Lost Creek (Shenandoah Creek tributary) facts for kids

Lost Creek is a small stream in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. It's a tributary, which means it's a smaller stream that flows into a larger one. Lost Creek flows into Shenandoah Creek.

This creek is about 1.3 miles (2.1 km) long. It runs through an area called West Mahanoy Township. The land area that drains water into Lost Creek is about 1.32 square miles (3.4 km²).

Sometimes, Lost Creek doesn't flow all the way to its end. This happens because its water can disappear underground into old mine tunnels. Because of this, and pollution from old mines, the creek's water quality isn't always great. Even so, it's considered a Coldwater Fishery, which means it's a good place for certain types of fish that like cold water.

Where Lost Creek Flows

Lost Creek starts its journey in a place called the Number Three Reservoir. This is in West Mahanoy Township. From there, it flows towards the southwest.

The creek then enters another body of water, the Raven Run Reservoir. After leaving this reservoir, Lost Creek turns south. It flows through a narrow valley for a short distance. Along this path, it also passes through the Number One Reservoir.

Finally, the valley opens up. Lost Creek then turns south-southeast. It flows past two ponds before it meets up with Shenandoah Creek. Lost Creek joins Shenandoah Creek about 1.28 miles (2.06 km) before Shenandoah Creek reaches its own end.

Water Quality of Lost Creek

Lost Creek is known as an "impaired" waterbody. This means its water quality isn't as good as it should be. The main problem is too many metals in the water. These metals likely come from abandoned mine drainage. This is water that flows out of old, unused mines.

In some parts, especially closer to its end, Lost Creek is an ephemeral stream. This means it only flows sometimes. Its water often sinks into underground mine tunnels, causing parts of the creek to dry up. There's even a specific mine discharge, called the Weston Mine Lost Creek-Buck Mountain discharge, that affects the creek's water.

Scientists have measured the water in Lost Creek. For example, in March 2001, the water flow was 1.03 cubic feet per second (0.029 m³/s). In August 2001, it was much lower at 0.11 cubic feet per second (0.0031 m³/s). This shows how much the flow can change.

The amount of dissolved oxygen in the water was also measured. This is important for aquatic life. In March, it was 12.2 milligrams per liter (0.0122 oz/cu ft), and in August, it was 7.5 milligrams per liter (0.0075 oz/cu ft). The pH of the water, which tells us how acidic or basic it is, was around 6.2 to 6.3. This is slightly acidic.

The water also contains different minerals and chemicals. For example, small amounts of dissolved aluminum, manganese, and iron have been found. These can come from the surrounding rocks and soil, but also from mine drainage.

Geography and Geology

The land around Lost Creek is part of the Western Middle Anthracite Field. This area is known for its coal. The elevation where Lost Creek meets Shenandoah Creek is about 1,053 feet (321 m) above sea level. Where Lost Creek begins, its elevation is higher, around 1,600 feet (490 m) above sea level.

Sometimes, the dried sediment from the creek looks grayish brown. About 2,000 feet (610 m) northeast of a small village called Lost Creek, the creek flows into an open-pit mine, also known as a strip pit. Here, its water soaks into the underground Weston Mine Pool.

Lost Creek's Watershed

The watershed of Lost Creek covers an area of 1.32 square miles (3.4 km²). A watershed is all the land where water drains into a particular stream or river. Lost Creek's entire watershed is located within the United States Geological Survey map area called Shenandoah. The mouth of the creek is less than 1 mile (1.6 km) from the community of West William Penn.

This watershed makes up a small part, about 0.8 percent, of the larger Mahanoy Creek drainage basin. It's located in the upper part of the Mahanoy Creek watershed and the north-central part of the Shenandoah Creek watershed. The main purpose for which Lost Creek is protected is for aquatic life. This means efforts are made to keep the creek healthy for the plants and animals that live in and around it.

History of Lost Creek

Lost Creek officially received its name and was added to the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. Its special identification number is 1179963.

In the late 1800s, many trees were planted near Lost Creek. About 20,000 European larch trees were planted on the north bank. This was done to help grow a second-growth forest in the area.

In the early 1900s, Lost Creek was a very clear stream. This was true especially upstream from a coal mine called the Packer No. 2 Colliery. This mine was owned by the Lehigh Valley Coal Company. However, at the colliery, a lot of mine water and culm (waste coal) flowed into the creek. This caused pollution. Despite the pollution, the Girard Water Company used Lost Creek as a water supply during this time.

Biology in Lost Creek

Lost Creek is officially classified as a Coldwater Fishery. This means it has the right conditions, like cold water temperatures, for certain types of fish to live there.

In 2001, scientists looked for small creatures without backbones, called macroinvertebrates, in Lost Creek. They found some, but they didn't see any fish. Only four types of macroinvertebrates were found: Limnephilidae (caddisflies), Tipulidae (crane flies), Cambaridae (crayfish), and Oligochaeta (aquatic worms). Only one or two of each type were found, so they were considered "rare" in the creek.

Scientists also use something called the Hilsenhoff Biotic Index to check water quality based on the types of macroinvertebrates found. In 2001, Lost Creek had a family-level Hilsenhoff Biotic Index value of 6. This number helps scientists understand how healthy the creek's ecosystem is.