Eddy Creek (Lackawanna River tributary) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eddy Creek |
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| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | near Pennsylvania Route 247 in Olyphant, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania between 1,720 and 1,740 feet (520 and 530 m) |
| River mouth | Lackawanna River in Olyphant, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania 758 ft (231 m) 41°27′49″N 75°36′38″W / 41.46352°N 75.61043°W |
| Length | 5.7 mi (9.2 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Lackawanna River → Susquehanna River → Chesapeake Bay |
| Basin size | 7.53 sq mi (19.5 km2) |
Eddy Creek is a small stream, also called a tributary, that flows into the Lackawanna River in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. It's about 5.7 miles (9.2 km) long. The creek flows through the towns of Olyphant and Throop. The area of land that drains into Eddy Creek is about 7.53 square miles (19.5 km2).
Sadly, Eddy Creek often loses its water flow. This means it doesn't always have water running through it. Some parts of the creek have a natural path, but other parts have disappeared. The rocks around the creek include the Catskill Formation and the Llewellyn Formation. Eddy Creek is a second-order stream, which means it's a medium-sized stream formed by smaller streams joining together.
A bridge for Pennsylvania Route 347 was built over Eddy Creek in the 20th century. There are plans to fix up about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) of the creek. Eddy Creek is a good place for warmwater fish and fish that travel to different places, like salmon. There's also an idea to create a greenway (a path for walking or biking) near the creek. This idea came from a plan to protect the Lackawanna River watershed in the early 2000s.
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Where Does Eddy Creek Flow?
Eddy Creek starts near Pennsylvania Route 247 in Olyphant. This is close to the town of Jessup. It flows west for a bit, then turns southwest and north. After a short distance, it turns southwest again.
Further downstream, it turns west-northwest and goes into Throop. The creek crosses US Route 6. Then it turns west-southwest and west. After some distance, it turns north, then northwest. The creek then turns west for a short time before turning north and then north-northeast. It then goes back into Olyphant. Here, it gets water from a small stream on its right side. Finally, it turns northwest, crosses Pennsylvania Route 347, and joins the Lackawanna River.
Eddy Creek meets the Lackawanna River about 16.84 miles (27.10 km) before the Lackawanna River reaches its own end.
Smaller Streams Joining Eddy Creek
Eddy Creek doesn't have any named smaller streams that flow into it. However, a book from 1916 said that several small streams did flow into the upper parts of the creek. Back then, these streams had clear water. But they would dry up in the summer.
What's Special About Eddy Creek's Water?
Eddy Creek often loses all its water flow. Some parts of the creek have been completely ruined by old mining activities. Or they were damaged by buildings put up after mining stopped. The creek loses all its water at about 1,100 to 1,200 feet (340 to 370 m) above sea level. This happens because the water sinks into old mines underground.
However, water from the Keystone Sanitary Landfill often flows into the creek further downstream. This helps to bring back a steady flow of water. The creek also has a lot of culm (waste coal) and silt (fine dirt) left over from mining. Because of these changes in water flow, the creek is considered to be "impaired." This means its water quality isn't very good. The main reason for this problem is water from abandoned mines.
Eddy Creek used to have good water flow. But now it's more like a "leaky slow trickle." It carries acid mine drainage, which is polluted water from mines. In 2014, an expert compared the creek to an "old perforated pipe." Eddy Creek is an ephemeral stream, meaning it only flows after rain or snowmelt.
Measurements of Eddy Creek's water showed that its electrical conductivity was 203.50 micro-siemens per centimeter. The amount of total dissolved solids was 140 milligrams per liter. The amount of dissolved oxygen (oxygen in the water) was 66.50 percent. The pH of the creek was 6.99, which is almost neutral. The salinity (saltiness) was 100 parts per million.
In the early 1900s, Eddy Creek didn't have culm deposits at its mouth. But its water was yellow from sulfur. Further upstream, two pipes released mine water into the creek. One of these pipes had reddish water. However, upstream of a place where ash was dumped, the water was clear.
Land, Rocks, and Weather Around Eddy Creek
The land near where Eddy Creek meets the Lackawanna River is about 758 feet (231 m) above sea level. The place where the creek starts is between 1,720 and 1,740 feet (520 and 530 m) above sea level.
In one spot, Eddy Creek flows through a fixed-up stream channel at an old mining site. Further downstream, the creek flows in its natural path. It cuts across several rock ledges. But by the time it crosses US Route 6, it has lost its water flow. Even so, you can still see its path, and the ground isn't as steep. The creek's path completely disappears where an electric power line crosses the Eddy Creek Mine Tunnel. It shows up again later, but then disappears again in old strip mines and sinkholes. From Birds Eye Mine to Underwood Road, the stream's path has been totally destroyed. In one part, the creek has a man-made channel where it goes through a neighborhood.
The bottom of Eddy Creek is dry in some places. Its banks are steep and have riprap (loose stones) and concrete walls. About 20 percent of the land near the creek is covered by things like roads and buildings. These are called impervious surfaces because water can't soak into them. The creek flows through one large pipe, which is 84 inches (210 cm) wide.
The very beginning of Eddy Creek is in springs and wet areas near Marshwood. This is close to Moosic Mountain.
The rocks in the area around Eddy Creek include sandstone and coal from the Llewellyn Formation. Some loose soil and rocks are near the creek. You can also see reddish shale and sandstone from the Catskill Formation in this area.
In October 2013, the air temperature near Eddy Creek was about 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius). The water temperature of the creek was about 23.42 degrees Celsius (74.16 degrees Fahrenheit) in a study from 2013.
The Eddy Creek Watershed
The drainage basin or watershed of Eddy Creek covers an area of 7.53 square miles (19.5 km2). The entire creek is located within the Olyphant area, as mapped by the United States Geological Survey.
A waterfall or special landform called the Marshwood Slides is in the Eddy Creek watershed. Wet areas in the watershed include the Dunmore Swamps and Marshwood. The Marshwood Reservoir is located in the upper parts of both the Eddy Creek watershed and the Little Roaring Brook watershed. Eddy Creek flows through forests in a section downstream of US Route 6. Other ways the land is used include industrial areas and open spaces.
Some neighborhoods near Eddy Creek include the Keystone Industrial Park, the Keystone Sanitary Landfill, and LaCapra Stone & Supply. It's thought that there is one facility in the watershed that holds back stormwater. A report from 1992 said that building things in an area near the creek would not hurt the creek much.
In 2013, experts looked at six streams that flow into the Lackawanna River. Eddy Creek got the lowest score for its appearance, 100 out of 200. This score was in the "marginal" range, meaning it wasn't very good. The creek got the lowest score in seven different areas. These included how much cover there was for animals, the type of streambed, how much sediment was in the water, and how much water was flowing.
Eddy Creek is a second-order stream, which means it's a mid-sized stream.
Eddy Creek's History
Eddy Creek was officially added to the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. Its special ID number there is 1198695.
In the past, two coal processing buildings, called the Eddy Creek Shaft and the No. 2 Shaft, were located along the banks of Eddy Creek. In the late 1800s, a mine fire started in the No. 2 Shaft. As a last try, water from Eddy Creek and the Lackawanna River was used to try and put out the fire. Historically, there was a dam on the creek. The Delaware and Hudson Company owned this dam. They used it to hold water to wash away ash from a power plant. The creek also provided water for a coal washing plant at the Underwood Colliery.
A concrete bridge that carries Pennsylvania Route 347 was built over Eddy Creek in 2008. It is 24.0 feet (7.3 m) long and is in Olyphant. Many historic places are located in the area around Eddy Creek. These include the South Valley Arch in Olyphant. Also, the DL&W Pancost Arch, the DL&W Winton Arch, and the Erie Arch are all in Throop. The Hudson Coal mine railroad, a narrow gauge railroad that ran until 1959, shared a tunnel under South Valley Avenue with the creek. The town of Throop once asked for permission to let stormwater flow into the creek.
Since the early 2000s, the Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation has been working to fix up the area around Eddy Creek. This includes restoring its stream channel. In the early 2000s, it was hoped that 3.5 miles (5.6 km) of the creek would be fixed by 2006. As of 2014, there were plans to restore 3.5 miles (5.6 km) of the creek. This project was planned to start in Spring 2015 and finish in December 2015. The project would cover 169 acres (68 ha) of land. It would involve reshaping the land on 30 properties. Three wet areas and two places where bats live would be affected. But no historic or archaeological sites would be harmed. Also, the flow of the Lackawanna River would not be changed.
Animals and Plants Near Eddy Creek
The area that drains into Eddy Creek is a good place for warmwater fish. It's also a place for fish that travel, like salmon.
Some areas along the creek's banks, called the riparian buffer, have woody herbaceous plants (plants with soft stems). Old strip mine piles covered in forests are also found near the creek.
A report from 1992 described Eddy Creek as a "low-quality aquatic resource." This means it wasn't a very good home for water animals and plants.
Fun Things to Do Near Eddy Creek
In the early 2000s, a plan to protect the Lackawanna River watershed suggested creating a greenway or connecting trail along Eddy Creek. This trail could link the campus of the Mid Valley School District to the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail. This would be at the spot where Eddy Creek meets the Lackawanna River.
