Leach Creek facts for kids

Leach Creek is a small stream in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. It flows into Leggetts Creek. This stream is about 1.9 miles (3.1 km) long. It runs through the city of Scranton. The area of land that drains into Leach Creek is about 2.55 square miles (6.6 km2). Sometimes, the creek's water disappears into old underground mines. Parts of the creek have been changed by people. It flows next to a road called Pennsylvania Route 307. The creek has trees and plants along its banks in some areas. But in other parts, unwanted plants have grown there.

Where Does Leach Creek Flow?

Leach Creek starts in a pond. This pond is in a deep valley near Morgan Manor in Scranton. The creek first flows southeast. It runs alongside Pennsylvania Route 307. Then, it turns south and keeps flowing next to the highway.

After a short distance, the creek turns southeast again. Here, another stream called South Branch Leach Creek joins it. This is its only named branch. Leach Creek then flows south-southeast for a while. It crosses Pennsylvania Route 307 again. After that, it turns east and crosses US Route 11. Finally, after a bit more flowing, it meets Leggetts Creek. Leach Creek joins Leggetts Creek about 1 mile (1.6 km) before Leggetts Creek ends.

How Does Water Move in Leach Creek?

Leach Creek loses a lot of its water. This happens because the water seeps into old underground mine pools. It goes through cracks in the rocks below. This water then adds to large underground water areas called the Marvine Pool and the Stoors Pool. Because of this, the creek often has very little water flowing in it, or sometimes none at all.

Many places release stormwater into the creek. Stormwater is rain or melted snow that runs off streets and buildings. There are also about two special places in the area that hold stormwater. In the lower parts of the creek, there is a lot of dirt and sand. This makes the streambed very muddy. The city of Scranton once asked for permission to release stormwater into the creek.

Long ago, in the early 1900s, Leach Creek was clear. But then, water from mines flowed into it. This mine water carried coal waste. This waste settled on the banks and bottom of the creek. In 1948, studies showed that the creek was losing a lot of water to the mines. It was losing between 968 and 1319 gallons of water every minute.

At the end of the creek, there's a chance of big floods. For example, there's a 10% chance that the water flow could reach 430 cubic feet per second each year. There's a 1% chance it could reach 1360 cubic feet per second. Like many streams nearby, Leach Creek can have sudden flash floods.

What is the Land Like Around Leach Creek?

The land near where Leach Creek ends is about 781 feet (238 meters) above sea level. Where the creek starts, the land is higher. It is between 1320 and 1340 feet (402 and 408 meters) above sea level.

Leach Creek is in the Anthracite Coal Region. This means it flows through areas where coal was mined. The ground along the lower parts of the creek is mostly city land. It also has land changed by old mining. The upper parts of the creek are near city areas and rocks that contain coal, conglomerate, sandstone, and shale.

A small wetland pond is where Leach Creek begins. In its lower parts, the creek flows through a stone tunnel. It also goes under a tall, narrow stone channel near a pile of coal waste. Sadly, garbage has been dumped along the stream in its lower areas. In these lower parts, the creek has been reinforced with rocks. It also flows through a special area built to control floods. This area helps stop flooding on Bloom Street.

Leach Creek flows over rounded stones called cobbles in some places. The creek flows through 49 pipes. These pipes range in size from 3 to 60 inches (8 to 152 cm).

What is the Leach Creek Watershed?

The watershed of Leach Creek is the entire area of land that drains water into the creek. This area is about 2.55 square miles (6.6 km2). The creek is completely within the Scranton area on maps made by the United States Geological Survey. Leach Creek is a "second-order" stream. This means it's formed when two smaller streams join together.

Most of the watershed is in Scranton. But some parts are in nearby townships. These include South Abington Township, Ransom Township, and Newton Township.

Leach Creek flows through many developed areas. It may have been straightened in some places by people. Neighborhoods near the creek include Morgan Manor and Keyser Oak Plaza. The land in the watershed is used for homes, factories, and businesses. There are also two small wetland areas in the watershed.

For much of its path, Leach Creek is near Pennsylvania Route 307. A cemetery, a medical center, and homes are also close to the creek. However, in its upper and middle parts, there are not many buildings right along the creek's banks. In the lower parts, city development has a big impact on the creek. It flows past the Keyser-Oak Shopping Mall in this area.

Major roads in the Leach Creek watershed include Pennsylvania Route 307, Market Street, and the North Scranton Expressway.

History of Leach Creek

Leach Creek was officially added to the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. This system keeps track of names for places like rivers and mountains. Its special ID number there is 1199013.

In 1909, Leach Creek was moved to flow under Keyser Avenue.

A bridge was built in 1969 to carry Pennsylvania Route 307 over Leach Creek in Scranton. This bridge is made of concrete and is about 27.9 feet (8.5 meters) long.

One historic place in the Leach Creek watershed is the Cayuga Vault. There has also been a plan for a $100,000 project to help maintain the Leach Creek area.

Plants and Animals Along Leach Creek

Leach Creek has a stable area of plants and trees along its banks in its upper and middle parts. This area is called a riparian buffer. However, in its lower parts, this plant area is almost gone. It is taken over by invasive plants. These are plants that are not native to the area and can harm local plants.

In this lower part, the ground plants are mostly Japanese knotweed. The taller trees are mostly Ailanthus and Norway maple. The plant buffer usually has only one line of trees. The water habitat of the creek would need a lot of work to be healthy again.

The entire length of Leach Creek is a place where trout are stocked for fishing. This means fish are added to the creek so people can catch them.