Rock Creek (Tunkhannock Creek)

Rock Creek
Basin features
Main source unnamed lake in Herrick Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
1,960 feet (600 m)
River mouth Tunkhannock Creek in Gibson Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania near Smiley
1,045 feet (319 m)
41°46′48″N 75°35′05″W / 41.78005°N 75.58483°W / 41.78005; -75.58483Coordinates: 41°46′48″N 75°35′05″W / 41.78005°N 75.58483°W / 41.78005; -75.58483
Progression Tunkhannock Creek → Susquehanna River → Chesapeake Bay
Basin size 3.76 square miles (9.7 km2)
Tributaries
  • Left:
    one unnamed tributary
  • Right:
    two unnamed tributaries
Physical characteristics
Length 3.8 miles (6.1 km)

Rock Creek is a tributary of Tunkhannock Creek in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is approximately 3.8 miles (6.1 km) long and flows through Herrick Township, Ararat Township, and Gibson Township. The watershed of the creek has an area of 3.76 square miles (9.7 km2). The creek has no named tributaries and is not designated as an impaired waterbody. It is classified as Class A Wild Trout Waters.

Course

Rock Creek begins in an unnamed lake in Herrick Township. It flows in a north-northeasterly direction for several tenths of a mile, entering Ararat Township. Here, the creek turns north-northwest for several tenths of a mile, entering a valley known as Chipmunk Hollow. Here, it receives an unnamed tributary from the right and turns west-northwest for several tenths of a mile. The creek then turns southwest for several tenths of a mile, entering Gibson Township and receiving two unnamed tributaries from the left and turning west-northwest. Several tenths of a mile further downstream, it receives an unnamed tributary from the right and turns west for a few tenths of a mile before reaching the end of Chipmunk Hollow and turning south. After several tenths of a mile of flowing parallel to Tunkhannock Creek, it enters a wetland and turns southwest, reaching its confluence with Tunkhannock Creek.[1]

Rock Creek is approximately 3.8 miles (6.1 km) long.[1] It joins Tunkhannock Creek 34.02 miles (54.75 km) upstream of its mouth.[2]

Hydrology

Rock Creek is not designated as an impaired waterbody.[3] The total concentration of alkalinity in the creek is 39 milligrams per liter (0.039 oz/cu ft).[4]

Geography and geology

The elevation near the mouth of Rock Creek is 1,045 feet (319 m) above sea level.[5] The elevation near the creek's source is 1,960 feet (600 m) above sea level.[1]

Rock Creek has been described as a small creek.[6]

The surficial geology near the lower reaches of Rock Creek mainly consists of alluvial terrace and alluvial fan, with some alluvium. Further upstream, the surficial geology near the creek mainly consists of a till known as Wisconsinan Till, with bedrock consisting of sandstone and shale on nearby hills, a patch of alluvium, a small patch of fill, and a couple of lakes.[7]

Watershed and biology

The watershed of Rock Creek has an area of 3.76 square miles (9.7 km2).[2] The creek is entirely within the United States Geological Survey quadrangle of Thompson.[5] Its mouth is located within 1 mile (1.6 km) of Smiley.[2]

A lake known as Willis Lake at the headwaters of an unnamed tributary to Rock Creek.[1] It has a surface area of 25.3 acres (10.2 ha), a typical depth of 21 feet (6.4 m) (sometimes reaching up to 30 feet (9.1 m)) and a volume of 113,000,000 US gallons (430,000 m3).[8]

Wild trout naturally reproduce in Rock Creek from its headwaters downstream to its mouth.[9] The creek is designated as Class A Wild Trout Waters from its headwaters downstream to its mouth.[4]

The designated use for Rock Creek is aquatic life.[3]

History

Rock Creek was entered into the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. Its identifier in the Geographic Names Information System is 1185249.[5] The creek is also known as Chipmunk Hollow in a 1932 United States Geological Survey map. However, in 1968, David G. Lappin unsuccessfully attempted to verify this name, but all residents who were asked referred to it as Rock Creek.[6]

A farm known as Rock Creek Farm has existed on Rock Creek since at least the 1960s.[6]

A concrete culvert bridge carrying State Route 2036 across Rock Creek was constructed in Gibson Township in 1980 and is 22.0 feet (6.7 m) long.[10]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 United States Geological Survey, The National Map Viewer, retrieved August 1, 2016
  2. 1 2 3 Pennsylvania Gazetteer of Streams (PDF), November 2, 2001, p. 121, retrieved August 1, 2016
  3. 1 2 United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2006 Waterbody Report for Rock Creek, retrieved August 1, 2016
  4. 1 2 Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (July 2016), Class A Wild Trout Waters (PDF), p. 28, retrieved August 1, 2016
  5. 1 2 3 Geographic Names Information System, Feature Detail Report for: Rock Creek, retrieved August 1, 2016
  6. 1 2 3 David G. Lappin (December 9, 1968), PA_1185249_001_Rock Creek_frm_1968.pdf, retrieved August 1, 2016
  7. ↑ Duane D. Braun (2010), Surficial geology of the Thompson 7.5-minute quadrangle, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, p. 11, retrieved August 1, 2016
  8. ↑ Pennsylvania Water Supply Commission (1917), Water Resources Inventory Report ...: Act of July 25, 1913, Part 4, p. 152, retrieved August 1, 2016
  9. ↑ Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (July 2016), Pennsylvania Wild Trout Waters (Natural Reproduction) - July 2016 (PDF), p. 87, retrieved August 1, 2016
  10. ↑ Susquehanna County, retrieved August 1, 2016
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