Grassy Island Creek facts for kids

Grassy Island Creek is a stream in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. It flows into the Lackawanna River. The creek is about 4.4 miles (7.1 km) long. It travels through Jefferson Township and Jessup. The area of land that drains into the creek is 5.42 square miles (14.0 km2).

The upper parts of the creek are clean and healthy. However, the lower parts have some pollution. Sometimes, the creek dries up in the summer. But at other times, it can flow very fast! The creek is in the Appalachian Mountains. Its watershed is mostly covered by forests. There are also some homes and old mining areas.

Grassy Island Creek can cause floods in Jessup. In the past, old coal mines were near the creek. In 1996, a big flood caused a lot of mining waste to wash into the Lackawanna River. Since then, people have worked to fix the creek's banks. There are also plans for a power plant to release treated water into the creek.

Where Grassy Island Creek Flows

Grassy Island Creek starts on a mountain in Jefferson Township. It flows southwest for a short distance. Then, it enters a valley and turns northwest. Along this path, it gets water from two small streams. The creek then enters Jessup.

In Jessup, the creek turns south-southwest. It flows into the Olyphant Reservoir Number Two. Here, another small stream joins it. From the reservoir, the creek flows west-southwest into the Olyphant Reservoir Number One. After this, it flows northwest and gets water from another small stream.

Finally, the creek turns west and crosses US Route 6. It then leaves the valley and turns north. After a bit more flowing, Grassy Island Creek meets the Lackawanna River. It joins the Lackawanna River about 20.36 miles (32.77 km) upstream from where the Lackawanna River ends.

Small Streams Joining Grassy Island Creek

Grassy Island Creek has several small streams that flow into it. These streams don't have official names. They are called "Unnamed trib 1," "trib from Olyphant Res. No. 3," "Unnamed trib 2," and "Unnamed trib 3." Their lengths are 0.8 miles (1.3 km), 0.3 miles (0.48 km), 0.5 miles (0.80 km), and 0.5 miles (0.80 km).

Water Quality of the Creek

The lower parts of Grassy Island Creek are considered "impaired." This means the water quality is not as good as it should be. The main problems are the water's pH (how acidic or basic it is) and certain metals. This pollution comes from old, abandoned mine drainage. One of the small streams that flows into Grassy Island Creek also has problems from old mine drainage.

In 2002, scientists studied the creek's flow. On average, about 6,011 gallons (22,755 liters) of water flowed out of the creek each minute. But in the hot summer, the creek can become an intermittent stream, meaning it sometimes dries up. The water's pH usually ranged from 4.8 to 5.5, which is a bit acidic.

The creek has some manganese, a type of metal. It also has high levels of acidity. However, it also has some alkalinity, which helps balance the acidity.

In the past, mining operations caused a lot of problems for the creek. Waste from mines, like culm (waste coal) and silt, built up along the creek's banks. In the early 1900s, the upper parts of the creek were clear. But pollution from nearby mines turned the water black.

Geography and Rocks Around the Creek

The mouth of Grassy Island Creek is about 830 feet (250 m) above sea level. Its source, where it begins, is much higher, between 2,140 and 2,160 feet (650 and 660 m) above sea level.

Grassy Island Creek is in the Appalachian Mountains. The land around the creek has long, steep ridges and valleys. This is typical for this part of Pennsylvania.

The creek starts from springs in the Moosic Mountains. In some places, the creek flows through deep, steep valleys. These areas are often protected by groups like The Nature Conservancy. Downstream, the creek is more affected by old anthracite coal mining. In its lowest parts, the creek's bed has been lined with knapped stone to help control the water flow.

The main rocks in the creek's watershed are sandstone and other sedimentary rocks. Sandstone makes up most of the area. The higher parts of the watershed have rocky soil that doesn't drain well. Other parts are developed or are old mining lands.

Near the mouth of the creek, there's a large pile of mining waste called the Rose Pile. It's about 100 feet (30 m) tall. The creek also flows through a long concrete tunnel under a highway.

The Creek's Watershed

The watershed of Grassy Island Creek covers 5.42 square miles (14.0 km2). Most of this area (89 percent) is covered by forests. The rest is made up of homes and old mining sites.

There are also several Reservoirs in the watershed. These include Olyphant Reservoir Number One, Olyphant Reservoir Number Two, and Olyphant Reservoir Number Three in Jessup.

Grassy Island Creek is a big reason for flooding in the town of Jessup.

History and Efforts to Help the Creek

Grassy Island Creek was officially named in 1979.

In the past, there were many large coal mines near the creek. The Winton Water Company built three reservoirs in the creek's watershed in the 1890s to supply water. In the 1930s, the Works Progress Administration helped fix parts of the creek's banks. By the early 2000s, the reservoirs were no longer used for water supply.

In 1996, a big ice flood caused the creek's channel to break. This led to a huge amount of mining waste (over 30,000 cubic yards) washing into the Lackawanna River. After this, people started working on plans to restore the creek. A project called the Grassy Island Creek Greenway was suggested to protect the land near the creek.

Today, Grassy Island Creek is on a list for restoration. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is working on projects to improve the creek. This includes fixing the banks and improving drainage. In 2001, the creek's channel at its mouth was moved to a new spot. More repair work was done in 2004 and 2005, but the banks were still unstable. Between 2009 and 2012, more work was done to stabilize the channel using riprap (large rocks). These repairs helped the creek survive a big storm in 2013 with only minor damage.

Experts believe the chances for restoring Grassy Island Creek are "excellent." There are no active mining permits in the creek's watershed now.

In 2015, a plan for a natural gas power plant caused some concern. The plant planned to release a lot of treated water into Grassy Island Creek every day. Some people worried about the effects on the creek. However, others pointed out that this would give the creek a steady flow, which could be helpful.

Life in and Around the Creek

The upper part of Grassy Island Creek is a special place for fish. It's called a High-Quality Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery. This means it's a great habitat for fish that like cold water, and it's important for fish that travel to lay their eggs. Wild trout naturally live and reproduce in the creek from its source all the way to its mouth.

In the early 2000s, some harmful plants, called noxious weeds, were found in the creek's watershed. However, you can still find beautiful hemlock trees in the valleys where the creek flows. Downstream, there are also groves of rhododendrons and laurels. Other trees like hemlock, chestnut, and white oak also grow along the creek.