Meshoppen Creek facts for kids

Meshoppen Creek is a cool stream in Pennsylvania. It flows through Susquehanna and Wyoming counties. The creek is about 30.6 kilometers (19 miles) long. It eventually joins the big Susquehanna River.

Meshoppen Creek's watershed, which is the area of land that drains into it, covers about 295 square kilometers (114 square miles). You can even go canoeing on about 17 kilometers (10.6 miles) of the creek!

Where Meshoppen Creek Flows

Meshoppen Creek starts on a hill in Bridgewater Township, Susquehanna County. It flows downhill, first heading south-southeast, then turning south-southwest. The creek then flows south, passing a place called Watrous Corners.

For a few miles, it flows along the edge of Bridgewater Township and Dimock Township. Then, it fully enters Dimock Township. It continues flowing south and west. In the southern part of Dimock Township, the creek flows through a lake. It also picks up a smaller stream called Burdlick Creek.

Next, Meshoppen Creek enters Springville Township. It keeps going southwest and meets another stream called Sevens Creek. The creek then turns south briefly before heading southwest again. For a few miles, the creek starts to curve and wind a lot. It picks up more streams like Pond Brook, Thomas Creek, and North Branch Meshoppen Creek. After this, it leaves Susquehanna County.

The Creek's Journey Through Wyoming County

When Meshoppen Creek leaves Susquehanna County, it enters Lemon Township, Wyoming County. It continues to wind southwest, crossing Pennsylvania Route 29. Then, it flows into Washington Township and passes Valentine Hill.

The creek reaches a place called Kaiserville and starts winding west. Eventually, it enters Meshoppen Township. Here, it quickly meets West Branch Meshoppen Creek and turns south. After a short distance, it turns west again.

A few miles later, the creek reaches the community of Meshoppen. In Meshoppen, it crosses U.S. Route 6. Finally, Meshoppen Creek joins the Susquehanna River. It meets the Susquehanna River about 234.44 miles (377.3 kilometers) upstream from where the big river flows into the ocean.

Land, Rocks, and Weather Around the Creek

The land around Meshoppen Creek is quite interesting. Near where the creek joins the Susquehanna River, the elevation is about 188 meters (617 feet) above sea level. Where the creek starts, it's much higher, between 494 and 500 meters (1,620 and 1,640 feet) high.

Waterfalls and Creek Features

Meshoppen Creek has a cool waterfall that is 6 meters (20 feet) high. There's another waterfall near the town of Meshoppen too. You can find wide, shallow areas called riffles in the creek, especially near State Route 3017. Riffles are places where the water flows quickly over rocks. There are many riffles and not many deep pools downstream of Pennsylvania Route 29.

The creek's path, or channel, is very curvy. The creek flows over rock formations made of shale and sandstone. Also, you can find glacial drift in the area. This is rock and dirt left behind by ancient glaciers.

Hills, Forests, and Swamps

A book from 1921 described the land around Meshoppen Creek as "rough and hilly." You'll see steep, rounded hills, lots of forests, and some swamps and lakes.

The amount of precipitation (rain and snow) in the Meshoppen Creek area is usually between 89 and 102 centimeters (35 and 40 inches) each year.

The Meshoppen Creek Watershed

The watershed of Meshoppen Creek covers about 295 square kilometers (114 square miles). This area is located in southwestern Susquehanna County and northern Wyoming County. All the water in this area eventually flows into Meshoppen Creek. The creek's drainage basin is part of the larger Upper North Branch Susquehanna drainage basin.

Lakes and Land Use

Some important lakes in the Meshoppen Creek watershed are Schooleys Pond and Sound Pond. Schooleys Pond is about 39.3 acres, and Sound Pond is 34 acres.

For most of its length, Meshoppen Creek flows through rural areas. You can see groves of hemlock and hardwood trees. There are also pastures where animals graze. However, there are some buildings and roads along the creek where it crosses State Route 3017.

There isn't a stream gauge on Meshoppen Creek. A stream gauge is a tool that measures how much water is flowing in a creek.

Name, History, and Old Industries

The name "Meshoppen" comes from a Native American language. It is said to mean "glass beads."

Past Industries in the Area

In the early 1900s, the main jobs and businesses around Meshoppen Creek included agriculture (farming), quarries (places where stone is dug out), and sawmills (places where logs are cut into lumber). The creek's water was also used to power a flour mill in the town of Meshoppen. A flour mill grinds grain into flour.

The Lehigh Valley Railroad also ran through this area back then. The railroad used the creek as a source of water for its trains.

In 1921, the biggest towns in the Meshoppen Creek watershed were Meshoppen and Springville. Meshoppen had about 630 people, and Springville had about 550 people.

Fun Things to Do: Canoeing

You can go canoeing on about 17 kilometers (10.6 miles) of Meshoppen Creek! The best times to canoe are during snowmelt (when snow melts in spring) or a few days after a heavy rain.

Edward Gertler, who writes about canoeing, says the views along the creek are "good to excellent." He also calls it an "awfully pretty little creek." Most of the creek is easy to canoe, with difficulty ratings from 1 to 3-. However, there is one part with very difficult rapids (Class 6), which are only for expert canoeists.