Lycoming Creek

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Lycoming Creek
Lycoming Creek at Trout Run in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
Origin	near McNett Township, Lycoming County
Mouth	West Branch Susquehanna River, at Williamsport
Basin countries	Pennsylvania, United States
Length	36.9 mi (59.4 km)
Source elevation	2161 ft (659 m)
Basin area	272 mi² (704 km²)

Lycoming Creek is a tributary of the West Branch Susquehanna River located in Tioga and Lycoming Counties in Pennsylvania in the United States.

1 Geography
2 Watershed
- 2.1 Recreation
3 History
4 See also
5 External links
- 5.1 General Reference
- 5.2 Lycoming Creek

[edit] Geography

As the crow flies, Lycoming County is approximately 100 mi (160 km) northwest of Philadelphia and about 165 mi (265 km) east-northeast of Pittsburgh. Lycoming Creek has its source in Tioga County and is 25 mi (40.2 km) in length from the Tioga County / Lycoming County line to its confluence with the West Branch Susquehanna River at Williamsport. Smaller streams feeding Lycoming Creek include Pleasant Stream, Grays Run, Roaring Branch, Hoagland Run, and Trout Run.

Map of the West Branch Susquehanna River (dark blue) and Major Streams in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania. Lycoming Creek (yellow) is the third major creek entering the river in the county, between the Larrys Creek (orange) and Loyalsock Creek (green) watersheds.

[edit] Watershed

Approximately 81.5% of the Lycoming Creek watershed is in Lycoming County, with 16.5% in Tioga County, and 1.5% in Sullivan County. The watershed has a total population of 19,978 (as of 2000) and a total area of 272 mi² (704.5 km²). Of that area, 222 mi² (575.0 km²) are forested, 45 mi² (116.5 km²) are given to agricultural uses, only 3 mi² (7.8 km²) are developed, and the remaining 1 mi² (2.6 km²) is classified as barren.

[edit] Recreation

Lycoming Creek is a popular site for trout fishing and is usually heavily stocked with fish in the spring, especially in its upper reaches in Lycoming County. Much of the creek runs through heavily wooded areas, including the Tiadaghton State Forest near Grays Run. North of Trout Run, Pennsylvania Route 14 runs parallel to the creek. From Trout Run south to Williamsport, U.S. Route 15 (and old route 15) run parallel to the creek. Historic Bowman Field, home to the minor league baseball Williamsport Crosscutters, is located along the creek near its mouth in the western Newberry section of Williamsport.

[edit] History

In 1839, the Williamsport and Elmira Railroad was built along the creek from Williamsport to Ralston, and was extended to the source of the creek and beyond to Elmira in 1854. The railroad was reorganized in 1860 as the Elmira and Williamsport Railroad, and came under the control of the Northern Central Railway in 1863, and later the PRR. U.S. Route 15 and Pennsylvania Route 14 were later built up the length of the creek. In 1972, flooding caused by Hurricane Agnes washed out several rail bridges and resulted in the abandonment of the railroad north of Hepburnville; the remainder was abandoned in 1986.

Lycoming Creek in Williamsport, PA near its mouth. Note flood control levees on either side.

There was severe flooding on Lycoming Creek on January 19 and 20, 1996, when a combination of heavy snow on the ground, heavy rains and subsequent melting, and ice dams led to flooding two feet higher than that seen in 1972 with Hurricane Agnes. Six people died as a result of flooding on Lycoming Creek in the greater Williamsport area, and there was millions of dollars of damage to property.