Briar Creek (Susquehanna River tributary)
| Briar Creek | |
|---|---|
 Briar Creek in Briar Creek Township | |
 | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Mouth | Susquehanna River in Briar Creek |
| Length | 7.77 mi (12.50 km) |
Briar Creek is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is 7.77 miles (12.50 km) in length.[1][2] The stream has a watershed area of 32.94 square miles. It flows through Briar Creek Township and the borough of Briar Creek. The area near the creek was originally inhabited by the Lenni Lenape and the Shawnese. European settlers arrived in the 1770s.
Tributaries of Briar Creek include West Branch Briar Creek, East Branch Briar Creek, Glen Brook, Cabin Run, Fester Hollow, and Kachinka Hollow. The discharge of Briar Creek ranges from 0.06 to 50 cubic feet per second. The water temperature of the creek ranges from 32 °F (0 °C) to 80.96 °F (27.20 °C). The rock in the watershed mostly consists of sandstone, siltstone, mudstone, limestone, and shale.
There are Pennsylvania State Game Lands in the watershed, as well as a lake known as Briar Creek Lake. In the lake, the most common species of fish is yellow perch.
Course
Briar Creek begins where Knob Mountain, Huntington Mountain, and Lee Mountain meet in western Briar Creek Township.[3][4] It flows east for a short distance before turning south through a gap in Lee Mountain, briefly descending quite steeply. The course levels out as it leaves the mountain behind, but it begins flowing through a valley after a short distance. It flows under Pennsylvania Route 93, leaving the valley behind. Soon afterwards, the stream picks up the tributary West Branch Briar Creek[1] and turns southeast. After some distance, it enters the community of Briar Creek and picks up the tributary East Branch Briar Creek. The stream then turns southwest and reaches its confluence with the Susquehanna River near French Island.[4]
Tributaries
The tributary West Branch Briar Creek is 6.93 miles (11.15 km) long and has a watershed area of 6.79 square miles. East Branch Briar Creek is 11.95 miles (19.23 km) long and has a watershed area of 8.03 square miles. Glen Brook and Cabin Run are 7.30 miles (11.75 km) and 1.22 miles (1.96 km), respectively. The areas of their respective watersheds are 4.96 and 0.73 square miles. Kachinka and Fester Hollows are 3.80 miles (6.12 km) and 5.66 miles (9.11 km), respectively. The areas of their watersheds are 4.96 and 4.54 square miles, respectively.[2]
The tributary Glen Brook begins in springs at the foot of Lee Mountain.[5]
The lake Briar Creek Lake is located on East Branch Briar Creek.[2] It has an area of 53 acres and was constructed in the early 1970s. It used to be called Evansville Lake.[6]
Hydrology
Out of the ten climate divisions in Pennsylvania, the Briar Creek watershed is in Climate Division 1 and Climate Division 5.[2]
The discharge of Briar Creek about two miles (three kilometers) downstream of its headwaters ranges from 0.06 to 39.1 cubic feet per second, with a median of 0.685 cubic feet per second. Just upstream of West Branch Briar Creek's confluence with the creek, the discharge ranges from 0.63 to 22.1 cubic feet per second, with a median of 4.03 cubic feet per second. Near the mouth of the creek, the discharge ranges from 4.14 to 50 cubic feet per second. There is a median discharge of 18.5 cubic feet per second at this point. On East Branch Briar Creek about two miles from its headwaters, the discharge ranges from 0.4 to 10.425 with a median discharge of 1.385 cubic feet per second. Near Briar Creek Lake, East Branch Briar Creek's discharge has a minimum of 0.54 cubic feet per second, a maximum of 11.5 cubic feet per second, and a median of 4.645 cubic feet per second. On West Branch Briar Creek, the discharge ranges from 0.67 to 31.1 cubic feet per second, with a median of 3.2 cubic feet per second. The tributary Glen Brook has a median discharge of 4.915 cubic feet per second and the tributary Cabin Run has a median discharge of 0.53 cubic feet per second. Kachinka Hollow's median discharge is 2.325 cubic feet per second and the median discharge of Fester Hollow is 3.56 cubic feet per second.[2]
The water temperature of Briar Creek near its source ranges from 35.96 °F (2.20 °C) to 64.94 °F (18.30 °C), with a median of 51.44 °F (10.80 °C). Near West Branch Briar Creek's confluence with Briar Creek, the latter creek has a temperature range of 32 °F (0 °C) to 67.46 °F (19.70 °C) and a median of 49.28 °F (9.60 °C). Near its mouth, the temperature ranges from 32.18 °F (0.10 °C) to 80.96 °F (27.20 °C). The median temperature is 57.56 °F (14.20 °C). On West Branch Briar Creek, the temperature is a minimum of 35.6 °F (2.0 °C), a median of 57.38 °F (14.10 °C), and a maximum of 71.6 °F (22.0 °C). Two miles downstream of East Branch Briar Creek's headwaters, the median temperature is 49.73 °F (9.85 °C) and the range is 32.18 °F (0.10 °C) to 71.42 °F (21.90 °C). Near Briar Creek lake, the water temperature has a minimum of 32.18 °F (0.10 °C), a maximum of 78.62 °F (25.90 °C), and a median of 50.18 °F (10.10 °C). Glen Brook and Cabin Run have median temperatures of 55.04 °F (12.80 °C) and 55.04 °F (12.80 °C), respectively. Kachinka Hollow has a median water temperature of 57.02 °F (13.90 °C). Fester Hollow has a median temperature of 54.14 °F (12.30 °C).[2]
The pH of Briar Creek near its mouth ranges from 7.16 to 8.21, with a median of 7.7. Upstream of West Branch Briar Creek, the creek's pH ranges from 6.15 to 7.69. The median is 7.45. Near the creek's headwaters, the pH ranges from 5.52 to 7.47 and has a median of 6.67. West Branch Briar Creek has a minimum pH of 6.96, a median pH of 7.87, and a maximum pH of 8.31. Not far from its headwaters, East Branch Briar Creek has a pH range of 6.78 to 7.21 and a median pH of 6.92. Near Briar Creek Lake, it has a pH range of 7.14 to 8.73 and a median pH of 7.565. Glen Brook has a median pH of 7.37 and Cabin Run has a median pH of 7.73. Fester Hollow has a median pH of 7.66 and a maximum pH of 9.17 (the highest pH in the watershed). Kachinka Hollow has a median pH of 7.66.[2]
The level of total dissolved solids in Briar Creek near its source has a range of 50 to 161 parts per million and a median of 96 parts per million. Upstream of West Branch Briar Creek, the range is 12 to 98 parts per million and the median is 38 parts per million. Near Briar Creek's source, the median is 14 parts per million, the minimum is to, and the maximum is 89 parts per million. The concentration of dissolved solids in the upper reaches of East Branch Briar Creek ranges from parts per 25 to 113 parts per million, with a median of 35.5 parts per million. Immediately upstream of Briar Creek Lake, the concentration ranges from parts per 34 to 86 parts per million, with a median of 43.5 parts per million. The concentrations on Glen Brook and Cabin Run range from 35 to 145 and 42 to 106 parts per million, respectively. The concentrations on Kachinka and Fester Hollows range from 44 to 137 and 35 to 169 parts per million, respectively.[2]
Geology and geography
In the very northern reaches of the Briar Creek watershed, the bedrock is made up of sandstone. South of the sandstone layer, there is a section of the watershed where the bedrock is mudstone. In the central part of the watershed, the bedrock is siltstone. In the southern part of the watershed, the bedrock is mostly shale, including the part of the watershed in Berwick, which is has bedrock of calcerous shale. A small area north of Berwick has limestone bedrock.[2]
The top of Lee Mountain forms a drainage divide between the Briar Creek watershed and another watershed. The watershed is located in the ridge and valley physiographic region.[2]
Several points along Briar Creek and its tributaries have erode with easy or moderate ease. The infiltration capacity of these points is mostly moderate to high.[2]
There are a number of types of soil in the Briar Creek watershed. One of these is the Holly Series, which is an acidic silt loam. Places in the watershed where the Holly Series is found include Briar Creek about one mile upstream of the mouth of West Branch Briar Creek, West Branch Briar Creek about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) upstream of its mouth, and near Briar Creek Lake. Another soil series in the watershed is the Buchanan Series, an acidic stony loam. Places it is found include Briar Creek about two miles downstream of its headwaters. The Albrights Series, a silt loam with gravel, is also found in the watershed, in such places as East Branch Briar Creek two miles downstream of its headwaters. The Chenango Series is a silt loam that occurs, among other places, in the southeastern and southern corners of the watershed. The Watson Series and the Middlebury Series (sandy and silty loams, respectively) are found in parts of the central part of the Briar Creek watershed. The Zipp Series is a somewhat acidic silt loam that occurs in places such as the Cabin Run watershed.[2]
Briar Creek is between 25 feet (7.6 m) and 30 feet (9.1 m) wide. West Branch Briar Creek is about 15 feet (4.6 m) wide.[7]
Watershed
The Briar Creek watershed has an area of 32.94 square miles. It is located in Columbia County and Luzerne County. The six communities that the creek's watershed fully or partially occupies are Briar Creek, Briar Creek Township, North Centre Township, Orange Township, and Berwick in Columbia County and Salem Township in Luzerne County. 1.04 square miles are located in Briar Creek, 16.48 are located in Briar Creek Township, 12.04 are located in North Centre Township, 0.22 are located in Orange Township, 1.24 are in Berwick, and 1.94 are in Salem Township.[2]
8678 acres, or 41% of the Briar Creek watershed is forested land. Much of this is on Knob Mountain or belongs to the Pennsylvania State Game Lands Number 55. 7210 acres, or 34% of the watershed is farmland. 1143 acres, or 6% of the watershed, is urban land. Most of this is in the southeastern part of the watershed. 3984 acres, or 19% of the land in the watershed, is non-agricultural grassland.[2]
As compared to other watersheds with the same size and land use, the Briar Creek watershed has been given a B rating by the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection.[2]
The are approximately 44.23 miles (71.18 km) of streams in the Briar Creek watershed. The watershed is made up of seven smaller watersheds, or sub-watersheds.[2]
There is a lake called Briar Creek Lake on a tributary to Briar Creek.[2]
History
Up to approximately 1770, the area around Briar Creek was inhabited by the Lenni Lenape Indians. They built villages on the banks of the creek.[2] The Shawnese also had a village at the mouth of the creek.[8] In the 1770s, European settlers arrived in the area.[2] The White family from New Jersey was among the first families of settlers to arrive in the Briar Creek valley.[9] The Briar Creek area was one of the first places in Columbia County to be settled, on account of the high level of fertility of the land.[2] The area around Briar Creek was part of Northumberland County in the late 1700s. In 1799, Samuel Ely was granted a patent from the state of Pennsylvania for 307 acres of land on Briar Creek known as "Manheim". In 1806, he gained a 426-acre tract of land on the creek. This tract was known as "Quincy". Ely's four sons inherited the land.[9]
In the beginning of the 1800s, a number of mills were built on tributaries of the creek. A number of other industries were established in the watershed in the early 1800s, including a sawmill, a woolen mill, an iron furnace, and a tannery. In the second half of the 1800s, railroads began to be built in the watershed. Heavy industries and fisheries also began to appear in the area around this time.[2]
Some time before 1911, two dams were constructed on Glen Brook in Briar Creek Township two miles north of Berwick. In 1911, the first dam, known as Number One, had a capacity of 15 million gallons. The second dam, known as Number Two, had a capacity of 7.5 million gallons. In 1911, a third dam was under construction several hundred feet downstream of the two aforementioned dams. It was intended to have a capacity of 23.8 million gallons.[5]
The Briar Creek Watershed Association is a watershed association for Briar Creek. It was formed in 2006.[2]
Biology
The Pennsylvania State Game Lands #55 are in the Briar Creek watershed.[2]
More than 90 species of birds breed within the Briar Creek watershed.[2] These include several species of ducks, flycatchers, herons, plovers, rails, and swallows, as well as one species of kingfisher and one species of crane. Bald eagles, sandhill cranes, and several species of waterfoul have been observed on Briar Creek Lake. Mammals living in the watershed include minks, muskrats, and short-tailed shrews, and the endangered Indiana bat. Fish, damselflies, mayflies, and other macroinvertebrates also inhabit the watershed. 28 species of fish were observed by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission in the watershed in 2006. Earlier, 34 species were observed.[2]
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has designated the Briar Creek watershed as "place of ecological importance".[2]
In April 2010, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission performed a survey of the fish species residing in Briar Creek Lake. The most common fish observed were yellow perch (645 specimens), brown bullhead (322 specimens), golden shiner (319 specimens), white crappie (216 specimens), hatchery trout (153 specimens), and bluegill (121 specimens). The largest fish observed were common carp, of which two specimens between 23 inches (58 cm) and 25 inches (64 cm) were observed. The smallest fish were pumpkinseed, of which 12 specimens between two and four inches (five and ten centimeters) were observed.[10] Minnows also live in West Branch Briar Creek.[7]
Recreation
Briar Creek Lake is located in the Briar Creek watershed, on East Branch Briar Creek.[2] It is owned by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and Columbia County.[10] It was originally constructed to control floods, but most recreational activities in the watershed take place at this lake. These include fishing, picnicking, and weddings. There are also Pennsylvania State Game Lands in the watershed.[2] The waters of Briar Creek are approved trout waters and the stream is stocked with trout.[11][7]
See also
- Kinney Run, next tributary of the Susquehanna downstream
- Nescopeck Creek, next tributary of the Susquehanna upstream
References
- ^ a b Google Maps, 2014, retrieved February 26, 2014
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab Briar Creek Association for Watershed Solutions, Columbia County Conservation District (December 12, 2012), Briar Creek Watershed Coldwater Conservation Plan Columbia County, PA (PDF), retrieved February 27, 2014
- ^ USGS (1979), centre.jpg, retrieved February 24, 2014
- ^ a b USGS (1979), briarcre.jpg, retrieved February 24, 2014
- ^ a b Pennsylvania Department of Health (1911), Report, Part 1, retrieved March 2, 2014
- ^ Walter M. Brasch (1982), Columbia County place names, retrieved March 2, 2014
- ^ a b c A. Joseph Armstrong (January 1, 2000), Trout Unlimited's Guide to Pennsylvania Limestone Streams, retrieved March 2, 2014
- ^ John Gosse Freeze (1888), A History of Columbia County, Pennsylvania: From the Earliest Times, retrieved March 2, 2014
- ^ a b J.H. Beers (1915), Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, retrieved March 2, 2014
- ^ a b Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (April 2010), Briar Creek Lake Columbia County April 2010, retrieved March 2, 2014
- ^ Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (2014), Trout Fishing Regulations NORTHEAST REGION - Regulated Trout Waters, retrieved March 2, 2014
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