Mill Creek (Lackawanna River tributary) facts for kids

Mill Creek (also known as Little Mill Creek) is a stream that flows into the Lackawanna River in Luzerne County and Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. It is about 5.5 miles (8.9 km) long.

The creek flows through several towns. These include Pittston Township, Dupont, Avoca, and Duryea in Luzerne County. It also flows through Moosic in Lackawanna County. The area of land that drains into Mill Creek is 10.6 square miles (27 km2). This creek is a special place for fish. It is known as a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery. This means it's good for fish that like cold water and for fish that travel to lay eggs. Mill Creek has two main smaller streams that flow into it. These are called Collins Creek and Lidy Creek.

Where Mill Creek Flows

Mill Creek starts in a valley near a place called Dark Hollow. This is in Pittston Township, Luzerne County. It flows west for a short distance. Then it turns north and leaves the valley.

The creek then flows west-southwest for a bit. After that, it turns north again. Here, it meets Collins Creek, which flows into it from the right side. Mill Creek continues flowing north for more than a mile. It goes under two big highways, Interstate 476 and Interstate 81.

Next, Mill Creek enters the town of Dupont. It crosses Pennsylvania Route 315 there. The creek then turns north-northeast. It meets Lidy Creek, its last main tributary, which also flows in from the right. Mill Creek then turns north again and enters Avoca. It flows north-northwest for a short distance. Then it turns northeast, then northwest, and then northeast again. Finally, the creek turns north and goes through Duryea. After Duryea, it leaves Luzerne County.

Once it leaves Luzerne County, Mill Creek enters Moosic, Lackawanna County. It flows north for a short distance. Then it joins the Lackawanna River. Mill Creek meets the Lackawanna River about 3.30 miles (5.31 km) upstream from where the Lackawanna River ends.

Streams Joining Mill Creek

Mill Creek has two named smaller streams that flow into it. These are Lidy Creek and Collins Creek. Both of these streams are considered "high quality" areas for water.

Lidy Creek joins Mill Creek about 2.46 miles (3.96 km) before Mill Creek meets the Lackawanna River. The area of land that drains into Lidy Creek is 1.50 square miles (3.9 km2). Collins Creek joins Mill Creek about 3.66 miles (5.89 km) before Mill Creek meets the Lackawanna River. The area of land that drains into Collins Creek is 1.39 square miles (3.6 km2). Mill Creek also has one unnamed stream that flows into it. This stream is about 1.0 mile (1.6 km) long.

Water Flow and Geology

In 2001, people noticed that Mill Creek sometimes loses its water flow. This happens near O'Hara Road. Water from city areas, called stormwater, also affects the creek in this part. The smaller streams, Lidy Creek and Collins Creek, also lose some of their water. This water goes into old mine tunnels underground.

The land around Mill Creek's mouth (where it joins the Lackawanna River) is about 604 feet (184 m) above sea level. Where the creek starts, its elevation is between 1200 and 1220 feet (370 and 370 m) above sea level.

The flat land next to Mill Creek, called the floodplain, has a lot of old mining waste. This includes culm (waste coal) and silt (fine dirt). These were left behind from old mining work.

The upper part of Mill Creek is near Suscon Mountain. This mountain is part of the Moosic Mountain range. The creek also flows through a very steep, narrow valley called a ravine. This ravine is next to Sucson Road. In this ravine, you can see tall cliffs, small splash pools, and waterfalls.

The ground around Mill Creek is mostly urban land, meaning it's developed by people. But there are also places with coal dumps and land changed by surface mining.

Mill Creek's Watershed

The watershed of Mill Creek is the entire area of land where water drains into the creek. This area is 10.6 square miles (27 km2). The watershed is in the southwestern part of the larger Lackawanna River watershed.

It covers parts of several towns. These include Moosic, Avoca, Dupont, Duryea, Hugestown, Pittston Township, and Jenkins Township. Mill Creek is completely within the Avoca area on maps made by the United States Geological Survey.

There used to be two small dams on Mill Creek. Both of these dams have been broken down. They have now become wetlands, which are areas of land covered by water.

Mill Creek's History

Mill Creek was officially added to the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. This system keeps track of place names. The creek is also known as Little Mill Creek. This name was shown on a map published in 1984.

Long ago, the Erie Railroad used to run through the area around Mill Creek. You can still see the abandoned path where the railroad tracks used to be.

Work was done to change the path of Mill Creek in some places. This is called channelization. In 1938, about 1 mile (1.6 km) of Mill Creek in Dupont was channelized by the Works Progress Administration. In 1958, the United States Bureau of Mines channelized about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) of the creek in Dupont. Later, in 2000, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection channelized another 0.5 miles (0.80 km) of the creek in Avoca.

In 2001, a plan was made to help the Lackawanna River watershed. This plan suggested cleaning up the coal waste along Mill Creek.

Plants and Animals Around Mill Creek

The area that drains into Mill Creek is a special place for fish. It is known as a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery. This means it's good for fish that like cold water and for fish that travel to lay eggs.

Mill Creek has a special area of plants along its banks called a riparian buffer. This buffer is in the flat land next to the creek. In the steep valley (ravine) where the creek flows, there are many hemlock trees. Underneath these trees, there are rhododendron plants. The creek also flows through a forest with many different kinds of oak trees. This forest is at least 1200 acres (490 ha) big.