Little Shickshinny Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Little Shickshinny Creek |
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Little Shickshinny Creek in its middle reaches
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| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Briar Creek Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania |
| River mouth | Shickshinny Creek in Shickshinny, Pennsylvania 531 ft (162 m) 41°09′15″N 76°09′17″W / 41.15403°N 76.15486°W |
| Length | 9.5 mi (15.3 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 9.8 sq mi (25 km2) |
Little Shickshinny Creek is a small stream in Pennsylvania, United States. It flows into Shickshinny Creek. This creek runs through parts of Columbia County and Luzerne County. It is about 9.5 miles (15.3 km) long. That's almost as long as Shickshinny Creek itself!
The creek flows through a few different areas. These include Briar Creek Township, Salem Township, and the town of Shickshinny. Little Shickshinny Creek is known for its very clean, cold water. It is a great place for fish that like cold water. You can also find two state game lands, #55 and #260, in the area around the creek. The land around the creek covers about 9.8 square miles. It has swamps and forests. There are even some beautiful waterfalls along the creek, called the Little Shickshinny Creek Falls.
Contents
Where the Creek Flows
Little Shickshinny Creek starts in Briar Creek Township. This is in Columbia County, Pennsylvania. It begins between two mountains: Knob Mountain and Huntington Mountain.
The creek first flows east for a few miles. It goes down into a valley between these two mountains. As it continues, the valley slowly gets wider. Eventually, the creek leaves Briar Creek Township.
After leaving Columbia County, Little Shickshinny Creek enters Salem Township in Luzerne County. Here, it turns and flows towards the northeast. The valley around it becomes a bit narrower. After a few more miles, the creek reaches the town of Shickshinny. This is where it joins with Shickshinny Creek.
The spot where Little Shickshinny Creek meets Shickshinny Creek is about 0.46 miles (0.74 km) upstream from where Shickshinny Creek itself ends.
The Creek's Surroundings
The area of land that drains into Little Shickshinny Creek is called its watershed. This watershed covers about 9.8 square miles.
There is a reservoir (a place where water is stored) on Little Shickshinny Creek. You can also find a swamp and some small towns or buildings nearby.
A ridge (a long, narrow hill) is located near the creek in Columbia County. This ridge is part of State Game Lands #55. Many different plants grow here, like oaks, birches, and laurel. The land on the northern side of the creek is flat. It does not drain water very well.
Little Shickshinny Creek flows through a gorge in Pennsylvania State Game Lands #260. This gorge is a deep, narrow valley. There are also waterfalls here, which are called the "Little Shickshinny Creek Falls." These waterfalls are quite tall, between 30 to 40 feet (9.1 to 12.2 m) high. You can see Sandstone rocks near the falls. The valley of the creek was shaped by glaciation (ice sheets) a long time ago.
The lowest point of Little Shickshinny Creek is 531 feet (162 m) above sea level.
History and Name Meaning
Years ago, the Pennsylvania Game Commission built a small intake dam on Little Shickshinny Creek. This dam was 8 feet (2.4 m) tall and 40 feet (12 m) wide. It was used to get water from the creek. However, this dam was removed in 2009. Taking it out helped make the water even cleaner.
The name Shickshinny comes from a Native American word. It means "quick dashing water." This name perfectly describes how the creek flows!
Fun Things to Do
There are many fun things to do around Little Shickshinny Creek. You can visit Pennsylvania State Game Lands #55. The Camp Louise Girl Scout Camp is also in the watershed. The creek also goes through Pennsylvania State Game Lands #260. There is a trail there that leads right to the creek.
You can also find a swimming hole on Little Shickshinny Creek. It's a great spot to cool off on a hot day!
Plants and Animals
Little Shickshinny Creek is known as a high-quality coldwater fishery. This means its cold, clean water is perfect for certain types of fish. It is home to wild trout. These fish are not put into the creek by people; they live there naturally. The upper parts of the creek are in Pennsylvania State Game Lands Number 55.
The areas along Little Shickshinny Creek have many different types of habitats. Most of the area is a Hemlock Palustrine Forest. This is a type of forest with many eastern hemlock trees. There are also red maple swamps and highbush blueberry shrub swamps. You can also find dry oak-heath forests.
Besides hemlocks, other trees in the Hemlock Palustrine Forest include black gum, white pine, and beech. Other plants you might see are Jack-in-the-pulpit, rhododendron, sensitive fern, skunk cabbage, hay-scented fern, and mountain laurel. The swamps near the creek have plants like gray birch, sedge, royal fern, and silky dogwood.
Right on the banks of Little Shickshinny Creek, you can find hemlock, black gum, and yellow birch trees. Other plants growing there include Canada mayflower, rhododendron, cinnamon fern, royal fern, starflower, dwarf ginseng, skunk cabbage, pink lady’s-slipper, and partridge berry.
The area around Little Shickshinny Creek is home to many different kinds of birds. It has an "exceptional" number of bird species for the region. There are 33 types of birds near the creek. These include owls, thrushes, flycatchers, and ten different warbler species. The very beginning of the creek also has many different kinds of plants.
Sometimes, a tiny insect called the hemlock wooly adelgid can be found near Little Shickshinny Creek. This insect can harm hemlock trees.
Images for kids
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Little Shickshinny Creek in its middle reaches
