Nine Partners Creek facts for kids

Nine Partners Creek is a small stream in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. It's also known as Leslie Creek. This creek flows into Tunkhannock Creek.

Nine Partners Creek is about 10 miles (16 km) long. It flows through three different areas: New Milford Township, Harford Township, and Lenox Township. The land area that drains into the creek is about 38.6 square miles (100 km²).

The creek has two main smaller streams that flow into it. These are called Butler Creek and Leslie Creek. The area around Nine Partners Creek has different types of ground, like clay, sand, and rocks. Fish like trout live in the creek, and it's a good place for them to migrate.

Where Nine Partners Creek Flows

Nine Partners Creek starts in a small pond on a hill in New Milford Township. It first flows east-northeast for a short distance. Then, it goes through a lake called Hunt Lake. After that, the creek turns and flows south.

It continues flowing south-southeast for a while and enters Harford Township. Here, it flows alongside Interstate 81. The creek crosses Pennsylvania Route 547 and gets water from Leslie Creek, which joins from its right side.

After a few miles, it flows south-southeast again before turning south. Further downstream, Butler Creek joins Nine Partners Creek from its left side. The creek then enters Lenox Township. It keeps flowing south and eventually crosses Pennsylvania Route 92. Finally, it meets Tunkhannock Creek.

Nine Partners Creek is about 10 miles (16 km) long in total. It joins Tunkhannock Creek about 26.39 miles (42.47 km) before Tunkhannock Creek reaches its own end.

Creek Branches: Butler and Leslie Creeks

Nine Partners Creek has two important branches, or tributaries. These are Butler Creek and Leslie Creek.

• Butler Creek joins Nine Partners Creek about 1.40 miles (2.25 km) upstream from its mouth. It drains an area of 20.8 square miles (54 km²).
• Leslie Creek joins Nine Partners Creek about 4.48 miles (7.21 km) upstream from its mouth. It drains an area of 4.59 square miles (11.9 km²).

Land and Rocks Around the Creek

The land around the mouth of Nine Partners Creek is about 869 feet (265 m) above sea level. Where the creek begins, it's much higher, about 1,615 feet (492 m) above sea level.

The ground in the valley of Nine Partners Creek is mostly made of alluvium. This is a type of soil left behind by flowing water. There are also small areas of alluvial fan, which are fan-shaped deposits of sediment. The sides of the valley have a type of clay and rock called Wisconsinan Till. This was left by glaciers. The bedrock underneath is made of sandstone and shale. Further upstream, you can also find wetland areas, which are marshy or swampy lands.

Some people have described Nine Partners Creek as a "small creek."

The Creek's Drainage Area

The entire area of land that drains water into Nine Partners Creek is called its watershed. This watershed covers about 38.6 square miles (100 km²). The mouth of the creek is located near East Lenox.

There are a few natural lakes in the Nine Partners Creek watershed.

• Hunt Lake is directly on Nine Partners Creek. It covers about 18 acres (7.3 ha) and is in New Milford Township.
• Tyler Lake is on one of the creek's branches and is about 35.9-acre (14.5 ha).
• Tingley Lake is also on a branch and covers about 42.3-acre (17.1 ha).

The major highway Interstate 81 runs close to Nine Partners Creek. This part of the highway was built in the 1960s.

History of the Creek's Name

Nine Partners Creek was officially added to the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. Its special ID number there is 1182461.

The creek is also known by another name, Leslie Creek. This name appeared on a map of Susquehanna County in 1981. However, in the 1960s, people living in the area mostly called it Nine Partners Creek.

The name "Nine Partners Creek" comes from a group of early settlers. These settlers came from Connecticut and formed an association, which gave the creek its unique name.

Animals in the Creek

The watershed of Nine Partners Creek is a special area for fish. It's called a Coldwater Fishery, meaning the water is cold enough for certain fish. It's also a Migratory Fishery, which means fish travel through it.

In 2005, scientists released brook trout into Tunkhannock Creek to study how they move. One of these trout traveled 7.5 miles (12.1 km) downstream and then swam up Nine Partners Creek. It went as far as Butler Creek, one of its branches. This was the only time a trout from that study entered a smaller stream. People can also go fishing in Nine Partners Creek.

In the upper parts of the Nine Partners Creek watershed, the habitat is very good for brook trout. Over 65% of these areas have a high chance of finding brook trout.