Fourteen Mile Creek, shown as Fourteenmile Creek on federal maps, is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data
The National Map
, accessed May 19, 2011 creek in

Clark County, Indiana Clark County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana, located directly across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky. At the 2020 census, the population was 121,093. The county seat is Jeffersonville. Clark County is part of the Louisville/ ...

, close to Charlestown. It is so named because its mouth on the

Ohio River The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...

is upstream from the

Falls of the Ohio The Falls of the Ohio National Wildlife Conservation Area is a national, bi-state area on the Ohio River near Louisville, Kentucky in the United States, administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Federal status was awarded in 1981. The fal ...

; similar to how Eighteen Mile Island, Twelve Mile Island, and Six Mile Island got their names. It is navigable for from the Ohio River. It is a State Heritage Program Site and a popular canoe trail.NRC: Home
/ref> 14creek downstream

The creek was formed when glaciated water flowed through the unglaciated stream valley that is now the creek. It is lined by

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 ...

cliffs, and the region is noted for its karst sinkholes, hidden waterfalls, and small caves. Due to the damming of the Ohio River, much of the creek is of the same elevation as the river. In fact, the creek sometimes appears to be flowing upstream when in fact rising waters from the Ohio push into the creek. Further upstream from the river, the creek is sometimes only a foot or two deep, which is why historically mills that used the creek had to use dams to keep a constant flow to run them. Bass,

bluegill The bluegill (''Lepomis macrochirus''), sometimes referred to as "bream", "brim", "sunny", or "copper nose" as is common in Texas, is a species of North American freshwater fish, native to and commonly found in streams, rivers, lakes, ponds and ...

and

catfish Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive, ...

are the most common fish on the creek. The creek has seen much history. It is known that the Talligewi Indian tribe resided here. Many local mills used Fourteen Mile Creek for power, most especially Tunnel Mill. The popular Rose Island

amusement park An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as other events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central ...

was situated where the creek and the Ohio River meet. During the time that the

Indiana Army Ammunition Plant The Indiana Army Ammunition Plant was an Army manufacturing plant built in 1941 between Charlestown and Jeffersonville, Indiana. It consisted of three areas within two separate but attached manufacturing plants: * Indiana Ordnance Works Plant 1 ...

was in operation, the discharge of the Black Power Plant was treated by either a Sanitary Waste Treatment (SWT) plant or on Industrial Waste Treatment (IWT) Plant. Treated discharge from these plants, meeting all state and federal regulations and requirements, went into the Creek. Since the plant's demise, this is no longer a concern.

Gallery

Image:14creek upstream.jpg, Upstream from the bridge of Tunnel Mill Road Image:Fourteen Mile Creek mouth upstream.jpg, Upstream from the mouth Image:Rose Island crossing.jpg, Remains of the Rose Island suspension bridge Image:Fourteen Mile Creek waterfront.jpg, Waterfront along

Charlestown State Park Charlestown State Park is an Indiana state park on in Clark County, Indiana, in the United States. The park is on the banks of the Ohio River, east of Charlestown. It was once part of the Indiana Army Ammunition Plant (INAAP), and was donate ...

References

{{authority control Charlestown, Indiana Rivers of Indiana Tributaries of the Ohio River Rivers of Clark County, Indiana Waterfalls of Indiana

Gallery

See also

References