Steep Hill Brook 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 Six Mile Run in central and north central Franklin Park, Somerset County,

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

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 ...

Course

Steep Hill Brook's source is at , in a pond near the intersection of Amwell Road and Van Cleef Road. It starts in Scott Farm, a local farm bordering Van Cleef Road and Amwell Road. It flows south into the

Six Mile Run Reservoir Site The Six Mile Run Reservoir Site, part of the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park, is located in Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. It is adjacent to the Delaware and Raritan Canal. It covers . The reservoir plan wa ...

, a preserved area around Six Mile Run. It crosses Blackwells Mills Road and drains into Six Mile Run at .

Accessibility

Steep Hill Brook is a rather short stream. It only crosses one road, Blackwells Mills Road, where it is easily accessible on one side. It can be accessed by some trails in the woods too.

Animal life

Steep Hill Brook has many fish, as they prefer the oxygenated environment. There are several frogs in the slow moving places, although the fine gravel is less hospitable to them than mud.

Terrain

The streambed of Steep Hill Brook is composed of fine reddish gravel in most places. Some shale cliffs may be found along its banks. This stream is generally medium-fast flowing and shallow. "Sandbars" formed by accumulation of gravel are common. Short

stalactite A stalactite (, ; from the Greek 'stalaktos' ('dripping') via ''stalassein'' ('to drip') is a mineral formation that hangs from the ceiling of caves, hot springs, or man-made structures such as bridges and mines. Any material that is soluble an ...

s may be found growing at the bridge at Blackwells Mills Road.

Sister tributaries

Cross Brook Cross Brook is a tributary of Six Mile Run in Somerset and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey in the United States. Course The source of Cross Brook is near Suydam Road in eastern Franklin Park, at . It flows through the Six Mile Run Reservoir Si ...

Nine Mile Run Nine Mile Run, known as Ninemile Run according to the USGS GNIS, is a moderately large tributary of the Six Mile Run, one of the branches of the Millstone River, in central New Jersey in the United States. Course The official source of the Nine ...

Middlebush Brook Middlebush Brook is a tributary of Six Mile Run in Somerset County, New Jersey 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 loc ...

Gallery

File:SHB at Blackwells Mills Road.JPG, Steep Hill Brook Crossing Blackwells Mills Road File:SHB at Blackwells Mills Road - 2.JPG, Steep Hill Brook Crossing Blackwells Mills Road File:Stalactites at SHB.JPG, Stalactites at Steep Hill Brook File:Stalactites at SHB - 2.JPG, Zoomed out version of stalactites to get a perspective on the size

References

External links

USGS Coordinates in Google Maps
Tributaries of the Raritan River Rivers of New Jersey Rivers of Somerset County, New Jersey {{NewJersey-river-stub