Shenandoah Creek facts for kids

Shenandoah Creek is a stream in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It's like a smaller river that flows into a bigger one called Mahanoy Creek. Shenandoah Creek is at least 5 miles (about 8 kilometers) long. It flows through several towns and areas, including Shenandoah, West Mahanoy Township, Butler Township, and Girardville.

Where Shenandoah Creek Flows

Shenandoah Creek starts in a place called West Mahanoy Township. It begins near where another small stream, Kehly Run, joins it. As it enters the town of Shenandoah, the creek flows south, then turns southwest. It even crosses a road called Pennsylvania Route 924.

After that, the creek turns west for a short distance and goes back into West Mahanoy Township, crossing Pennsylvania Route 54. Here, it flows west-southwest through a valley, following Pennsylvania Route 54 for a few miles. Along the way, another stream called Lost Creek flows into it.

The creek crosses Pennsylvania Route 54 one more time before entering a pond. After leaving the pond, it flows into Butler Township. It continues west for a bit, then turns southwest. After a short distance, it flows through a wetland area, enters Girardville, and finally meets and joins Mahanoy Creek.

Shenandoah Creek joins Mahanoy Creek about 41.72 miles (67.14 kilometers) before Mahanoy Creek reaches its own end.

Streams Joining Shenandoah Creek

Shenandoah Creek has two main streams that flow into it:

• Kehly Run: This stream joins Shenandoah Creek about 5.01 miles (8.06 kilometers) from where Shenandoah Creek ends. It collects water from an area of about 1.63 square miles (4.22 square kilometers).
• Lost Creek: This stream joins Shenandoah Creek about 1.28 miles (2.06 kilometers) from its end. It collects water from an area of about 1.32 square miles (3.42 square kilometers).

Water Quality of the Creek

The water in Shenandoah Creek is affected by old mining areas that are no longer used. This means that water from these old mines can flow into the creek. Also, in one part of the creek, water from towns can sometimes affect its quality. When Shenandoah Creek flows into Mahanoy Creek, it adds so much water that Mahanoy Creek's flow almost doubles!

Creek's Surroundings and Land

Near where Shenandoah Creek joins Mahanoy Creek, the land is about 958 feet (292 meters) above sea level.

The Creek's Water Collection Area

The entire area that collects water for Shenandoah Creek, called its watershed, covers about 12.1 square miles (31.3 square kilometers). The end of the creek is shown on a map called the Ashland United States Geological Survey quadrangle. However, where the creek starts is on a different map called the Shenandoah quadrangle.

Shenandoah Creek is one of the most important streams that feed into Mahanoy Creek. There are also several ponds or small lakes in the area that drain into Shenandoah Creek. Plus, there's a wetland area near the lower part of the creek.

History of Shenandoah Creek

Shenandoah Creek was officially added to a list of geographic names, called the Geographic Names Information System, on August 2, 1979. It has a special ID number there: 1187459.

A bridge was built over Shenandoah Creek in 1937. This bridge, which carries State Route 4031, is made of steel and is about 34.1 feet (10.4 meters) long. It's located near Pennsylvania Route 54.

Animals and Plants Around the Creek

The area around Shenandoah Creek is a good place for coldwater fish to live. It's also an important path for fish that travel to different places, like those that migrate (move from one place to another) for breeding.