Meadow Brook (Lackawanna River tributary) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Meadow Brook |
|
|---|---|
 
|
|
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | near the Dunmore Cemetery in Dunmore, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania 935 ft (285 m) |
| River mouth | Lackawanna River in Scranton, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania 692 ft (211 m) 41°25′28″N 75°39′29″W / 41.42446°N 75.65813°W |
| Length | 2.0 mi (3.2 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Lackawanna River → Susquehanna River → Chesapeake Bay |
| Basin size | 2.43 sq mi (6.3 km2) |
Meadow Brook is a small stream, or tributary, that flows into the Lackawanna River. It is located in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The stream is about 2.0 miles (3.2 km) long. It flows through the towns of Dunmore and Scranton.
The area of land that drains into Meadow Brook, called its watershed, is about 2.43 square miles (6.3 km2). This area used to be much larger. Meadow Brook is known as a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery. This means it could support fish that like cold water and fish that travel to lay eggs. However, much of the stream has been damaged. This damage comes from old mining activities and new buildings. For most of its path, the stream flows through a hidden culvert system. But in some places, you can see it in an open concrete channel or even a natural streambed. You can also find patches of very old trees, called old-growth forest, along the stream in the Forest Hill Cemetery.
Meadow Brook often loses its water flow. The water it does have mostly comes from stormwater after rain. Long ago, there were natural springs and wet areas at the start of the stream. But a coal mine and later a landfill were built there. The Dunmore Cemetery and Forest Hill Cemetery are also close to the stream. Meadow Brook is a first-order stream, which means it's a small stream that doesn't have other streams flowing into it.
Contents
Where Does Meadow Brook Flow?
Meadow Brook starts near the Dunmore Cemetery in Dunmore. It flows north-northwest for a short distance. Then it turns west for a few tenths of a mile. After that, the stream turns west-southwest for over a mile. It then enters Scranton and goes underground, losing its visible flow.
It turns southwest for a short distance, sometimes appearing above ground again. Finally, the stream reaches where it joins the Lackawanna River. Meadow Brook meets the Lackawanna River about 11.83 miles (19.04 km) upstream from the Lackawanna's mouth.
What Happened to Meadow Brook's Tributaries?
Meadow Brook used to have another small stream flowing into it. However, this tributary was destroyed. This happened because of coal mining in the 1890s. Also, the building of Interstate 81 and the Marywood University campus in the 1960s contributed to its loss.
How Does Water Flow in Meadow Brook?
Meadow Brook often loses all its water in certain areas. Parts of the stream have been completely destroyed by past mining or new buildings. The stream mostly acts like a sewer shed, carrying stormwater only when it rains. There is one special facility in the stream's watershed. It helps hold back stormwater.
Many combined sewer overflows in Meadow Brook's watershed have been found. These have been removed since the 1990s. The stream's bottom, or streambed, is usually dry. People have found lots of trash and debris in the stream. This includes garden waste, flowers, tree branches, and garbage. There are also large piles of sediment near Jefferson Avenue.
The highest amount of water Meadow Brook might carry in a year has different chances. There is a 10 percent chance it could reach 630 cubic feet per second (18 m3/s). There is a 2 percent chance it could reach 850 cubic feet per second (24 m3/s). And there is a 0.2 percent chance it could reach 1,110 cubic feet per second (31 m3/s). In springtime, the water temperature of the stream has been measured between 54 to 59 °F (12 to 15 °C).
The Land Around Meadow Brook
The land near where Meadow Brook joins the Lackawanna River is 692 feet (211 m) above sea level. Near where the stream starts, the elevation is 935 feet (285 m) above sea level.
Meadow Brook has been greatly changed by city growth and old mining. It barely looks like a natural stream anymore. Some people have even said it is "essentially non-existent." However, parts of the stream's original path still exist. Where the streambed is natural, it has a mix of cobbles and rocks.
The source of Meadow Brook used to be natural springs and wet areas. These were on a ridge near the Moosic Mountains. These springs also fed a complex of glacial bogs and wetlands. But the Pennsylvania Coal Company built a coal mine there. Later, the Keystone Sanitary Landfill took over the area.
Two stone arch bridges cross Meadow Brook in the Forest Hill Cemetery. Here, the stream still flows in a natural way. Other parts of the stream are above ground but in a concrete channel. However, most of the stream flows through a large underground culvert system. This system goes under many streets. The stream flows through seven pipes that are different sizes, from 3 to 24 inches (7.6 to 61.0 cm).
Meadow Brook's Watershed
The watershed of Meadow Brook covers an area of 2.43 square miles (6.3 km2). It used to be much larger, about 4.0 square miles (10 km2). The stream is entirely within the Scranton area map made by the United States Geological Survey. Meadow Brook is a first-order stream.
The main ways land is used in Meadow Brook's watershed include homes, factories, and open spaces. The Green Ridge neighborhood is close to the stream. Other nearby places include Hollywood, Marywood University, the Dunmore Cemetery, and the Forest Hill Cemetery. The Keystone Landfill and Interstate 81 are the main land uses near the stream's upper parts. Special systems like a bioswale and underground filters have been built in the watershed. These help manage stormwater.
Meadow Brook can cause flooding in Dunmore. During Hurricane Diane in 1955, floodwaters from the stream damaged low-lying areas in the town.
History of Meadow Brook
Meadow Brook was officially added to the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. Its ID number there is 1199142.
In the 1880s, a part of Meadow Brook was put into a culvert. This happened as the Green Ridge neighborhood was being built. By 1900, the stream had lost its natural flow. This was due to underground mining. In 1909, the Pennsylvania Coal Company sent water from the stream into the Underwood Mine Drainage Tunnel. In the 1960s, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection diverted more water. This was to build holes leading to the Underwood Tunnel. In 1995 and 1997, an artificial watershed was built. This helped move stormwater from Interstate 81 away from the stream.
There are several cemeteries and schools in the middle part of Meadow Brook's watershed.
In the early 2000s, a plan for the Lackawanna River watershed suggested protecting Meadow Brook. It also recommended restoring the stream in Scranton's city plans. While fully restoring the stream is hard, it is possible to protect the parts that still exist naturally. These are near the Dunmore Cemetery and Marywood University. The stream's culvert system between Penn Avenue and its mouth was rebuilt in 2004. This project cost $6 million and was paid for by the state of Pennsylvania.
Plants and Animals Around Meadow Brook
The area that drains into Meadow Brook is special. It is called a coldwater fishery and a migratory fishery. This means it's important for fish that like cold water and fish that travel to lay eggs.
Near the Forest Hill Cemetery, where the stream still has a natural channel, there are patches of old-growth forest. In the early 2000s, more than twenty white pines, hemlocks, and red oaks over 150 years old lived here. However, in 1996, the Cemetery Association allowed some even older trees to be cut down. These trees were between 175 and 250 years old.
Besides old-growth forests, the plants under the trees in the Forest Hill Cemetery area include old rhododendrons. Other plants like mountain laurel also grow along the stream's banks, in its riparian area.
In 1997, the area along Meadow Brook was thought to be good for small animals. These include squirrels, rabbits, and mice. However, only birds were seen in this part of the stream at that time.
