Stranger Hollow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stranger Hollow |
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|---|---|
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Catawissa Mountain in Beaver Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania 1,440 to 1,460 feet (440 to 450 m) |
| River mouth | Catawissa Creek in Beaver Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania 712 ft (217 m) 40°55′52″N 76°17′25″W / 40.9310°N 76.2903°W |
| Length | 1.0 mi (1.6 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Catawissa Creek → Susquehanna River → Chesapeake Bay |
| Basin size | 0.57 sq mi (1.5 km2) |
Stranger Hollow is a small stream, sometimes called Stranger's Hollow. It flows into Catawissa Creek in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, USA. This stream is about 1.0 mile (1.6 km) long. It runs through a place called Beaver Township. The land that drains into Stranger Hollow, its watershed, is about 0.57 square miles (1.5 km2) big.
Stranger Hollow is known as a coldwater fishery. This means its water is cold enough for certain types of fish to live there. Long ago, two important railroads, the Catawissa Railroad and the Philadelphia and Reading Railway, had bridges that crossed over this stream.
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Where Stranger Hollow Flows
Stranger Hollow starts high up on Catawissa Mountain in Beaver Township. It flows towards the east for a short distance. Then, it enters a small valley. After that, it turns and flows northeast. Finally, it meets up with Catawissa Creek.
Stranger Hollow joins Catawissa Creek about 15.42 miles (24.82 km) before Catawissa Creek reaches its own end. Stranger Hollow does not have any smaller streams or branches flowing into it.
Water Quality
The water in Stranger Hollow is affected by something called atmospheric deposition. This means pollution from the air can fall into the stream. This pollution can change the water's pH level. The pH level tells us how acidic or basic the water is.
Land and Rocks Around the Stream
The land around Stranger Hollow is quite hilly. Near where the stream joins Catawissa Creek, the ground is about 712 feet (217 m) above sea level. Up at the very beginning of the stream, the elevation is much higher, between 1,440 feet (440 m) and 1,460 feet (450 m).
The rocks under the lower part of Stranger Hollow are from the Mauch Chunk Formation. The rest of the stream flows over rocks from the Pocono Formation. The ground near the stream's end has a type of soil called Leck Kill soil. Further upstream, the soil is mostly Hazleton soil.
Stranger Hollow has a very steep slope. It drops about 449.5 feet (137.0 m) for every 0.62 miles (1.00 km) it flows. This steepness makes the water flow quickly.
The Stream's Area and History
The area of land that drains into Stranger Hollow is called its watershed. This watershed covers about 0.57 square miles (1.5 km2). Most of this area is in Beaver Township. A small part on the western side is in Roaring Creek Township.
The very start of the stream and most of its watershed are inside Pennsylvania State Game Lands Number 58. This land is mostly covered by forests. It is a quiet area, and it's hard to get to Stranger Hollow. No part of the stream is within 500 metres (1,600 ft) of a road.
In 1990, there were about 10 people living in each square kilometer of the Stranger Hollow watershed. This shows it's a very lightly populated area.
In the late 1800s, there were two large railroad bridges that crossed over Stranger Hollow. One was for the Philadelphia and Reading Railway. This bridge, called the Stranger's Hollow Bridge, was 90 feet (27 m) high. The other bridge was for the Catawissa Railroad. It was 756 feet (230 m) long and an amazing 125 feet (38 m) high! An old article from 1862 said that the view from the Catawissa Railroad near the stream was "most striking and characteristic."
Wildlife in the Water
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection considers Stranger Hollow a coldwater fishery. This means the stream's cool water is a good home for fish that prefer colder temperatures.
