Swanks Run facts for kids

Swanks Run is a small stream, or tributary, that flows into West Branch Fishing Creek in Sullivan County, Pennsylvania. It's about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long, which is roughly two and a half kilometers. This stream runs entirely through Davidson Township.

The area of land that drains water into Swanks Run, called its watershed, covers about 1.33 square miles (3.4 km²). What's really cool is that the stream is known as "Class A Wild Trout Waters" along its whole path. This means it's a great place for wild trout to live and thrive! Around the stream, you can find different types of rocks and soil, like large boulders, alluvium (soil left by water), and solid bedrock made of sandstone and shale. Swanks Run is also located within Pennsylvania State Game Lands, which are public lands set aside for wildlife and outdoor activities.

Where Swanks Run Flows

Swanks Run begins its journey on a high, flat area called a plateau in Davidson Township. It starts by flowing east for a short distance, entering a small, narrow valley.

Soon after, another small stream, an unnamed tributary, joins Swanks Run from its left side. After this, Swanks Run changes direction and flows southeast. As it continues downstream, the valley around it gets deeper. After flowing for a bit more, the stream reaches its end, joining with West Branch Fishing Creek. This meeting point is about 10.64 miles (17.12 km) upstream from where West Branch Fishing Creek itself flows into another body of water.

Streams Joining Swanks Run

Swanks Run doesn't have any named streams flowing into it. However, it does have one unnamed tributary. This smaller stream is less than half a mile long and flows from north to south before joining Swanks Run.

Water, Land, and Rocks Around the Stream

The water in Swanks Run has a very low concentration of alkalinity, which is a measure of how well water can neutralize acids. It's only one milligram per liter.

The elevation, or height above sea level, near where Swanks Run joins West Branch Fishing Creek is about 1,978 feet (603 m). At its very beginning, the stream's source is much higher, between 2,240 and 2,260 feet (680 and 690 m) above sea level.

For most of its length, Swanks Run flows over solid bedrock made of sandstone and shale. However, closer to where it ends, you can find alluvium. This is a type of soil made up of layers of silt, sand, and gravel that have been deposited by water, along with some large boulders. There's also a special type of colluvium (loose, broken rock and soil) called Boulder Colluvium found near the stream's mouth and higher up in its watershed. In these areas, the ground is mostly covered with large boulders and smaller, rounded rocks called cobbles. These rocks are often made of quartz, sandstone, or conglomerate, which is a rock made of different sized pebbles cemented together.

The Swanks Run Watershed

The watershed of Swanks Run, which is the entire area of land that drains water into the stream, covers about 1.33 square miles (3.4 km²). The stream is located entirely within a specific map area called the Sonestown quadrangle, as mapped by the United States Geological Survey.

Swanks Run flows entirely through public land that is open for people to visit and enjoy. It is located in the western part of Pennsylvania State Game Lands Number 13, which is a large area managed for wildlife and outdoor recreation.

History of Swanks Run

Swanks Run was officially added to the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. This system is a database that keeps track of names and locations of physical and cultural geographic features in the United States. Its special identification number in this system is 1189137.

Wildlife in Swanks Run

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has given Swanks Run a special designation: "Class A Wild Trout Waters" for brook trout. This means the stream is an excellent habitat for wild brook trout, from its very beginning to where it joins West Branch Fishing Creek. Swanks Run is one of only six streams in Sullivan County to have this important designation, highlighting its healthy environment for these fish.