Silver Creek (Susquehanna River tributary) facts for kids

Silver Creek is a small river, also known as Silver Run or Verdilla Run. It flows into the Susquehanna River in Snyder County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. This creek is about 6.1 miles (9.8 km) long. It travels through Washington Township and Union Township. The area of land that drains into Silver Creek is about 5.92 square miles (15.3 km²).

Silver Creek doesn't have any named smaller streams flowing into it, but it does have several unnamed ones. Many parts of Silver Creek and its smaller streams are not as clean as they could be. This is mostly because of dirt and mud from farms where animals graze. The land around the creek is part of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, which is a mountain range.

Most of the land near the top of Silver Creek is used for farming. But there are also forests and other types of land. Some small towns and buildings are found in the creek's valley. Silver Creek can sometimes cause floods in the southern part of Union Township. Many bridges have been built over Silver Creek to help people cross it. The area that drains into the creek is a good place for warmwater fish and fish that travel long distances.

Where Silver Creek Flows

Silver Creek starts on a hill in Washington Township. It flows south for a short distance, quickly entering Union Township and a valley. The creek then slowly turns east before heading east-southeast. It continues to flow generally east, receiving water from several unnamed streams along the way.

The creek eventually turns south-southeast. It then flows east-northeast for a while, getting more water from another small stream. After that, it turns south-southeast again. The creek passes through a small pond. It then flows southwest and gets another unnamed stream joining it. Finally, it turns south-southeast and enters the town of Port Trevorton. It crosses U.S. Route 11/U.S. Route 15 and soon after, it meets the Susquehanna River. Silver Creek joins the Susquehanna River about 111.62 miles (179.63 km) before the Susquehanna reaches its own end.

Smaller Streams Joining Silver Creek

Silver Creek has no official named smaller streams that flow into it. However, it has five unnamed streams that join it. Two of these even have their own tiny streams flowing into them. These five unnamed streams, like Silver Creek itself, are considered "impaired." This means their water quality isn't as good as it should be. The lengths of these five streams range from 0.39 to 1.14 miles (0.63 to 1.83 km).

Water Quality of Silver Creek

Some parts of Silver Creek are called "impaired waterbodies." This means the water isn't as clean as it should be. The main problem is too much dirt and mud in the water. This dirt comes from farms where animals graze. All the streams near the beginning of Silver Creek are affected, but the streams closer to where it meets the Susquehanna River are cleaner.

A lot of dirt washes into the upper part of Silver Creek each year. Farmers are working to reduce this. The biggest source of this dirt is cropland. Riverbanks and hay/pasture fields also add a lot of dirt. Forests, on the other hand, add very little dirt to the creek.

Land and Weather Around the Creek

The land where Silver Creek meets the Susquehanna River is about 410 feet (120 m) above sea level. The place where the creek starts is higher, about 798 feet (243 m) above sea level.

Silver Creek is located in the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians region. The soil in the upper part of the creek's area is mostly a type that doesn't let water soak in easily. There's a lot of dirt and mud along the creek, and the banks of the stream are wearing away in some places. The ground in the upper part of the area is mostly made of different layers of sedimentary rock and some sandstone.

Over 23 years, the upper part of Silver Creek's area received about 42.11 inches (107.0 cm) of rain each year. During the same time, about 3.66 inches (9.3 cm) of water ran off the land into the creek each year.

Creek's Surroundings and Wildlife

The entire area that drains water into Silver Creek covers about 5.92 square miles (15.3 km²). The end of the creek is near Port Trevorton. The beginning of the creek is near a place called Verdilla. There are about 9.06 miles (14.58 km) of streams in the Silver Creek area.

Most of the land in the upper part of Silver Creek's area is used for farming, about 76 percent. This includes fields for hay and pastures, and land for growing crops. About 15 percent of the land is forest, and the rest is used for other things. There are also some developed areas with buildings along the creek. Farmers use tillage methods in their fields.

The southern part of Union Township can experience flooding from Silver Creek. For example, during Tropical Storm Agnes in June 1972, the floodwaters were very high.

History and Name of Silver Creek

Silver Creek was officially added to the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. It is also known by the names Silver Run and Verdilla Run. These other names appeared on a map from 1953.

In the late 1960s, an engineer named Stanley K. Sampsell couldn't find any official name for Silver Creek. Older maps called the upper part "Verdilla Run" and the lower part "Silver Run." But when Sampsell asked people living along the creek, everyone called it "Silver Creek." No one had heard of "Silver Run" or "Verdilla Run." So, he suggested that the creek be officially named "Silver Creek."

Many bridges have been built over Silver Creek over the years. In the late 1920s, plans were made for a bridge near Port Trevorton. A concrete bridge was built in 1949 to carry Cawley Hill Road over the creek. Other bridges were built in 1951, 1953 (rebuilt in 2008), 1955, 1965, 1985, and 1992. These bridges help people and cars cross the creek safely.

In 2011, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection asked for public opinions on plans to improve the water quality in the Silver Creek area. No one sent in any comments.

Animals and Plants in Silver Creek

The area that drains into Silver Creek is a special place for fish that like warm water and fish that travel long distances. The main goal for Silver Creek is to support aquatic life, meaning the plants and animals that live in the water.

Where Silver Creek flows through farmland, there are often few trees or plants along its banks. These plants, called a riparian buffer, usually help protect the stream. In some places, the grass is mowed right up to the creek's edge. Also, farm animals sometimes have access to the creek, which can affect its water quality.