South Branch Towanda Creek facts for kids

South Branch Towanda Creek is a cool stream in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, USA. It's like a smaller river that flows into a bigger one called Towanda Creek. This creek is about 16.5 miles (26.6 kilometers) long. It winds its way through several towns and areas, including Terry Township, Albany Township, New Albany, and Monroe Township.

Where Does the Creek Flow?

The South Branch Towanda Creek starts high up on a hill. This hill is in a place called Terry Township. At first, it flows towards the southwest. Along its path, it goes through a few small lakes.

The creek then enters Albany Township. Here, it slowly starts to turn towards the north-northwest. It flows right next to U.S. Route 220 for several miles.

After a while, the creek reaches the town of New Albany. In New Albany, other smaller streams join it. These streams are called Beaver Run and Ladds Creek. The South Branch Towanda Creek then keeps flowing north. It goes past a place called Hatch Mountain.

Next, the creek enters Monroe Township. More streams join it here, like Fenner Run, Saterlee Run, and Kent Run. It also passes by some interesting spots like Nichols Point, Marcy Point, and Kellogg Mountain.

Finally, after a few more miles, the creek meets up with Towanda Creek. This meeting point is close to the community of Monroeton. The South Branch Towanda Creek joins Towanda Creek about 4.18 miles (6.73 kilometers) before Towanda Creek ends.

What Does the Landscape Look Like?

The South Branch Towanda Creek starts very high up. Its source is about 1,500 to 1,520 feet (457 to 463 meters) above sea level. Where it joins Towanda Creek, the elevation is about 754 feet (230 meters) above sea level. This means the creek drops quite a bit as it flows!

Even though it drops steeply, the creek is usually quite shallow. You can see many rocks sticking out of the water. The creek flows through a valley that looks a bit like a canyon. In many spots, there are trees and plants along the banks. This is called a riparian buffer. It helps keep the water clean.

What is a Watershed?

A watershed is like a big bowl. All the rain and snow that falls into this "bowl" eventually flows into one main stream or river. The watershed for South Branch Towanda Creek covers a large area. It is about 46.80 square miles (121.2 square kilometers). This means all the water from this big area drains into the creek.

Fun Activities on the Creek

If you like canoeing, you might enjoy South Branch Towanda Creek! You can canoe on about 8.6 miles (13.8 kilometers) of the creek. The best times to go are when snow is melting. You can also go within three days after a heavy rainfall.

The creek is rated for canoers from difficulty level 1 to 3. This means it's good for people who have some canoeing experience. It's considered suitable for intermediate canoers. Edward Gertler wrote a book called Keystone Canoeing. In his book, he says the views along the creek are "fair to good."