East Branch Fishing Creek is a

tributary A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drainage ...

of Fishing Creek in Columbia County and Sullivan County,

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

, in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. It is long. The stream and its tributaries are acidic and contain aluminum. The area in the vicinity was first settled in the late 18th century.

Course

East Branch Fishing Creek looking upstream in December

East Branch Fishing Creek primarily flows in a largely westward direction, from its source at State Game Lands #13, slightly west of

Ricketts Glen State Park Ricketts Glen State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on 13,193 acres (5,280 ha) in Columbia, Luzerne, and Sullivan counties in Pennsylvania in the United States. Ricketts Glen is a National Natural Landmark known for its old-growth fore ...

, to its

mouth In animal anatomy, the mouth, also known as the oral cavity, or in Latin cavum oris, is the opening through which many animals take in food and issue vocal sounds. It is also the cavity lying at the upper end of the alimentary canal, bounded on ...

slightly north of Grassmere Park. The creek starts at the confluence of Sullivan Branch and Big Run. It starts flowing southwards for approximately one mile before picking up Heberly Run, its longest tributary. Further on, it receives Lead Run and turns southwest towards Jamison City. Shortly after the turn, the creek receives Trout Run, one of its shortest named tributaries. In Jamison City, the creek receives Blackberry Run and several unnamed tributaries before flowing into West Branch Fishing Creek. The total elevation change between East Branch Fishing Creek's source and its mouth is .

Hydrology

At one location, East Branch Fishing Creek's discharge is 19.7 cubic feet per second. The average discharges of the streams in the creek's watershed range from 63 gallons per minute at the headwaters of Heberly Run to 15,498 gallons per minute at East Branch Fishing Creek's mouth. The creek's watershed is

acid In computer science, ACID ( atomicity, consistency, isolation, durability) is a set of properties of database transactions intended to guarantee data validity despite errors, power failures, and other mishaps. In the context of databases, a sequ ...

ic. One contributing factor to this may be the presence of acidic

bog A bog or bogland is a wetland that accumulates peat as a deposit of dead plant materials often mosses, typically sphagnum moss. It is one of the four main types of wetlands. Other names for bogs include mire, mosses, quagmire, and muskeg; a ...

s. It is a freestone stream. The average pHs of the streams in the East Branch Fishing Creek watershed range from 4.32 to 5.76. The lowest pH occurs on Meeker Run and the highest pH occurs on Shanty Run. At two sites on East Branch Fishing Creek itself, the creek's pH is 5.34 (at its confluence with Lead Run) and 5.63 (at its mouth). The average amount of

aluminum Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. It has ...

in the streams in the watershed ranges from 0.024 milligrams per liter to 0.366 milligrams per liter. The highest concentration occurs on Ore Run and the lowest concentration occurs on the mouth of East Branch Fishing Creek. One stream in the watershed, Big Run, has a pH range of less than 3 to slightly under 7. The

main stem In hydrology, a mainstem (or trunk) is "the primary downstream segment of a river, as contrasted to its tributaries". Water enters the mainstem from the river's drainage basin, the land area through which the mainstem and its tributaries flow.. A ...

has a pH range of slightly over 4 to slightly over 6. During a study of the waters of East Branch Fishing Creek and its tributaries, no stream miles in the watershed have been rated as very good. 27% (9.23 stream miles) have been rated as good, 30% (10.21 stream miles) have been rated as fair, 14% (4.8 stream miles) have been rated as poor, 3% (1.07 stream miles) have been rated as very poor, and 26% (8.85 stream miles) have been rated as severe. The lowest-quality water tends to be on Meeker Run, Blackberry Run, Sullivan Branch, Ore Run, and Lead Run. Big Run, Quinn Run, and the East Branch Fishing Creek mouth have the highest-quality waters. East Branch Fishing Creek receives an average of 39.16

ton Ton is the name of any one of several units of measure. It has a long history and has acquired several meanings and uses. Mainly it describes units of weight. Confusion can arise because ''ton'' can mean * the long ton, which is 2,240 pounds ...

s of calcium carbonate per year. The number of pounds of acidity that flow through various streams in the watershed of East Branch Fishing Creek per day ranges from at the headwaters of Sullivan Branch to downstream of the confluence of East Branch Fishing Creek with Trout Run. The number of pounds of acid per day flowing through East Branch Fishing Creek itself ranges from downstream of East Branch Fishing Creek's confluence with Lead Run to downstream of East Branch Fishing Creek's confluence with Trout Run. The number of pounds of

that flow through various streams in the watershed of East Branch Fishing Creek per day ranges from at the headwaters of Heberly Run to downstream of East Branch Fishing Creek's confluence with Lead Run. The number of pounds of aluminum per day flowing through East Branch Fishing Creek itself ranges from at the creek's mouth to on East Branch Fishing Creek downstream of its confluence with Lead Run. The average water

temperature Temperature is a physical quantity that expresses quantitatively the perceptions of hotness and coldness. Temperature is measured with a thermometer. Thermometers are calibrated in various temperature scales that historically have relied o ...

on East Branch Fishing Creek in 2009 ranged from to at various sites along the creek and its tributaries.

Geology

The rock underneath the East Branch Fishing Creek watershed consists of

sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...

and

interbedded In geology, interbedding occurs when beds (layers of rock) of a particular lithology lie between or alternate with beds of a different lithology. For example, sedimentary rocks may be interbedded if there were sea level variations in their sedimen ...

sedimentary rock Sedimentary rocks are types of rock that are formed by the accumulation or deposition of mineral or organic particles at Earth's surface, followed by cementation. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause these particles ...

. However, there is little

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

bedrock in the watershed, unlike many watersheds in Pennsylvania. Most of the watershed is in the High Plateau Section of the Appalachian Plateau Province, but a small part of it is in the

Ridge and Valley Province The Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, also called the Ridge and Valley Province or the Valley and Ridge Appalachians, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division and are also a belt within the Appalachian Mountains extending ...

. There are a number of

rock formation A rock formation is an isolated, scenic, or spectacular surface rock outcrop. Rock formations are usually the result of weathering and erosion sculpting the existing rock. The term ''rock formation'' can also refer to specific sediment ...

s in the East Branch Fishing Creek watershed. These are the

Burgoon Sandstone Burgoon is a village in Sandusky County, Ohio, United States. The population was 172 at the 2010 census. Geography Burgoon is located at (41.266832, -83.250024). According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , ...

, the

Huntley Mountain Formation The Huntley Mountain Formation is a late Devonian and early Mississippian mapped bedrock unit in Pennsylvania, in the United States. Description The formation is composed of relatively soft grayish-red shale and olive-gray sandstone. It is lo ...

, the

Catskill Formation The Devonian Catskill Formation or the Catskill Clastic wedge is a unit of mostly terrestrial sedimentary rock found in Pennsylvania and New York. Minor marine layers exist in this thick rock unit (up to ). It is equivalent to the Hampshire For ...

, and the

Mauch Chunk Formation The Mississippian Mauch Chunk Formation is a mapped bedrock unit in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia. It is named for the township of Mauch Chunk, now known as borough of Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania and for nearby Mauch Chunk Ridge where th ...

. The Burgoon Sandstone primarily occurs in the northern, eastern, and western parts of the watershed. The Huntley Mountain Formation occurs in the southeastern part of the watershed, as well as on most of the main tributaries of the creek. The Catskill Formation largely occurs along the main stem. The Mauch Chunk Formation occurs in a small area in the northern part of the watershed. There are ten main

soil association The Soil Association is a British registered charity. The organisation activities include campaigning – against intensive farming, for local purchasing and public education on nutrition – and certification of organic foods. It was establis ...

s in the East Branch Fishing Creek watershed. These include the Dystrochrepts/Deep-Wellsboro-Oquaga, the Oquaga, the Lackawanna, the Lackawana-Oquaga, the Wellsboro, the Barbour, the Morris, the Norwich, the Udifluvents, and the Basher. There are also rock outcroppings and several minor soil associations. The soils in the watershed are all strongly

ic, except on East Branch Fishing Creek itself. The Dystrochrepts/Deep-Wellsboro-Oquaga soil association occurs in close proximity to East Branch Fishing Creek and its tributaries themselves. The Oquaga soil association occurs in the Blackberry Run, Trout Run, Lead Run, Heberly Run, and Piegon Run sub-watersheds. It also occurs in the northwestern corner of the watershed. The Lackawanna soil association occurs in the southern part of the watershed, starting just below Blackberry Run's confluence with East Branch Fishing Creek. The Wellsboro soil association occurs near the headwaters of Blackberry Run, Lead Run, Big Run, and Heberly Run. The Barbour soil association occurs on East Branch Fishing Creek near its mouth. The Morris soil association occurs in scattered areas in the northern part of the watershed. The Norwich soil association occurs in some areas at the headwaters of Heberly Run, Lead Run, Piegon Run, and Blackberry Run. The Udifluvents soil association occurs near the confluence of Heberly Run and East Branch Fishing Creek. The Basher soil association occurs in the southeastern portion of the watershed.

Watershed

The watershed of East Branch Fishing Creek is entirely within the boundaries of Sullivan and Columbia Counties. There are a total of 34.16 stream miles in the watershed. As of

2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...

, there are 100 people in the watershed. 93.03% of the watershed consists of

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

, 6.86% of the watershed is

grassland A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge (Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes, like clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur natur ...

, 0.06% of the land is

agricultural Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating Plant, plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of Sedentism, sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of Domestication, domesticated species created food ...

, and 0.03% is water or

wetland A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The ...

s. None of the watershed is barren. The entire watershed has an area of 19.5 square miles.

History

One of the first settlers in the vicinity of East Branch Fishing Creek was Thomas Fritz, who arrived there in 1795 from

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

. In 1864, a group of Union Army troops searched for deserters and draft evaders in East Branch Fishing Creek. This event is known as the

Fishing Creek Confederacy The Fishing Creek Confederacy was an alleged military uprising in northern Columbia County, Pennsylvania and southern Sullivan County, Pennsylvania during the American Civil War. Residents of Columbia County strongly opposed military drafts that ...

. In 1907, the community of Jamison City was supplied with fish and

fish eggs Roe ( ) or hard roe is the fully ripe internal egg masses in the ovaries, or the released external egg masses, of fish and certain marine animals such as shrimp, scallop, sea urchins and squid. As a seafood, roe is used both as a cooking, coo ...

from East Branch Fishing Creek. United States president

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...

had a 700-acre mountain

resort A resort (North American English) is a self-contained commercial establishment that tries to provide most of a vacationer's wants, such as food, drink, swimming, lodging, sports, entertainment, and shopping, on the premises. The term ''resort ...

near to the creek.

Fauna and flora

23.8 of the stream miles in East Branch Fishing Creek's watershed are a high-quality cold-water

fishery Fishery can mean either the enterprise of raising or harvesting fish and other aquatic life; or more commonly, the site where such enterprise takes place ( a.k.a. fishing ground). Commercial fisheries include wild fisheries and fish farms, both ...

. However, due to the low pH of the tributary Heberly Run, there are not many

fish Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of li ...

there.

References

External links

{{authority control Rivers of Sullivan County, Pennsylvania Rivers of Pennsylvania Rivers of Columbia County, Pennsylvania Tributaries of Fishing Creek (North Branch Susquehanna River)