Powderly Creek facts for kids

Powderly Creek (also known as Powderly Brook) is a smaller stream that flows into the Lackawanna River in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is about 2.3 miles (3.7 km) long. The creek flows through Carbondale Township and Mayfield. The area of land that drains into the creek, called its watershed, is 1.77 square miles (4.6 km²).

Powderly Creek is considered an "impaired stream." This means its water quality is not as good as it should be. It loses some of its water flow and is also affected by acid mine drainage, which is polluted water from old mines. This makes the creek's water often acidic. The land around the creek is part of the Appalachian Mountains. The main rocks in the area are sandstone and other layered rocks. You can find coal waste (culm) and fine dirt (silt) near the creek. It even flows through a very large silt basin called the Bushwick silt basin. There's also a big underground coal fire burning on a hill close to the creek.

Most of the land around Powderly Creek is covered by forests. However, there are also open fields, old mining areas, and homes. The creek is a small, first-order stream, but it does have a small reservoir. In the past, people used to dig for coal here using a method called strip mining. Even in the 2000s, there were still three active mining permits in the area. Old coal mines like the Langcliff Colliery and Powderly Colliery also used to operate near the creek. In 1991, some parts of the creek were changed to control its flow. Powderly Creek is a special place for fish, as it's named a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery.

Where Does Powderly Creek Flow?

Powderly Creek starts in a valley in Carbondale Township. It flows south-southeast for a short distance. Then it turns south-southwest and enters a lake. From the lake's edge, it flows west-southwest. Slowly, it turns west-northwest and then north.

Next, the creek turns west-southwest again for a longer stretch. It crosses Meredith Street before turning southwest and entering Mayfield. A bit further downstream, it turns west. Finally, Powderly Creek joins the Lackawanna River. This meeting point is 26.42 miles (42.52 km) upstream from where the Lackawanna River ends.

Why Is Powderly Creek Impaired?

Powderly Creek is known as an impaired stream. This is mainly because of acid mine drainage, which is polluted water from old coal mines.

• What caused the impairment? In 2002 and 2004, the creek was impaired by metals and fine dirt (siltation). In 1996 and 1998, it was only metals.
• Where did the pollution come from? From 1998 to 2004, the pollution came from abandoned mines. In 1996, it was from resource extraction, like mining.

The amount of water flowing in the creek changes. At its start, the average flow is 715 gallons per minute. At its mouth, the average flow is 1756.82 gallons per minute.

Water Quality: What's in the Water?

In the upper parts of Powderly Creek, there is no detectable iron or aluminum. However, there is some manganese. The amount of manganese is 0.43 milligrams per liter. To make the creek healthier, the amount of manganese needs to be reduced by 51 percent.

The water also has a lot of acidity, about 15.97 milligrams per liter. This acidity needs to be reduced by 63 percent. The water's pH (how acidic or basic it is) averages 6.48, which is slightly acidic.

Near the mouth of Powderly Creek, there is still no detectable iron or aluminum. The manganese level is 0.36 milligrams per liter. The acidity is higher here, at 22.77 milligrams per liter. The water's pH averages 5.87, making it more acidic than the upper parts.

Powderly Creek often loses some of its water flow. Even so, it usually has some water flowing, even if it's not always a steady stream. It is one of the most damaged streams that flows into the Lackawanna River. It is severely affected by pollution from old mines. When there's a lot of rain, the creek carries large amounts of coal silt and fine clay particles.

Land and Rocks Around Powderly Creek

The land around Powderly Creek is part of the Appalachian Mountains. The area has long, steep hills and valleys. This is similar to the larger Lackawanna River area.

• Elevation: Near where Powderly Creek joins the Lackawanna River, the land is 965 feet (294 m) above sea level. Near its start, the elevation is between 1,140 and 1,160 feet (350 and 350 m) above sea level.
• Rocks and Soil: Most of the rock (71 percent) in the creek's area is sandstone. The rest (29 percent) is other types of sedimentary rock layered together. The soil on the higher ground is often rocky and doesn't drain water well. Other parts of the area are developed with buildings or are old mining sites. Some parts of the creek don't have a flat area next to them called a floodplain.

Old coal waste (culm) and fine dirt (silt) are spread out along the creek's floodplain or piled up on its banks. People have suggested that old mining lands here could be used for businesses or for protecting nature.

The creek starts from wet spots and water draining from mines. At first, it flows through a ditch with trash. Further downstream, it winds through piles of coal waste and old strip mining pits. Even after the pits, the creek's banks are still covered with coal waste. Even further downstream, it flows through a wide floodplain filled with silt.

The Bushwick Silt Basin

Powderly Creek eventually flows through a huge area called the Bushwick silt basin. This basin is what's left of a pond used by a coal washing plant. It's the biggest silt basin found by the Lackawanna River Corridor Association during their stream surveys. The basin covers 30 acres (12 ha) and is 15 feet (4.6 m) deep. It's estimated to hold 1.7 million cubic yards of silt and fine particles. Powderly Creek cuts a channel through this basin.

After the Bushwick silt basin, Powderly Creek flows over some sandstone ledges. For the last 1 mile (1.6 km) of its length, it flows through a special channel made of riprap (loose rocks). In the lower parts of the creek's area, many of the hills are made of coal waste and cinders.

Underground Coal Fire

A large underground coal fire is burning on a ridge west of Powderly Creek. The Office of Surface Mines has dug a huge trench (300 feet (91 m) by 100 feet (30 m) by 1,000 feet (300 m)) in the area to monitor it. In the early 2000s, they hoped the fire would eventually burn itself out.

The Powderly Creek Watershed

The area of land that drains into Powderly Creek, called its watershed, is 1.77 square miles (4.6 km²). The entire stream is located within the Carbondale area on USGS maps.

Powderly Creek is a "first-order" stream, meaning it's a small stream without smaller streams flowing into it. It generally flows towards the southwest. Most of its watershed (72 percent) is covered by forests. The rest of the land is mostly open fields or old mining areas. However, there are some homes near where the creek joins the Lackawanna River. The creek flows through areas that have been changed by human activity in the past. The Powderly Bogs, a type of wetland, are also found in the creek's watershed in Carbondale Township.

Powderly Creek does not cause flooding in Carbondale Township because it flows through a culvert (a pipe or tunnel). You can reach the creek's watershed by using US Route 6. In one part, the creek is held back, forming a small reservoir.

History and Fun Facts About Powderly Creek

Powderly Creek was officially added to the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. It is also known as Powderly Brook.

• Historic Sites: A historic site called the D&H Light Track is in the creek's watershed. The Langcliff Colliery and the Powderly Colliery, both coal mines owned by the Hudson Coal Company, used to be located near the creek.
• Greenway Project: A walking and biking path project, called the Powderly Creek Greenway, was suggested in the Lackawanna River Watershed Conservation Plan.
• Local Parks: Russell Park is located near where the creek begins.
• Creek Changes: In 1968, the town of Mayfield moved a part of the creek and built a 700 feet (210 m) long earth wall (levee) along its bank. In 1991, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources worked on 1 mile (1.6 km) of Powderly Creek in Carbondale Township to control its flow. Strip mining, a way of digging for coal, was common near the creek in the past.
• Levee Work: More levee work was done on Powderly Creek in 1969.
• The "UFO" Incident: In the early 1970s, a flooded old mining pit near Powderly Creek got national attention. Some people thought a UFO had crashed into it! Many locals reported seeing something fall from the sky into the pit. Scuba divers searched the pit and found the real cause: a railroad switchman's lantern.

In the early 2000s, plans were made to protect Powderly Creek. The Lackawanna River Watershed Conservation Plan suggested that Mayfield and Carbondale Township should include protecting the creek in their town plans. The creek is also on important lists for stream restoration. There were plans to clean up the abandoned mine drainage and restore the creek's channel.

As of the early 2000s, three active mining permits were in the Powderly Creek watershed. One company, Northampton Fuel Supply Co., owns coal waste piles along the creek. The other two permits are not related to coal mining. In 2014, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection was set to receive over $1,000,000 to put out the mine fire near the creek.

Plants and Animals

Powderly Creek is designated as a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery. This means it's an important habitat for fish that prefer cold water and for fish that travel to different areas to lay their eggs.

In the upper parts of the creek, the banks are lined with a plant called knotweed. Further downstream, past the old Langcliff Colliery, there are signs of natural habitat. You can find native plants and other plants that grow back after an area has been disturbed. The creek also has a good amount of tree cover, with more than 50 percent of the area covered by trees.