Little Butler Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Little Butler Creek |
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|---|---|
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | unnamed pond in Jackson Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania 1,687 feet (514 m) |
| River mouth | Butler Creek in Jackson Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania near Gibson 1,352 feet (412 m) 41°49′40″N 75°38′03″W / 41.82769°N 75.63425°W |
| Length | 3.1 miles (5.0 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Butler Creek → Nine Partners Creek → Tunkhannock Creek → Susquehanna River → Chesapeake Bay |
| Basin size | 1.63 square miles (4.2 km2) |
Little Butler Creek is a small stream, or tributary, that flows into Butler Creek in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. It is about 3.1 miles (5.0 km) long. The creek flows through Jackson Township.
The area of land that drains into Little Butler Creek, called its watershed, covers about 1.63 square miles (4.2 km2). This creek is special because it is a "Coldwater Fishery" and a "Migratory Fishery." This means its waters are cool enough for fish like trout to live and reproduce naturally. It also supports fish that travel to different waters.
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Where Little Butler Creek Flows
Little Butler Creek starts in a small, unnamed pond in Jackson Township. From there, it flows generally south-southeast. After a short distance, it enters Little Butler Lake.
Once it leaves the southern end of Little Butler Lake, the creek turns southwest. It then flows south and southwest again, crossing under Pennsylvania Route 492. The creek continues its journey south before turning southwest and then south-southeast. Finally, it meets up with Butler Creek.
Little Butler Creek is about 3.1 miles (5.0 km) long. It joins Butler Creek about 8.20 miles (13.20 km) before Butler Creek reaches its own end.
Land and Rocks Around the Creek
The land around Little Butler Creek changes in height. Near where the creek joins Butler Creek, the elevation is about 1,352 feet (412 m) above sea level. Up at the creek's start, the elevation is higher, around 1,687 feet (514 m) above sea level.
The ground and rocks along the creek's path are interesting. In its upper and lower parts, you'll find a type of soil left behind by glaciers, called Wisconsinan Till. But in the middle of the creek, there's a large area of alluvium, which is soil deposited by flowing water. There's also a smaller patch of alluvial fan, which is a fan-shaped deposit of sediment. You can also find patches of solid bedrock on nearby hills. This bedrock is made of sandstone and shale.
A 27-acre (11 ha) lake, Little Butler Lake, is located right on Little Butler Creek. This lake used to be a kettle hole bog, which is a wetland formed in a depression left by melting ice. Many years ago, a dam was built to turn it into an open lake. Without the dam, it could slowly return to being a bog over hundreds of years.
The Creek's Water Area
The entire area of land that drains water into Little Butler Creek is called its watershed. This watershed covers about 1.63 square miles (4.2 km2). The creek is entirely within the Harford area, as mapped by the United States Geological Survey. The mouth of the creek is close to the town of Gibson.
Companies sometimes need special permits for their work near creeks. For example, Southwestern Energy Production Company has a permit related to controlling soil erosion and sediment that might enter Little Butler Creek.
A Look at History
Little Butler Creek was officially added to the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. This system keeps track of names and locations of places in the United States. Its special ID number there is 1179494.
Bridges have been built over Little Butler Creek to help people travel. A concrete bridge carrying Pennsylvania Route 547 was built in 1954 in Jackson Township. It is 21.0 feet (6.4 m) long. There are also plans to fix or replace a bridge that carries Pennsylvania Route 492 over the creek.
Life in and Around the Creek
Little Butler Creek is home to wild trout. These fish naturally reproduce in the lower 2.48 miles (3.99 km) of the creek. As mentioned, the creek is classified as a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery, which means it's a good place for these fish to live and move.
Little Butler Lake, which is part of Little Butler Creek, is listed in "A Natural Areas Inventory of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania." Even though the lake was created by flooding a bog, some parts of the original bog plants still exist on floating islands in the lake. To help protect the lake from pollution, like runoff from homes, roads, and fields, it has been suggested to plant more trees along its western edge.
