Monument Creek (Spring Brook tributary) facts for kids

Monument Creek is a small river, also called a tributary, that flows into Spring Brook. It's located in Luzerne County and Lackawanna County, in Pennsylvania, USA.

This creek is about 2.8 miles (4.5 km) long. It travels through Pittston Township and Spring Brook Township. People consider Monument Creek a "High-Quality Coldwater Fishery," which means its water is clean and cold enough for special kinds of fish. It has one main branch, called Trout Creek.

Where Monument Creek Flows

Monument Creek starts in a lake in Pittston Township, Luzerne County. It flows mostly north-northeast for almost a mile. Then, it goes through another pond and turns north.

After a short distance, it turns north-northeast again and leaves Luzerne County. The creek then enters Spring Brook Township in Lackawanna County. It keeps flowing north-northeast through a deep valley.

The creek then re-enters Pittston Township in Luzerne County. It turns northeast for a bit, then north-northwest. Here, it meets its branch, Trout Creek, coming from the right side. Monument Creek also crosses Pennsylvania Route 502 before it joins Spring Brook.

Monument Creek's Branches

Monument Creek has only one named branch, which is called Trout Creek.

Land and Rocks Around the Creek

The land near where Monument Creek ends is about 869 feet (265 m) above sea level. Where the creek begins, the land is much higher, between 1,620 and 1,640 feet (490 and 500 m) above sea level.

The ground and rocks around the lower part of Monument Creek are mostly made of alluvium (river deposits) and special glacial deposits. There's also a type of rock called till from glaciers. You can also find solid bedrock here, which includes conglomerate, sandstone, and shale.

Further upstream, the ground is mostly till and bedrock. There are also some areas of fill (material used to fill in land). Near where the creek starts, you can find small patches of river deposits and glacial deposits, plus a small lake.

At one point, Monument Creek flows through a deep ditch about 150 feet (46 m) deep. A large water pipe, 36 inches (0.91 m) wide, crosses Monument Creek about 50 feet (15 m) above the water. A mountain called Mount Pisgah is also in the area that drains into this creek.

The Creek's Area

Monument Creek is entirely within the area covered by the United States Geological Survey map called "Avoca." The creek is about 5 miles (8.0 km) from the town of Avoca.

History of Monument Creek

Monument Creek was officially added to the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. This system helps keep track of names for places like rivers and mountains.

Long ago, in the late 1800s, a water tank for the Wilkes-Barre and Eastern Railroad was located near Monument Creek.

Today, the Pennsylvania American Water Company has permission to work on a utility line that crosses Monument Creek. They also have permission to fix about 90 feet (27 m) of the creek's banks and add riprap (rocks used to prevent erosion).

Creek Life

Monument Creek is known as a High-Quality Coldwater Fishery. This means it has very clean and cold water, which is perfect for certain types of fish and other aquatic animals that need these conditions to survive.