Pine Creek (Solomon Creek)

Pine Creek
Basin
Main source mountain in Bear Creek Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
between 2,000 and 2,020 feet (610 and 620 m)
River mouth Solomon Creek in Hanover Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
896 ft (273 m)
41°11′51″N 75°53′42″W / 41.1975°N 75.8950°W / 41.1975; -75.8950 (Mouth of Pine Creek)Coordinates: 41°11′51″N 75°53′42″W / 41.1975°N 75.8950°W / 41.1975; -75.8950 (Mouth of Pine Creek)
Progression Solomon Creek → Susquehanna River → Chesapeake Bay
Basin size 5.00 sq mi (12.9 km2)
Physical characteristics
Length 3.5 mi (5.6 km)
Features
Tributaries
  • Left:
    two unnamed tributaries
  • Right:
    two unnamed tributaries

Pine Creek (also known as Pine Run[1]) is a tributary of Solomon Creek in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is approximately 3.5 miles (5.6 km) long and flows through Bear Creek Township, Laurel Run, and Hanover Township.[2] The watershed of the creek has an area of 5.00 square miles (12.9 km2). The creek is designated as a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery and its watershed is inhabited by several species of macroinvertebrates and fish, including trout. A reservoir known as the Pine Run Reservoir is situated on the creek. It is dammed by the Pine Run Dam Number 1.

Course

Pine Creek begins on a mountain in Bear Creek Township. It flows northwest for a short distance before turning north and flowing off the mountain. After several tenths of a mile, the creek enters the borough of Laurel Run and begins flowing through a valley. It turns west, receives an unnamed tributary from the right and enters Hanover Township. The creek continues west for more than a mile, receiving two unnamed tributaries from the left and one more from the right. It then turns west-southwest for several tenths of a mile, crossing Pennsylvania Route 309. The creek then turns northwest, passing through a small pond and then reaching its confluence with Solomon Creek after a few tenths of a mile.[2]

Pine Creek joins Solomon Creek 6.10 miles (9.82 km) upstream of its mouth.[3]

Hydrology

The water temperature of Pine Creek ranges from 38 to 62 °F (3 to 17 °C). No iron has been recorded in the creek. Its pH ranges from 5.5 to 6.5, the concentration of acidity ranges from 17.1 to 51.3 milligrams per liter, and the concentration of alkalinity is 17.1 milligrams per liter. The concentration of dissolved oxygen in the creek is between 10 and 13 milligrams per liter, depending on the site.[1]

Geography and geology

The elevation near the mouth of Pine Creek is 896 feet (273 m) above sea level.[4] The elevation of the creek's source is between 2,000 and 2,020 feet (610 and 620 m) above sea level.[2]

Pine Creek is described as "relatively intact" in the Solomon Creek Coldwater Conservation Plan in 2009.[1]

A reservoir known as the Pine Run Reservoir is situated on Pine Creek.[2][5] The reservoir is has a capacity of 7.5 million gallons and is dammed by a masonry and concrete dam of intermediate size.[5][6] The dam is known as Pine Run Dam Number 1. As of 1980, it is in a deteriorated condition. Its spillway is considered to be "seriously inadequate" and the dam itself is designated as an "unsafe non-emergency dam".[6]

Watershed

The watershed of Pine Creek has an area of 5.00 square miles (12.9 km2).[3] It is in the southeastern part of the watershed of Solomon Creek. There are 7.68 miles (12.36 km) of streams in the watershed.[1] The creek's mouth is in the United States Geological Survey quadrangle of Wilkes-Barre West. However, its source is in the quadrangle of Wilkes-Barre East.[4]

The watershed of Pine Creek is heavily forested. The surrounding terrain shields it from being significantly impacted by severe rainstorms.[1]

Pine Creek flows alongside Pine Run Road for some distance.[1]

History

Pine Creek was entered into the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. Its identifier in the Geographic Names Information System is 1183778.[4] The main stem of Pine Creek was historically known as Solomon Creek around 1894.[1]

In the late 1800s, Pine Creek was one of the water supplies of the Crystal Spring Water Company. The creek was said to have fair water quality in 1895.[7]

Biology

Pine Creek is designated as a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery.[8] However, the creek has had low densities of trout in the past, but more recently, their numbers have increased. The watershed of the creek contains the only Approved Trout Waters in the watershed of Solomon Creek.[1] Pine Creek could potentially be upgraded to Class A Wild Trout Waters.[1]

Brook trout, longnose dace, blacknose dace, and creek chub all inhabit the watershed of Pine Creek.[9] Wild trout naturally reproduce in the creek from its headwaters downstream to its mouth.[10]

Roach-like stoneflies and common shredders inhabit Pine Creek. Of the macroinvertebrate taxa in the creek, between 60 and 83 percent are of the orders Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera. Between 0 and 33 percent are mayflies.[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation, Solomon Creek Coldwater Conservation Plan (PDF), pp. 25, 43, 47, 91, 127, 144–146, 157, 167, retrieved February 11, 2015
  2. 1 2 3 4 United States Geological Survey, The National Map Viewer, retrieved February 12, 2015
  3. 1 2 Pennsylvania Gazetteer of Streams (PDF), November 2, 2001, retrieved February 12, 2015
  4. 1 2 3 Geographic Names Information System, Feature Detail Report for: Pine Creek, retrieved February 12, 2015
  5. 1 2 Pennsylvania Department of Health (1910), Report, Part 2, p. 1103
  6. 1 2 L. Robert Kimball (June 1980), National Dam Inspection Program. Pine Run Dam Number 1 (NDS ID Number PA-648, DER ID Number 40-20), Susquehanna River Basin, Pine Run, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Phase I Inspection Report., retrieved February 12, 2015
  7. ↑ Pennsylvania State Board of Health and Vital Statistics (1896), Annual Report of the State Board of Health and Vital Statistics ..., Volume 11, p. 114
  8. ↑ "§ 93.9k. Drainage List K. Susquehanna River Basin in Pennsylvania Susquehanna River", Pennsylvania Code, retrieved February 12, 2015
  9. ↑ Tom Venesky (June 15, 2013), "Study provides hope for trout in Solomon Creek", The Times Leader, retrieved February 12, 2015
  10. ↑ Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (January 2015), Pennsylvania Wild Trout Waters (Natural Reproduction) (PDF), p. 49, retrieved February 12, 2015
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