Newport Creek facts for kids

Newport Creek is a small river, also called a tributary, that flows into the Susquehanna River in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. It is about 4.9 miles (7.9 km) long. Some smaller streams, like South Branch Newport Creek, flow into it.

Sadly, the entire area that Newport Creek drains, called its watershed, is considered "impaired" by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. This means the water quality isn't as good as it should be.

Where Newport Creek Flows

Newport Creek starts in a community called Glen Lyon. It flows generally east-northeast. Along its path, it passes close to areas where strip mining used to happen.

The creek also runs alongside the Delaware and Hudson Railroad for a while. It then turns north and northeast, staying near the railroad.

Eventually, Newport Creek flows into the town of Nanticoke. Here, another stream called South Branch Newport Creek joins it. Newport Creek then continues through Nanticoke, passing a mountain known as Honey Pot. Finally, the creek turns north and meets the larger Susquehanna River.

Newport Creek's Tributaries

Newport Creek has several important smaller streams that flow into it. The most well-known is South Branch Newport Creek. This branch starts in a wet, marshy area between Penobscot Mountain and Little Wilkes-Barre Mountain.

Other smaller streams, often called "UNT" (Unnamed Tributary) with numbers like UNT 28347, also join Newport Creek. South Branch Newport Creek even has its own tributary called Reservoir Creek.

Two other branches that feed into Newport Creek are Middle Branch Newport Creek and North Branch Newport Creek. North Branch Newport Creek doesn't have any smaller streams flowing into it.

Water Quality of Newport Creek

In the 1970s, Newport Creek carried a lot of pollutants into the Susquehanna River. Much of this pollution came from North Branch Newport Creek.

Today, the water in Newport Creek still carries different substances. For example, there are varying amounts of iron, manganese, and aluminum found in the water. These levels change depending on where you test along the creek's path.

The amount of dissolved oxygen in the water near where Newport Creek starts can vary a lot. The pH level, which tells you how acidic or basic the water is, also changes. The water also contains substances like alkalinity and sulfates.

The South Branch Newport Creek also carries a lot of sediment (like dirt and small rocks) each day.

The amount of water flowing in Newport Creek, called its discharge, changes along its length. Upstream of South Branch Newport Creek, the flow is usually smaller. Downstream, after South Branch Newport Creek joins, the flow becomes much larger. In 1913, Newport Creek was described as a "stream of moderate volume."

Land, Rocks, and Weather Around Newport Creek

The area around Newport Creek is part of the Allegheny Mountains and the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians region. The creek's starting point is much higher than where it meets the Susquehanna River. The highest point in the watershed is on Penobscot Mountain.

Most of the Newport Creek watershed is in an area known for coal deposits, called the Northern Anthracite Coal Field. You can find glaciofluvial deposits here, which are rocks and gravel left behind by ancient glaciers.

About 90% of the land around Newport Creek is made of different layers of sedimentary rock mixed together. The other 10% is sandstone. There are at least 12 coal seams (layers of coal) in the watershed. These coal layers vary in thickness.

Interestingly, some areas of quicksand have been seen in the Newport Creek watershed.

The main types of rock formations in the area include the Llwellyn Formation, Pottsville Formation, Pocono Formation, Mauch Chunk Formation, and the Duncannon Member. These different rock layers are found in various parts of the watershed.

There are five main places where acid mine drainage enters Newport Creek. This is polluted water that comes from old mines. One major source is the Glen Lyon Borehole near the creek's start. The Susquehanna #7 Mine Discharge is the biggest source of pollution in the watershed.

The weather in the Newport Creek area changes with the seasons. January temperatures are usually cold, while July is much warmer. The area gets a certain amount of snowfall and rainfall each year.

Newport Creek's Watershed

The Newport Creek watershed covers an area of about 13.99 square miles (36.2 km²). There are about 14.41 miles (23.19 km) of streams flowing within this area. The watershed is bordered by Nanticoke on one side and the watershed of Black Creek on another.

Several communities are located within the Newport Creek watershed. These include Alden, Glen Lyon, Nanticoke, Newport Center, Sheatown, and Wanamie. Larger cities like Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton are nearby.

Much of the Newport Creek watershed is covered by forests. However, there are also many developed areas, especially in the eastern part. Other parts of the land are used for farming or have been disturbed by past activities.

The highest points of the Newport Creek watershed are on Penobscot Mountain and Little Wilkes-Barre Mountain. There's a 20-acre (8.1 ha) lake called Newport Lake in the watershed, which is filled with water from old mines. Other ponds and reservoirs are also found here.

History of Newport Creek

A place called the Bloomery Forge was built on Newport Creek before 1777 by Nathaniel Chapman, Joseph Beach, and Chris Alden. A stone bridge once crossed the creek near an old mill. William Jackson later built a mill on the creek, which was the only one in Newport Township for many years.

Coal mining started in the Newport Creek watershed in the mid-1800s. At first, miners dug deep mines underground. A mining accident happened near Nanticoke in 1885. Mining was busiest in the 1920s, with millions of tons of coal produced.

After the 1920s, coal production slowly decreased. Strip mines, where coal is dug from the surface, began in the mid-1900s. Deep mining stopped in the 1950s, but strip mining continues even today. A large part of the watershed has been affected by mining.

Life Around Newport Creek

Scientists have found Coliform bacteria in the waters of Newport Creek. These are tiny living things that can sometimes indicate pollution.