Laurel Run (Lackawanna River tributary) facts for kids

Laurel Run (also known as Laurel Run No. 3) is a small stream in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. It flows into the Lackawanna River. The stream is about 3.6 miles (5.8 km) long. It runs through Jefferson Township and Archbald.

The area of land that drains water into Laurel Run is 2.72 square miles (7.0 km²). This area is called its watershed. Sometimes, water from old mines affects the stream. There's a reservoir called the Laurel Run Reservoir in the watershed. It's held back by the Cawley Dam. You can find cool natural features along the stream, like waterfalls, deep valleys (ravines), and rocky ledges. Laurel Run can also cause flooding in the town of Archbald. The stream's watershed is a special place for fish. It's known as a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery. This means it's good for fish that like cold water and for fish that travel to lay eggs.

The Stream's Journey

Laurel Run starts on a mountain in Jefferson Township. It flows southwest for a short bit, then turns west. It continues west-northwest for over a mile, flowing down the mountain and into Archbald.

In Archbald, the stream turns west-southwest and enters a deep valley. Here, another small, unnamed stream joins it. Laurel Run also flows through the Laurel Run Reservoir in this area. Further downstream, it turns northwest and goes under US Route 6. After turning west again, it leaves the valley. A short distance later, it joins the Lackawanna River.

Laurel Run meets the Lackawanna River about 21.82 miles (35.12 km) upstream from where the Lackawanna River ends.

Streams Joining Laurel Run

Laurel Run has one small stream that flows into it. This stream doesn't have a special name, but it's about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long.

Water Flow and Quality

Sometimes, Laurel Run loses some water as it flows under the Robert Casey Highway. This happens because of the way the ground is there.

Some water from old mines seeps into Laurel Run just below the Laurel Run Reservoir. However, the impact isn't too big. Only a small amount of orange-red iron oxide (like rust) is left on the stream banks. Efforts have been made to clean up these old mine areas. This is called mine reclamation.

The amount of water flowing in Laurel Run can change a lot, especially during heavy rains. For example, there's a 10% chance each year that the water flow near the Lackawanna River will reach 423 cubic feet per second. This means it could get quite high.

In the early 1900s, Laurel Run was mostly clean. It didn't have much water pollution from coal waste (called culm). Even when some mine water flowed into it, the stream's water quality wasn't affected much.

Land and Rocks Around the Stream

The land around where Laurel Run meets the Lackawanna River is about 838 feet (255 m) above sea level. Where the stream starts, high on the mountain, the elevation is much higher, between 2,160 and 2,180 feet (660 and 660 m) above sea level.

The Francis Cawley Dam is located in the area that drains into Laurel Run. This dam creates the Laurel Run Reservoir, which used to provide drinking water for the area. There's also a wet, marshy area called the Laurel Run Marshes in Jefferson Township.

A part of Laurel Run, about 0.3 miles (0.48 km) long, has a very steep slope. In this section, you can see beautiful waterfalls, deep ravines, and rocky ledges. Even though there was mining nearby a long time ago, this part of the stream is still very natural and beautiful.

The very beginning of Laurel Run is in a wet area within the Moosic Mountains. It's truly a mountain stream.

The Stream's Drainage Area

The entire area of land that collects water for Laurel Run is called its drainage basin or watershed. It covers about 2.72 square miles (7.0 km²). The end of the stream is in an area mapped by the United States Geological Survey as Olyphant. However, its beginning is in the Lake Ariel map area.

Laurel Run is considered a "second-order" stream. This means it's formed by two smaller streams joining together.

The area around Laurel Run, especially upstream from the Robert Casey Highway, is mostly natural and undeveloped. It's on private land. However, downstream from the highway, the stream is affected by old mining waste. There are some buildings in the upper part of the watershed, but they don't seem to cause much harm to the stream.

The upper parts of the Laurel Run watershed are within Pennsylvania State Game Lands. This helps protect the stream from development. An electrical power line also crosses through the watershed.

Laurel Run can cause flooding in the town of Archbald. Some homes near the stream have had their basements flooded by its waters.

History of Laurel Run

Laurel Run was officially added to the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. This system keeps track of place names in the United States.

The town of Archbald, which is located along Laurel Run, was first settled in 1845. It became an official town in 1875. People were already using water from Laurel Run for their homes as early as 1875. It was an important source of water for Archbald for many years. After a big flood in 1972, a part of Laurel Run was changed and rebuilt to help prevent future flooding.

In the early 2000s, a plan for the Lackawanna River watershed suggested that Laurel Run should be kept as natural as possible. It also recommended that Jefferson Township and Archbald include ways to protect the stream in their town plans.

Today, Laurel Run is on a special list of streams that need help recovering from past pollution. This list is from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. This department has also worked on projects to clean up mine drainage in the stream.

Plants and Animals

The area that drains into Laurel Run is a special place for fish. It's called a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery. This means it's a good home for fish that prefer cold water, and it's a place where fish travel to lay their eggs. Wild trout naturally live and reproduce in the stream, all the way from its beginning to where it meets the Lackawanna River.

Upstream from the Laurel Run Reservoir, the plants along the stream are mostly native trees and smaller plants. From the Cawley Dam downstream to the Robert Casey Highway, the stream has a lot of beautiful rhododendron plants growing along its banks. This part of the stream is so special that it's on a list of "Special Places and Natural Areas" by the Lackawanna River Corridor Association. Further downstream, the plants along the stream are mostly new growth that has come back after disturbances.