Heberly Run facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Heberly Run |
|
|---|---|
Heberly Run in Pennsylvania State Game Lands Number 13
|
|
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | mountain top in Davidson Township, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania |
| River mouth | East Branch Fishing Creek in Davidson Township, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania 1,187 ft (362 m) |
| Length | 4.9 mi (7.9 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | East Branch Fishing Creek → Fishing Creek → Susquehanna River → Chesapeake Bay |
| Basin size | 6.42 sq mi (16.6 km2) |
| Tributaries |
|
Heberly Run is a cool stream located in Sullivan County, Pennsylvania. It's about 4.9 miles (7.9 kilometers) long and flows through a place called Davidson Township. This stream is a tributary, which means it's a smaller stream that flows into a larger one, in this case, the East Branch Fishing Creek.
The area of land that drains water into Heberly Run, called its watershed, covers about 6.42 square miles (16.6 square kilometers). Heberly Run has a few smaller streams that join it, like Quinn Run and Meeker Run. The stream is also famous for its many beautiful waterfalls! You can find parts of Heberly Run inside Pennsylvania State Game Lands Number 13, and the forests around it are mostly made up of trees that have grown back, known as second-growth woods.
Contents
The Journey of Heberly Run
Heberly Run starts its journey high up on a mountain in Davidson Township. It flows east for a short distance, dropping quickly and becoming very steep. Then, it turns south, and the valley around it gets very deep, sometimes as much as 500 feet (152 meters) deep within just 2 miles (3.2 kilometers)!
In this part of its journey, Heberly Run meets Meeker Run, which is its first smaller stream joining it. After that, Heberly Run turns southeast and then east. Its valley becomes even deeper, reaching about 700 feet (213 meters) in depth. At a spot called Lewis Falls, another stream, Quinn Run, flows into Heberly Run.
Heberly Run then turns southeast again. After about a mile (1.6 kilometers), its valley becomes incredibly deep, around 900 feet (274 meters). Soon after, it flows into the valley of East Branch Fishing Creek and joins that creek. This meeting point is close to the border between Sullivan County and Columbia County, Pennsylvania. Heberly Run joins East Branch Fishing Creek about 4.50 miles (7.24 kilometers) before the larger creek reaches its own end.
Streams Joining Heberly Run
The main streams that flow into Heberly Run are:
- Quinn Run
- Meeker Run
Water Quality and Flow
The amount of water flowing in Heberly Run, called its discharge, changes along its path. At the very beginning, about 5.7 million gallons of water flow each day. After Meeker Run joins, the flow increases to about 12.9 million gallons daily. By the time Heberly Run reaches its mouth, where it joins East Branch Fishing Creek, the water flow is around 24 million gallons per day!
Scientists also measure different substances in the water. For example, the amount of aluminum in the water changes. At the start, there's more aluminum, but as the stream flows and other waters join, the concentration of aluminum goes down.
The water's acidity (how acidic it is) and alkalinity (how basic it is) are also measured. These levels affect what kinds of plants and animals can live in the stream.
pH Levels
The pH level tells us how acidic or basic water is. A pH of 7 is neutral, lower numbers are acidic, and higher numbers are basic.
- At the start of Heberly Run, the pH can be as low as 3.48 (quite acidic) and as high as 6.30. The average here is about 4.91.
- Downstream of Meeker Run, the pH ranges from 3.88 to 6.36, with an average of 4.97.
- At the mouth of Heberly Run, the pH ranges from 4.15 to 6.40, with an average of 5.60.
The low pH levels in Heberly Run can make it hard for fish to have babies and grow in the stream.
Landscape and Rocks
The land around Heberly Run is quite interesting! Near where it joins East Branch Fishing Creek, the elevation is about 1187 feet (362 meters) above sea level.
You can find some deep, narrow valleys called ravines close to the stream. Upstream from the waterfalls, the bottom of the stream has smooth sandstone rocks sticking out. Heberly Run has carved a "steep and rugged" (meaning very rough and uneven) glen into the flat land, or plateau, where it is located.
Heberly Run's Watershed
The entire area that drains into Heberly Run, its watershed, covers 6.42 square miles (16.6 square kilometers). It can be a bit tricky to get to the stream by road.
Heberly Run is famous for its many beautiful waterfalls! Some of the named ones include Lewis Falls, Twin Falls, and Big Falls, along with several others. Most of these waterfalls are not very tall. Big Falls is the tallest at 34 feet (10 meters) high, and Lewis Falls is 22 feet (6.7 meters) high. The upper Twin Falls are 13 feet (4 meters) high, and the lower Twin Falls are 9 feet (2.7 meters) high. There's even an unnamed waterfall that is 8 feet (2.4 meters) high. You can also find waterfalls on Quinn Run, one of Heberly Run's tributaries.
The area around Heberly Run is described as "very scenic" in the Sullivan County Natural Areas Inventory, which means it's a really pretty place to visit. The town of Jamison City, Pennsylvania is also fairly close to the Heberly Run watershed.
Plants and Animals
The forests in the watershed of Heberly Run are mostly second-growth woods, meaning the trees have grown back after being cut down a long time ago. You can find trees like hemlock and black birch near the stream. Other plants that grow there include wood sorrel and violets.
Interestingly, there are also some special plant species found near the stream. One plant is considered threatened in Pennsylvania, meaning it's at risk of disappearing. Another plant species found here is endangered in the state, which means it's in even greater danger and is becoming less common in the area.
As mentioned before, the low pH of Heberly Run makes it hard for fish to reproduce and thrive in the stream.
Fun Activities
Heberly Run flows through the Pennsylvania State Game Lands Number 13, which is a great place for outdoor activities. This area is usually less crowded than the popular Ricketts Glen State Park nearby.
If you love hiking, there's a hiking trail called Waterfall Wonderland that follows Heberly Run for part of its length. For those who like a challenge, there's a more difficult version of this hike that gets you much closer to the stream, sometimes even requiring you to walk in the streambed itself! This tougher trail might also require some "bushwhacking," which means pushing through thick bushes and plants where there isn't a clear path.
