Red Spring Run facts for kids

Red Spring Run (also called Red Springs Run) is a small stream in Pennsylvania, USA. It flows into the Lackawanna River. This stream is about 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) long. It flows through Ransom Township and Duryea.

The area of land that drains into Red Spring Run is about 1.25 square miles (3.2 square kilometers). This stream is important for fish. It is known as a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery. This means it's a good place for fish that like cold water and for fish that travel to lay their eggs. Red Spring Run has one smaller stream that flows into it.

Where Does Red Spring Run Flow?

Red Spring Run starts at the bottom of a mountain in Ransom Township, Lackawanna County. It flows south for a while. Then, it turns southeast for a short distance. After that, it turns south again.

The stream then leaves Lackawanna County and enters Duryea, Luzerne County. It turns southwest and then south-southwest. Finally, another small stream joins it from the right side. Red Spring Run then meets the Lackawanna River. It joins the Lackawanna River about 1.84 miles (2.96 kilometers) before the Lackawanna River ends.

What Streams Join Red Spring Run?

Red Spring Run does not have any named streams that flow into it. However, it does have one unnamed stream. This stream is called "Unnamed trib 1." Unnamed trib 1 is about 1.2 miles (1.9 kilometers) long.

What is the Land Like Around Red Spring Run?

The land around Red Spring Run has different features. The lowest point of the stream, where it meets the Lackawanna River, is about 551 feet (168 meters) above sea level. The highest point, where the stream begins, is between 1020 and 1040 feet (311 and 317 meters) above sea level.

Red Spring Run and its unnamed tributary both start from springs on a mountain called West Mountain. In its upper parts, the stream flows steeply downhill. It then reaches the flat land next to the Lackawanna River, which is called the floodplain.

How Has Mining Affected the Stream?

As Red Spring Run flows downstream, it is affected by old mines. Some parts of the stream have been changed or even destroyed. This happened because of mining or new buildings built after mining stopped. Even the lower parts of the stream are affected by mining.

Near its end, the stream starts to lose its water. The very end of the stream flows through a concrete culvert, which is like a tunnel for water.

What is the Ground Made Of?

The ground where Red Spring Run begins is a mix of two rock types. These are the Llewellyn Formation and the Pocono Formation. Near the lower parts of the stream, the ground is mostly made of alluvium. Alluvium is a mix of sand, silt, and gravel, with some large boulders. There are also piles of coal waste from mining.

Further upstream, the ground has been changed by surface mining for coal. There are also more coal waste piles to the east. Near where the stream starts, there is also surface mining land. There is also a type of soil called Wisconsinan Till. This soil was left behind by glaciers.

What is the Red Spring Run Watershed?

The watershed of Red Spring Run is the entire area of land where water drains into the stream. This area is about 1.25 square miles (3.2 square kilometers). The watershed is in the southwestern part of the larger Lackawanna River watershed.

Red Spring Run is a small stream. It is one of the last streams to flow into the Lackawanna River. At one point, Red Spring Run flows through a small neighborhood called Connells Patch.

History of Red Spring Run

Red Spring Run was officially added to the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. This system keeps track of names for places in the United States.

Local plans have suggested protecting Red Spring Run. For example, the Lackawanna River Watershed Conservation Plan recommended that Ransom Township and Duryea protect the stream. They should do this through their plans for land use and building rules.

What Industries Are Near the Stream?

The Popple Brothers Colliery, which was once called the Babylon Breaker, operates near Red Spring Run. A company called Airport Sand and Gravel also has a quarry permit in the watershed. A quarry is a place where stone or sand is dug out of the ground. The Lehigh Valley Railroad used to cross the stream near its mouth. The old railroad path is still there.

What Animals Live in Red Spring Run?

The area where Red Spring Run flows is a special place for fish. It is known as a Coldwater Fishery. This means the water is cold enough for fish like trout to live there. It is also a Migratory Fishery. This means fish travel through this stream to other places to lay their eggs.