about 784 feet (239 m) above sea level. Where the creek begins, the land is a bit higher. It is just under 1160 feet (350 m) above sea level.

The Creek's Water Area

The entire area that collects rainwater for East Fork Harveys Creek is called its watershed. This watershed covers about 7.31 square miles (18.9 km2). The creek is entirely within the Kingston area map.

East Fork Harveys Creek is important for several reasons. It supports aquatic life, which means plants and animals that live in the water. It also provides water supply and is used for recreation.

The creek flows past a state facility. There is also a small dam or pond on the creek near this facility. In Lehman Township, some parts of the creek have a thin area of trees and plants along the banks. This area is close to farmland.

History and Name of the Creek

East Fork Harveys Creek was officially added to the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. This system keeps track of place names.

Back in 1823, two people named John Lamoreaux and Daniel Davenport built a sawmill on the creek. A sawmill is a place where logs are cut into lumber.

The name "East Fork Harveys Creek" has been on official maps since 1946. However, some people used to call it Bidlack Creek. In 2005, a local resident suggested changing the name officially to Bidlack Creek. But in 2006, the United States Board on Geographic Names decided not to change it. They said the current name was used a lot, and local leaders did not want to change it.

In 1997, local officials got permission to replace a bridge. This bridge carried a road called T-605 over East Fork Harveys Creek.

Plants and Animals

Along East Fork Harveys Creek, in both Jackson and Lehman Townships, there's a special forest. This forest has many eastern hemlock trees. It is even listed on the Luzerne County Natural Areas Inventory. Besides hemlocks, you can find red maple trees and other trees that lose their leaves in the fall.

The area of trees and plants along the creek in Lehman Township is also special. It is mostly made up of red maple trees. This area is also listed on the Luzerne County Natural Areas Inventory.

In 2012, people saw four great blue heron nests along the creek. These large birds often build their nests near water. Wild trout also live and reproduce naturally in a part of the creek. This section is about 3.11 miles (5.01 km) long. Because of these fish, the creek is known as a Coldwater Fishery.