Pine Creek (Solomon Creek tributary) facts for kids

Pine Creek (also known as Pine Run) is a small stream in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. It flows into Solomon Creek. Pine Creek is about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) long. It travels through Bear Creek Township, Laurel Run, and Hanover Township.

The area of land that drains into Pine Creek is 5.00 square miles (12.9 km2). This creek is a special place for fish. It is called a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery. Many small water creatures and fish, like trout, live in its waters. There is also a reservoir, or a large artificial lake, called the Pine Run Reservoir on the creek. It is held back by the Pine Run Dam Number 1.

Journey of Pine Creek: Where it Flows

Pine Creek starts high up on a mountain in Bear Creek Township. It flows northwest for a short distance. Then it turns north and flows down the mountain. After a while, the creek enters the town of Laurel Run. Here, it flows through a valley.

The creek then turns west. It gets water from a small stream joining it from the right side. Then it enters Hanover Township. Pine Creek continues flowing west for more than a mile. Along this path, two more small streams join it from the left. Another stream joins it from the right.

Next, the creek turns west-southwest for a short distance. It crosses under Pennsylvania Route 309. Finally, Pine Creek turns northwest. It passes through a small pond. After a short distance, it meets and joins Solomon Creek. Pine Creek joins Solomon Creek about 6.10 miles (9.82 km) before Solomon Creek reaches its own end.

Water Conditions in Pine Creek

The temperature of the water in Pine Creek changes with the seasons. It can be anywhere from 38 to 62 degrees Fahrenheit (3 to 17 degrees Celsius). The water in the creek does not contain iron.

The pH of the water ranges from 5.5 to 6.5. This means the water is slightly acidic. The amount of acidity in the water is between 17.1 and 51.3 milligrams per liter. The alkalinity is 17.1 milligrams per liter. The amount of dissolved oxygen in the creek is important for fish. It is between 10 and 13 milligrams per liter, depending on where you measure it.

Land and Rocks Around the Creek

The land around Pine Creek is quite high. Near where Pine Creek joins Solomon Creek, the elevation is 896 feet (273 meters) above sea level. Where the creek begins, its source, the elevation is much higher. It is between 2000 and 2020 feet (610 and 616 meters) above sea level.

In 2009, experts described Pine Creek as "relatively intact." This means it was mostly natural and not too changed by human activity.

A large artificial lake, the Pine Run Reservoir, is located on Pine Creek. This reservoir can hold 7.5 million gallons of water. It is held back by a dam called Pine Run Dam Number 1. This dam is made of masonry and concrete. In 1980, the dam was noted to be in poor condition. Its spillway, which lets excess water flow out, was considered "seriously inadequate." The dam was even called an "unsafe non-emergency dam."

Pine Creek's Watershed Area

The watershed of Pine Creek covers an area of 5.00 square miles (12.9 km2). This watershed is located in the southeastern part of the larger Solomon Creek watershed. There are about 7.68 miles (12.36 km) of streams within the Pine Creek watershed.

The end of Pine Creek is found on the United States Geological Survey map called Wilkes-Barre West. However, its beginning is on the Wilkes-Barre East map. The land around Pine Creek's watershed is mostly covered by forests. These forests help protect the creek from being greatly affected by heavy rainstorms. Pine Creek also flows next to Pine Run Road for some distance.

History of Pine Creek

Pine Creek was officially added to the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. Its special identification number in this system is 1183778. Interestingly, around 1894, the main part of Pine Creek was sometimes called Solomon Creek.

In the late 1800s, Pine Creek was an important water supply for the Crystal Spring Water Company. In 1895, people said that the creek had good water quality.

Wildlife and Biology in Pine Creek

Pine Creek is a special place for fish. It is known as a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery. In the past, there were not many trout in the creek. However, more recently, their numbers have grown. The area that drains into Pine Creek has the only "Approved Trout Waters" in the entire Solomon Creek watershed. There is a chance that Pine Creek could become a "Class A Wild Trout Waters" area. This would mean it is a very important place for wild trout.

Several types of fish live in the Pine Creek watershed. These include Brook trout, longnose dace, eastern blacknose dace, and creek chub. Wild trout naturally reproduce in the creek. They do this from the very beginning of the creek all the way to where it joins Solomon Creek.

Different kinds of macroinvertebrates, which are small creatures without backbones, also live in Pine Creek. These include roach-like stoneflies and common shredders. A large percentage of the macroinvertebrates in the creek are from three main groups: Ephemeroptera (mayflies), Plecoptera (stoneflies), and Trichoptera (caddisflies). Between 60 and 83 percent of the macroinvertebrates belong to these groups.