Miller Brook (North Branch Mehoopany Creek tributary) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Miller Brook |
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| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | near Pennsylvania Route 187 in North Branch Township, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania 1,229 ft (375 m) |
| River mouth | North Branch Mehoopany Creek in North Branch Township, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania at Lovelton 965 ft (294 m) 41°32′17″N 76°11′05″W / 41.5381°N 76.1847°W |
| Length | 2.2 mi (3.5 km) |
| Width |
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| Basin features | |
| Progression | North Branch Mehoopany Creek → Mehoopany Creek → Susquehanna River → Chesapeake Bay |
| Basin size | 3.86 sq mi (10.0 km2) |
Miller Brook is a small stream, also called a tributary, that flows into North Branch Mehoopany Creek. It is located in Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. This stream is about 2.2 miles (3.5 km) long. It flows through an area called North Branch Township. The land area that drains water into Miller Brook is 3.86 square miles (10.0 km2).
Miller Brook is known for its clean water. It is not listed as a polluted stream. Wild trout naturally live and reproduce here. Other types of fish have also been seen in its waters.
Contents
Where Miller Brook Flows
Miller Brook starts near Pennsylvania Route 187. This is in North Branch Township, close to the border with Bradford County.
The stream first flows south-southeast for a short distance. It crosses Pennsylvania Route 187. Then, it turns south and gets water from a smaller stream joining it from the left side.
Miller Brook continues flowing south through a valley. This valley is between two hills called Shingle Ridge and Oak Ridge. It then reaches a wetland area. After the wetland, it turns south-southeast. It flows between Oak Ridge and another hill called Round Top. Here, another small stream joins it from the right side.
The stream then leaves the valley. It turns east-southeast for a short distance. Finally, Miller Brook turns south and crosses Pennsylvania Route 87. It then meets North Branch Mehoopany Creek. This meeting point is about 3.94 miles (6.34 km) upstream from where North Branch Mehoopany Creek ends.
Water Quality
Miller Brook has good water quality. It is not considered a polluted stream.
In 2001, scientists checked the water near the end of Miller Brook. They found the pH was 7.4. This means the water was slightly basic. The alkalinity was 64 milligrams per liter (0.064 oz/cu ft), which shows how well the water can handle pollution. The water was also a bit "hard," with a hardness of 76 milligrams per liter (0.076 oz/cu ft). When the air was 30.0 °C (86.0 °F), the water temperature was 20.6 °C (69.1 °F).
Land and Rocks Around the Stream
The land near where Miller Brook joins North Branch Mehoopany Creek is 965 feet (294 m) above sea level. Near where the stream begins, the land is higher, at 1,229 feet (375 m) above sea level.
Miller Brook flows gently, not very steeply. Its slope is about 7.7 meters per kilometer (41 ft/mi) in its lower part. The stream is about 2.5 meters (8.2 ft) wide. This makes it the widest stream that flows into North Branch Mehoopany Creek that has been officially measured.
Miller Brook and its smaller streams flow through spaces between hills. These hills include Oak Ridge, Round Top, and Shingle Ridge. You can find many ponds and wetlands in the area that drains into Miller Brook. One of its smaller streams even goes into Bradford County.
Miller Brook's Watershed
The watershed of Miller Brook covers an area of 3.86 square miles (10.0 km2). A watershed is all the land where water drains into a particular stream or river. Miller Brook is entirely within a map area called the Jenningsville quadrangle. It meets North Branch Mehoopany Creek at a place called Lovelton.
Miller Brook flows through both farms and forests. In the lower 2.4 kilometers (1.5 mi) of the stream, about 39 percent of its length is within 100 meters (330 ft) of a road. All of it is within 300 meters (980 ft) of a road. In 2000, not many people lived in the watershed. There were only about 3 people per square kilometer (8 per square mile). This made it one of the least populated areas in the North Branch Mehoopany Creek watershed.
History of the Stream
Miller Brook was officially added to the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. This system keeps track of names for places like streams.
A concrete tee beam bridge was built over Miller Brook in 1932. This bridge carries Pennsylvania Route 87 and is 33.1-foot (10.1 m) long. Another concrete bridge was built in 1958. It carries State Route 4001 and is 34.1-foot (10.4 m) long. There are plans to replace the Pennsylvania Route 87 bridge in the future.
In 2001, scientists from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission studied the fish in Miller Brook. They found that the stream was too narrow to add more trout from hatcheries.
Biology and Fish Life
Wild trout naturally live and reproduce in Miller Brook. This means they lay eggs and new trout hatch there on their own. The stream is known as a Coldwater Fishery, which means its water is cool enough for fish like trout to thrive.
In the 2001 study, scientists found eight different kinds of fish in the lower parts of Miller Brook. The only gamefish (fish that people often catch for sport) they found was a single wild brook trout. Other fish species living in Miller Brook include:
- central stoneroller
- common shiner
- blacknose dace
- longnose dace
- creek chub
- white sucker
- tesselated darter
