Little Buffalo Creek

Little Buffalo Creek is a tributary of Buffalo Creek in Union County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is 9.6 miles (15.4 km) long.[1] The creek flows through White Deer Township and Kelly Township. In 2008, the annual sediment load of the creek is 2,430,940 pounds (1,102,660 kg), the nitrogen load was 120,819 pounds (54,803 kg), and the phosphorus load was 4,265 pounds (1,935 kg). The creek's watershed has an area of 19 square miles. Little Buffalo State Park is nearby.

Course

Little Buffalo Creek begins in White Deer Township on Nittany Mountain. It flows south for a short distance and then turns east, receiving several unnamed tributaries from the mountain and passing near the Spruce Run Reservoir.[2] It also passes within 0.4 miles (0.64 km) of Spruce Run, another tributary of Buffalo Creek.[3] After several miles, the creek turns southeast and then south. Shortly afterwards, it exits White Deer Township.[2] Upon exiting White Deer Township, the creek enters Kelly Township and passes the community of Kelly Crossroads. It then meanders in a southward direction for several miles, reaching its confluence with Buffalo Creek on the southern edge of Kelly Township.[4]

Hydrology

Little Buffalo Creek contributes 14 percent of Buffalo Creek's water flow.[3]

Little Buffalo Creek experiences thermal heat and contamination from sediment, nutrients, and E. Coli.[3]

In 2000, the sediment load in Little Buffalo Creek was 2,565,051 pounds (1,163,488 kg). By 2008, it had decreased to 2,430,940 pounds (1,102,660 kg). The Watershed Implementation Plan for Buffalo Creek states that in a best-case scenario, the annual sediment load could be reduced to 803,723 pounds (364,563 kg) in the future. In 2000, the nitrogen load in the creek was 121,901 pounds (55,293 kg). According to the Watershed Implementation Plan for Buffalo Creek, in a best-case scenario, the annual nitrogen load could be reduced to 99,921 pounds (45,323 kg) in the future. Eight years later, the load has decreased slightly to 120,819 pounds (54,803 kg) per year. The load of phosphorus in the creek in 2000 was 4,377 pounds (1,985 kg) and in 2008 was 4,265 pounds (1,935 kg). The Watershed Implementation Plan for Buffalo Creek states that in a best-case scenario, the annual phosphorus load could be reduced to 2,597 pounds (1,178 kg) in the future.[3]

As of 2008, 1,259,807 pounds (571,439 kg) of the sediment load in Little Buffalo Creek comes from streambank erosion, 962,287 pounds (436,486 kg) comes from row crops, 127,748 pounds (57,946 kg) comes from hay and pastures, 36,520 pounds (16,570 kg) comes from urban areas, and 178,689 pounds (81,052 kg) comes from other sources. In the same year, 64,752 pounds (29,371 kg) of nitrogen came from groundwater, 5,938 pounds (2,693 kg) came from row crops, 3,481 pounds (1,579 kg) came from hay and pastures, and 341 pounds (155 kg) came from urban areas. 165 pounds (75 kg) came from septic systems, 63 pounds (29 kg) came from streambank erosion, and 1,283 pounds (582 kg) came from other sources. 1,017 pounds (461 kg) of the phosphorus load was contributed by row crops and 886 pounds (402 kg) was contributed by groundwater. 395 pounds (179 kg) came from hay and pasture, 57 pounds (26 kg) came from urban areas, and 28 pounds (13 kg) is contributed by streambank erosion. 17 pounds (7.7 kg) came from septic systems and 132 pounds (60 kg) came from other sources.[3]

Geology and geography

The elevation of Little Buffalo Creek near its mouth is 453 feet (138 m) above sea level.[5]

The northernmost occurrences of the Lower Helderberg Formation occur at the mouth of Little Buffalo Creek, among other places. The Milton Anticlinal is located partially along Little Buffalo Creek. It includes gently sloping Upper Clinton rocks and Bloomsburg red shale.[6]

Watershed

The Little Buffalo Creek watershed has an area of 19 square miles. No tributaries of Buffalo Creek have larger watersheds and only one other tributary (Rapid Run) has a similar watershed area. The watershed of Little Buffalo Creek is the northeasternmost sub-watershed of Buffalo Creek.[3]

54 percent of the watershed of Little Buffalo Creek is forested. 37 percent of the watershed is agricultural land. All of the northwestern part of the watershed is forested, as is much of the southern part.[3]

There are no major highways (state routes, U.S. routes, or interstate highways) in the watershed of Little Buffalo Creek. However, Interstate 80 passes north of the watershed at a distance of less than 1.5 miles (2.4 km).[3] Little Buffalo State Park is located on Little Buffalo Creek.[7]

History

Native Americans have hunted in the vicinity of Little Buffalo Creek for several thousand years.[7]

Henry Titzell built a gristmill and sawmill on a fifty-acre tract of land on Little Buffalo Creek in December 1774.[8] A mill known as Renegar's Mill operated on Little Buffalo Creek in the late 1700s. A public road which opened in 1794 ran from the community of White Deer to the mill.[9]

Little Buffalo Creek has been used as a water source for the community of Mifflinburg.[10] A bridge built over the creek in 1850 was used for grain transport.[11]

Biology

Little Buffalo Creek is designated as a high-quality coldwater fishery. Wetland habitats for waterfowl have been created along the creek.[3] A population of eels was released into the creek in 2013.[12]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Google Maps, 2014, retrieved June 8, 2014
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 United States Geological Survey (1993), whitedee.jpg, retrieved June 9, 2014
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 Union County Conservation District, Buffalo Creek Watershed Alliance (November 2008), 319 Watershed Implementation Plan: Buffalo Creek Watershed Union County, PA, retrieved June 9, 2014
  4. ↑ United States Geological Survey (1993), kelly.jpg, retrieved June 9, 2014
  5. ↑ Topographic Map Stream Features in Union County, Pennsylvania, retrieved June 10, 2014
  6. ↑ Geological Survey of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Board of Commissioners for the Second Geological Survey (1891), Report of Progress, retrieved June 10, 2014
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Little Buffalo State Park, retrieved June 10, 2014
  8. ↑ L.J. Blair (1877), Annals of Buffalo Valley, Pennsylvania, retrieved June 10, 2014
  9. ↑ Charles McCool Snyder, John W. Downie, Lois Kalp (2000), Union County, Pennsylvania: A Celebration of History, retrieved June 10, 2014
  10. ↑ Union-Snyder Planning Commission, Utilities and services, retrieved June 10, 2014
  11. ↑ Union County Planning Commission (1977), Historic Preservation Plan of Union County, Pennsylvania: Historic preservation plan, retrieved June 10, 2014
  12. ↑ Eels released into Little Buffalo Creek, retrieved June 10, 2014

Coordinates: 40°59′06″N 76°55′41″W / 40.985°N 76.928°W