North Fork Tangascootack Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids North Fork Tangascootack Creek |
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| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Beech Creek Township, Clinton County, Pennsylvania |
| River mouth | Tangascootack Creek in Beech Creek Township, Clinton County, Pennsylvania 666 ft (203 m) 41°09′43″N 77°34′41″W / 41.16198°N 77.57817°W |
| Length | 7.1 mi (11.4 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Tangascootack Creek → West Branch Susquehanna River → Susquehanna River → Chesapeake Bay |
| Basin size | 19.2 sq mi (50 km2) |
| Tributaries |
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The North Fork Tangascootack Creek is a small stream located in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It flows into a larger stream called Tangascootack Creek. This creek is about 7.1 miles (11.4 km) long and runs through an area known as Beech Creek Township.
The land area that drains into the creek, called its watershed, covers about 19.2 square miles (50 km2). Important smaller streams that flow into it include Mill Branch and Boiler Run. The North Fork Tangascootack Creek is known for having healthy populations of trout and tiny water creatures called macroinvertebrates. This is partly because it doesn't suffer much from acid mine drainage, which is pollution from old mines.
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The Creek's Journey
North Fork Tangascootack Creek starts its journey in a valley within eastern Beech Creek Township. It flows generally towards the east-northeast. Along the way, it picks up water from smaller streams like Left Branch Puncheon Run and Cowlick Run.
The creek then enters Bald Eagle Township, where its valley becomes deeper. Here, it is joined by Mill Branch, another important tributary. As it continues, the creek passes by areas where strip mining has taken place.
Further along, the creek makes sharp turns, first heading north, then sharply east. It then receives water from Boiler Run. After collecting water from its last tributary, Buckhorn Hollow, it turns south. A short distance later, it flows into Tangascootack Creek.
North Fork Tangascootack Creek meets Tangascootack Creek about 2.48 miles (3.99 km) before Tangascootack Creek reaches its own end.
Main Tributaries of the Creek
Mill Branch is a significant stream that joins the creek about 4.66 miles (7.50 km) upstream from its mouth. The land area that drains into Mill Branch is about 5.84 square miles (15.1 km2).
Boiler Run is another important tributary. It flows into the main creek about 2.0 miles (3.2 km) upstream from its mouth. Its watershed covers about 3.63 square miles (9.4 km2). All the named smaller streams that flow into North Fork Tangascootack Creek join it from the left side.
Creek Environment and Land Features
The North Fork Tangascootack Creek is special because it is not greatly affected by acid mine drainage. This type of pollution comes from old mines and can make water very acidic, harming plants and animals.
The entire area that drains water into North Fork Tangascootack Creek is 19.2 square miles (50 km2). You can find the creek on detailed maps, like the Farrandsville topographical map from the United States Geological Survey.
In the valley of the creek, you can see large rock formations called sandstone from the Pocono Formation. However, a type of red rock called shale from the Mauch Chunk Formation is not found here. The hills to the north of the creek do not contain coal, but their tops are made of a rock called conglomerate.
The elevation of North Fork Tangascootack Creek near where it joins Tangascootack Creek is about 666 feet (203 m) above sea level. A flat, high area of land called a plateau is located just north of the creek.
History and Name Origins
In the past, a railway called the Rock Cabin Railroad ran through the Tangascootack Creek valley from the community of Farrandsville. This railroad connected with another one, the Eagleton Railroad, right at North Fork Tangascootack Creek.
In 1988, a large piece of land, about 527 acres, around North Fork Tangascootack Creek was set aside as a protected area. This helps keep the natural environment safe.
Today, there are many gas well drilling sites located just north of the North Fork Tangascootack Creek.
The name Tangascootac comes from a Native American word. It means "a foe" or "an enemy." It was also the name of a Nanticoke chief.
Creek Life and Nature
The North Fork Tangascootack Creek is home to many healthy populations of trout and macroinvertebrates. Macroinvertebrates are small creatures without backbones, like insects and worms, that live in the water. These populations are described as "thriving," meaning they are doing very well. Trout even reproduce in the creek, from its very beginning to where it flows into Tangascootack Creek.
Just north of the creek, on a plateau, is an area called the Slaughtering Ground Barrens. The plants in this area include scrub oak, pitch pine, and various ericaceous shrubs. These are types of plants that often grow in sandy, acidic soils. This area often experiences fires, and it's thought that these fires have played a big role in shaping the unique plant life found there.
