Threemile Run (Tohickon Creek tributary) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Threemile Run |
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 Threemile Run
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| Other name(s) | Three Mile Run |
| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Bucks |
| Township | West Rockhill, East Rockhill |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | 500 feet (150 m) 40°22′19″N 75°19′59″W / 40.37194°N 75.33306°W |
| River mouth | 394 feet (120 m) 40°25′14″N 75°16′1″W / 40.42056°N 75.26694°W |
| Length | 5.57 miles (8.96 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Threemile Run → Lake Nockamixon → Tohickon Creek → Delaware River → Delaware Bay |
| River system | Delaware River |
| Basin size | 8.11 square miles (21.0 km2) |
| Waterbodies | Lake Nockamixon |
| Bridges | Forrest Road Old Mill Road South Bethlehem Pike (South West End Boulevard) Hill Road Stone Edge Road North Rockhill Road West Rock Road Pennsylvania Route 313 (Doylestown Pike, Dublin Pike) |
Threemile Run, also known as Three Mile Run, is a small stream in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. It flows into the Tohickon Creek, which then joins the mighty Delaware River. This means Threemile Run is part of the huge Delaware River watershed, an area where all water eventually flows into the Delaware River.
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History of Threemile Run
Threemile Run got its name a very long time ago. It was even marked on a map of Pennsylvania by John Scully in 1770. This stream flows through the first valley north of the East Branch Perkiomen Creek. In the past, its flowing water was used to power several grist mills. Grist mills were places where grain was ground into flour.
Facts and Figures About the Stream
Threemile Run has special identification numbers: its GNIS number is 1189555, and its Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources number is 03168. The stream's drainage basin (the land area that collects water for the stream) covers about 8.11 square miles (21.0 square kilometers). It meets the Tohickon Creek inside Lake Nockamixon. This meeting point is about 17.60 river miles from the start of the Tohickon Creek.
The Path of Threemile Run
Threemile Run begins in West Rockhill Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. It starts from a small pond near Catch Basin Road, about 500 feet (152 meters) above sea level. From there, it flows first to the southeast, then south, and then southeast again. It picks up water from a smaller stream that joins it from the right side. After that, it turns right and flows northeast.
Before 1972, Threemile Run flowed directly into the Tohickon Creek. But in 1972, a dam was built on the Tohickon Creek, creating Lake Nockamixon. Now, Threemile Run flows into Lake Nockamixon. It enters the lake about three-quarters of a mile from where the Tohickon Creek flows in. At this point, the elevation is about 394 feet (120 meters) above sea level. This means the stream drops about 19 feet for every mile it travels.
Understanding the Geology of the Area
The area around Threemile Run is part of the Appalachian Highlands Division. More specifically, it's in the Piedmont Province, within a section called the Gettysburg-Newark Lowland. The rocks here are mainly from two types: the Brunswick Formation and Diabase.
Brunswick Formation Rocks
The Brunswick Formation is made of sedimentary layers. These layers include mudstone, siltstone, and beds of green, brown, and reddish-brown shale. Sedimentary rocks are formed from bits of other rocks, minerals, or organic matter that settle and harden over time. The minerals found in these rocks include argillite and hornfels.
Diabase Rock Formation
About 200 million years ago, during the Jurassic and Triassic periods, hot, melted rock called magma pushed its way into the Brunswick Formation. This magma cooled very quickly, forming a hard, fine-grained rock called diabase. Diabase is mostly made of minerals called labradorite and augite.
You can see remnants of this ancient magma intrusion today. For example, Haycock Mountain, located on the right side of Threemile Run, is a leftover part of this diabase rock that remained after the softer Brunswick Formation rocks around it wore away over millions of years. The first mile or so of Threemile Run flows over this hard diabase rock. The rest of the stream flows over the Brunswick Formation.
Bridges and Crossings
Many roads and bridges cross over Threemile Run. Here's a list of some of them:
| Crossing | NBI Number | Length | Lanes | Spans | Material/Design | Built | Reconstructed | Latitude | Longitude |
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| Pennsylvania Route 313 (Doylestown Pike, Dublin Pike) | 6993 | 12.2 metres (40 ft) | 2 | Concrete Arch-Deck | 1930 | 40°24'56 | 75°16'14"W | ||
| West Rock Road | 7516 | 24 metres (79 ft) | 2 | 1 | Prestressed concrete box beam or girders-multiple | 1979 | 40°24'7.1"N | 75°17'1.06"W | |
| North Rockhill Road | |||||||||
| Stone Edge Road | |||||||||
| Hill Road | 7519 | 12|m|ft | 2 | 1 | Concrete Tee Beam | 1930 | 40°23'8"N | 75°18'27"W | |
| South Old Bethlehem Pike (Park Avenue) | 7502 | 9 metres (30 ft) | 2 | 1 | Prestressed concrete box beam or girders - Multiple | 1955 | 40°22'57.3"N | 75°18'45"W | |
| South Bethlehem Pike (South West End Boulevard) | 7385 | 6.7 metres (22 ft) | Concrete Tee Beam, concrete cast-in-place deck, bituminous surface | 1936 | 40°22'50"N | 75°19'W | |||
| Old Mill Road (Township Road T360) | 7513 | 9 metres (30 ft) | 1 | 1 | Continuous concrete stringer/multi-beam or girder | 1930 | 40°22'46.9"N | 75°19'10.2"W | |
| Forrest Road |
