Hans Yost Creek facts for kids

Hans Yost Creek is a small stream, or tributary, that flows into Deep Creek in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. It is about 3.4 miles (5.5 km) long. The creek flows through two areas: Foster Township and Barry Township.

The area of land that drains into Hans Yost Creek is about 3.52 square miles (9.1 km²). The creek is considered "impaired," which means its water quality isn't healthy. This is mainly because of metals and a chemical balance problem (called pH). These issues come from abandoned mine drainage, which is water flowing out of old, unused mines.

Even though it has no named smaller streams joining it, two discharges from old mines flow into Hans Yost Creek. The land around the creek was heavily mined in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Today, any mining still happening there is mostly "remining," which means they are re-working old mine sites.

The Creek's Journey

Hans Yost Creek starts in a big valley in Foster Township. It flows west through this valley for a short distance. Then, it enters Barry Township.

The creek then turns southwest for a little while before heading west again. After a bit more travel, it turns southwest once more. It then enters a much narrower valley.

Finally, the creek flows west for some distance, with a few small turns along the way. It reaches the end of its valley and turns northwest. A short distance later, Hans Yost Creek joins Deep Creek.

Hans Yost Creek meets Deep Creek about 14.96 miles (24.08 km) before Deep Creek reaches its own end.

Smaller Streams Joining In

Hans Yost Creek does not have any named smaller streams, or tributaries, that flow into it. You won't see any on maps either. However, a few very small, temporary streams do flow into the creek near where it begins. These streams only flow when there's enough rain or snowmelt.

Water Quality Challenges

Hans Yost Creek is considered an "impaired" waterway along its entire length. This means the water quality is not good enough to support healthy aquatic life. The main problems are too many metals and an unhealthy pH level. These issues come from abandoned mine drainage.

There are two main places where water from old mines flows into the creek's watershed. One is called the Moser Mine Pool Discharge. This water enters the creek in its upper parts. The other is known as Rattling Run. This discharge is made up of water from two other sources: the Collapsed Tunnel Discharge and the Buck Mountain Vein Overflow Discharge. Rattling Run flows into the lower parts of the creek.

The amount of water flowing in Hans Yost Creek changes as these mine discharges add to it. For example, the flow increases a lot after Rattling Run joins the creek.

Studies in the past showed that the amount of iron and manganese in the creek varied. These metals are often found in water affected by mine drainage. The levels of these metals were generally higher after the mine discharges joined the creek.

Land and Location

The land around the mouth of Hans Yost Creek is about 787 feet (240 m) above sea level. Near the creek's source, the land is higher, about 1,491 feet (454 m) above sea level.

Hans Yost Creek helps drain a steep valley between Broad Mountain and Mahantango Mountain. The creek flows through an area known as the Southern Anthracite Coal Field. This area is famous for its coal.

The entire watershed of Hans Yost Creek covers an area of 3.52 square miles (9.1 km²). The creek is completely within the Tremont area on the United States Geological Survey map. Its mouth is less than 1 mile (1.6 km) from the town of Weishample.

The very beginning of Hans Yost Creek flows through forested land. This area can be hard to reach.

The watershed of Hans Yost Creek is located about 39 miles (63 km) northeast of Harrisburg. It is also about 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Tremont. Roads like Pennsylvania Route 901 and Interstate 81 are partly near the creek's watershed.

History of the Creek

Hans Yost Creek was officially added to the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. Its special ID number there is 1176486. The creek is also sometimes called Hanyost Creek. This other name appeared on a 1975 map of Schuylkill County.

The land around Hans Yost Creek was heavily mined for coal in the late 1800s and early 1900s. As of 2001, there were still active mining permits in the area. However, these permits are for "remining," which means they are working on old mine sites and are not supposed to cause new pollution into the creek.

In 1976, a local group called the Schuylkill County Sportsmen's Association wanted to build a fish nursery on the creek. This nursery would hold 30,000 trout. This plan went ahead even though a coal company wanted to mine nearby and release treated water into the Hans Yost Creek area. The Sportsmen's Association believed the mining would not cause pollution.

At least two studies have looked at the living things in Hans Yost Creek. In 1972, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources found that the macroinvertebrate community (tiny creatures without backbones) was healthy. However, a 1997 study by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection found that the creek was impaired.

The Tri-Valley Watershed Association, a group that works to protect local streams, has been trying to help Hans Yost Creek. They have added limestone to the Moser Mine Pool Discharge. Limestone helps to balance the water's acidity and make it healthier. They are also thinking about ways to treat the lower parts of Hans Yost Creek.

Life in the Water

The area that drains into Hans Yost Creek is classified as a Coldwater Fishery. This means it's a good place for fish that prefer cold water. The creek's main purpose, or "designated use," is to support aquatic life.

In the 1970s, Hans Yost Creek was described as having "good stream conditions." At that time, the water flowing from abandoned mines seemed to have little or no bad effect on the tiny creatures living in the creek.