Wallace Run (Bald Eagle Creek tributary) facts for kids

Wallace Run is a stream in Centre County, Pennsylvania. It flows into Bald Eagle Creek. The stream is about 12.1 miles (19.5 kilometers) long. It's known for having water with low alkalinity, meaning it's not very basic or salty.

Wallace Run flows through Union Township and Boggs Township. Most of the land around the stream, called its watershed, is in Boggs Township. The upper part of the stream is mostly covered by forests with trees like oaks, maples, ash, birches, and hemlocks. You can also find rhododendrons there. The lower part of the stream has more buildings and development.

Where Wallace Run Flows

Wallace Run starts in a valley within the Pennsylvania State Game Lands Number 163. This is in the western part of Union Township. The very beginning of the stream, called its headwaters, is on the south side of the Allegheny Plateau.

The stream flows northeast, passing places like Dry Hollow. It then meets Rock Cabin Run, which joins it from the left. Wallace Run continues northeast, going past Grindstone Gap and picking up Birch Lick Run. After this, the stream flows around Ganderstep Knob and its north branch joins it.

Wallace Run then turns southeast and leaves Union Township. It enters Boggs Township, where its valley becomes less deep. The stream goes past Gum Stump and starts flowing next to Pennsylvania Route 144 for several miles. It passes the community of Runville along the way. Finally, Wallace Run flows into Bald Eagle Creek at the community of Wingate, which is close to Milesburg.

Streams Joining Wallace Run

The North Branch Wallace Run is a smaller stream that flows into Wallace Run. It starts near the edge of Boggs Township, just south of Pennsylvania Route 144. It flows southwest for a short distance into Union Township before joining the main Wallace Run.

Water Quality of Wallace Run

The amount of alkalinity in Wallace Run changes along its path. Near where it starts, the alkalinity is 10 parts per million. Closer to where it ends, the alkalinity increases to 28 parts per million.

In 2008, scientists measured the pH of the water in a small stream that flows into Wallace Run. The pH was around 7.9 to 8.0, which means the water was slightly basic. The water's ability to conduct electricity, called conductivity, was also measured at about 387 to 390 micro-siemens.

In August 2008, the water temperature in the lower part of Wallace Run was about 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius). Two miles (three kilometers) upstream, the water was a bit cooler, around 63 degrees Fahrenheit (17 degrees Celsius).

Land and Rocks Around the Stream

Wallace Run is a "coldwater freestone stream." This means its water is cold and clear, and it flows over rocks and gravel rather than through limestone. In the first eight miles of the stream, the main types of rocks are sandstone, red and brown shale, and gray conglomerate.

The stream starts at a high point, about 2,240 feet (683 meters) above sea level. For the first 6.1 miles (9.8 kilometers), the stream drops quite a bit, about 184 feet (56 meters) for every mile it flows. After this, the elevation is about 1,112 feet (339 meters). The stream continues to drop in elevation until it reaches its mouth at 726 feet (221 meters).

Sometimes in winter, you can see Ice caves and other ice formations along Wallace Run.

Wallace Run has had damaging floods in the past. People have tried to fix this by making the stream straighter and lining it with rocks. This made the water flow faster. Landowners and local governments have also tried adding riprap (loose rocks) and levees (raised banks) to improve the stream. Even though these efforts didn't work perfectly at first, the stream's quality has gotten better over time.

About 3.2 kilometers (2 miles) upstream from its mouth, Wallace Run is about 12 meters (39 feet) wide when it's full. Its depth at this point is about 0.55 meters (1.8 feet).

The Bear Rocks are a cool rock formation on a hill northeast of Wallace Run. They are huge square blocks of sandstone, described as "nearly as big as houses." The valley that Wallace Run flows through is about 900 feet (274 meters) high in the upper parts of the stream.

Wallace Run's Watershed

The area of land that drains water into Wallace Run, called its watershed, covers 24 square miles (62 square kilometers). The upper part of this watershed is mostly covered by forests and has some small cabins. The lower part has more suburban areas and some farms. Most of the watershed is located within Boggs Township.

History of Wallace Run

In the 1800s, there was a sabbath school located along Wallace Run. A narrow-gauge railroad once ran through the stream's valley. Today, only small traces of the old railroad grade can still be seen.

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has been studying the fish and macroinvertebrate (small creatures without backbones) populations in Wallace Run since the 1930s. In the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps built a fire road on Ganderstep Knob. They also built stairs leading from the road down to the stream, where there used to be a popular swimming hole. However, that swimming hole no longer exists as of 2008.

There are three gas wells in the watershed, but only one is still active. In 2010, the Wildlife for Everyone Foundation helped restore a 1,000-foot (300-meter) section of the stream, making it healthier.

Plants and Animals of Wallace Run

Near the beginning of Wallace Run, the main trees forming the forest roof, or canopy, are hemlock and rhododendron. Further downstream, you'll find trees like ash (including white ash and green ash), chestnut oaks, red oaks, red maples, tulip trees, and yellow birches, along with more hemlocks.

In the lower parts of the stream, there aren't many riparian buffers, which are natural areas of plants along the stream banks. Instead, you often see lawns right up to the water.

Wallace Run is a special place for fish! The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has approved it as a trout stream, meaning it's a great habitat for trout. It's even a "Class A Wild Trout Waters," which is a high rating. Both brook trout and brown trout live and thrive in the stream.

Fun Things to Do at Wallace Run

Wallace Run offers many fun activities for people to enjoy. You can go canoeing or kayaking on the water. It's also a great spot for birdwatching, where you can look for different kinds of birds. And, of course, fishing for trout is a popular activity here!