Price Creek (Pennsylvania) facts for kids

Price Creek (also known as Price's Creek) is a small stream in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. It's a tributary, which means it's a smaller stream that flows into a larger one. Price Creek flows into the Lackawanna River.

The creek is about 2.0 miles (3.2 km) long and runs through a town called Dickson City. The area of land that drains water into the main part of Price Creek is about 0.790 square miles (2.05 km²). Long ago, a type of waste coal called culm was dumped into the creek from a coal mine called the Johnson Colliery. In more recent times, people have asked for permission to put things like sewage (wastewater from homes) and stormwater (rainwater runoff) into the creek.

Where Does Price Creek Flow?

Price Creek starts high up on Bell Mountain in Dickson City. It flows southwest for a short distance. Then, it turns to flow south-southeast, crossing a highway.

The creek continues to wind its way, turning south-southwest and then south-southeast again. Finally, it turns south and meets another stream called Pancoast Creek. Pancoast Creek is the only other stream that flows into Price Creek. Soon after, Price Creek reaches its confluence (where two rivers or streams meet) with the Lackawanna River. Price Creek joins the Lackawanna River on its right side.

What's in the Water?

In the early 1900s, Price Creek was a very clear stream. But that changed when it reached the Johnson Colliery, a coal mine. Water from the mine and other waste water flowed into the creek there. From that point all the way to where it joins the Lackawanna River, the bottom of the creek, called the streambed, was filled with culm. Culm is a type of waste coal.

Pancoast Creek, the stream that flows into Price Creek, was not affected by culm. However, it did have problems with surface water and sewage flowing into it.

Land and Rocks Around the Creek

The land around the mouth (where it ends) of Price Creek is about 732 feet (223 m) above sea level. The source (where it begins) of the creek is much higher, between 1,360 and 1,380 feet (410 and 420 m) above sea level.

A large part of the land that drains into Price Creek, about 0.418 square miles (1.08 km²), is made of coal measures. These are layers of rock that contain coal. About 8,900 feet (2,700 m) of the creek itself flows over these coal measures. There's also a 100-year floodplain near the creek. This is an area that could be covered by water during a very big flood that happens about once every 100 years. The creek also crosses a road that is part of U.S. Route 6.

Price Creek's Watershed

The watershed (or drainage basin) of Price Creek is the entire area of land where all the rain and snowmelt eventually drain into the creek. This area is about 0.790 square miles (2.05 km²), not counting the watershed of Pancoast Creek.

The mouth of Price Creek is shown on a map called the United States Geological Survey quadrangle of Olyphant. However, the source of the creek is on a different map, the Scranton quadrangle. Price Creek is known as a "Coldwater Fishery" along its entire length. This means its waters are cold enough and clean enough to support fish that prefer cold water.

A Look Back in Time

Price Creek was officially added to the Geographic Names Information System on January 1, 1990. This system keeps track of names and locations of places in the United States. The creek was added because it appeared on a map published in 1984.

In the early 1900s, the town of Dickson City was divided into three areas for managing water drainage. Price Creek flowed through one of these areas. During that time, the town asked for permission to release sewage into the creek. More recently, Lackawanna County asked for a permit to release stormwater into the creek.