Kiskiminetas River

The Kiskiminetas River (commonly referred to as the Kiski[2][3] by locals) is a tributary of the Allegheny River, approximately 27 miles (43 km) long, in Western Pennsylvania in the United States.[1] The region stretching from the northern side of Harmar Township, Pennsylvania to the Kiskiminetas towns is often referred to by the locals as the Alle-Kiski Valley after the rivers.

For other uses, see Kiskiminetas (disambiguation).
Kiskiminetas River
View across the Kiskiminetas River, looking downstream from the shoreline along Leechburg, Pennsylvania
Location of the mouth of the Kiskiminetas River in Pennsylvania
Location
CountryUnited States
StatePennsylvania
Physical characteristics
SourceConfluence of Conemaugh River and Loyalhanna Creek
 • locationSaltsburg, Pennsylvania
 • coordinates40°29′8″N 79°27′14″W[1]
 • elevation827 feet (252 m)[1]
MouthAllegheny River
 • location
Schenley, Pennsylvania
 • coordinates
40°40′46″N 79°40′1″W[1]
 • elevation
745 ft (227 m)[1]
Length27 mi (43 km)
Basin features
River systemAllegheny River
Tributaries 
 • leftLoyalhanna Creek, Wolford Run, Beaver Run, Pine Run, Penn Run
 • rightConemaugh River, Blacklegs Creek, Sulphur Run, Long Run, Flat Run, Roaring Run, Carnahan Run, Guffy Run, Brady Run, Elder Run

Course

The Kiskiminetas River is formed at Saltsburg, on the border between Westmoreland and Indiana counties, by the confluence of the Conemaugh River and Loyalhanna Creek. It flows northwest in a meandering course past Avonmore, Apollo, Vandergrift, Hyde Park and Leechburg. It joins the Allegheny River near Freeport at Schenley, approximately 25 miles (40 km) northeast of Pittsburgh.[4]

The Kiski-Conemaugh watershed includes much of the historic coal-producing region of Western Pennsylvania. The water quality is considered degraded by numerous abandoned mine drainages in its upper reaches and tributaries, leading to on-going efforts by federal, state, and private agencies to improve the water quality of the river. The Kittanning Path, a major trail in the region used by Native Americans and early European settlers, crossed the river at a ford near present-day Leechburg.

Political subdivisions

The course of the Kiskiminetas River traverses the following political subdivisions, named in order of encounter traveling downstream.

Tributaries

(Mouth at the Allegheny River)

  • Elder Run
  • Penn Run
  • Brady Run
  • Guffy Run
  • Carnahan Run
  • Pine Run
  • Beaver Run
  • Roaring Run
    • Rattling Run (also called Jackson's Run)
  • Flat Run
  • Wolford Run
  • Long Run
  • Sulphur Run
  • Blacklegs Creek
    • Big Run
    • Marshall Run
    • Harpers Run
    • Nesbit Run
    • Hooper Run
    • Whisky Run
  • Loyalhanna Creek
  • Conemaugh River
Tributaries of Kiskiminetas River
NameNumberBankMouthPolitical subdivisionSourcePolitical subdivision
Kiskiminetas River[5] 0 Left 40°40′46″N 79°40′01″W (elev. 745 feet (227 m)) Allegheny Township, Westmoreland County 40°29′08″N 79°27′14″W Saltsburg
Conemaugh River[6] 1 Right 40°29′08″N 79°27′14″W (elev. 827 feet (252 m)) Saltsburg 40°19′54″N 78°55′30″W Johnstown
Loyalhanna Creek[7] 2 Left 40°29′07″N 79°27′16″W (elev. 827 feet (252 m)) Loyalhanna Township, Westmoreland County 40°07′45″N 79°20′20″W Donegal Township, Westmoreland County
Blacklegs Creek[8] 3 Right 40°30′02″N 79°27′15″W (elev. 823 feet (251 m)) Conemaugh Township, Indiana County 40°37′17″N 79°17′31″W Armstrong Township, Indiana County
Sulphur Run[9] 4 Right 40°31′33″N 79°26′59″W (elev. 820 feet (250 m)) Conemaugh Township, Indiana County 40°32′49″N 79°26′06″W Kiskiminetas Township, Armstrong County
Long Run[10] 5 Right 40°32′00″N 79°28′34″W (elev. 823 feet (251 m)) Kiskiminetas Township, Armstrong County 40°35′52″N 79°25′26″W South Bend Township, Armstrong County
Wolford Run[11] 6 Left 40°31′29″N 79°29′24″W (elev. 807 feet (246 m)) Bell Township, Westmoreland County 40°28′25″N 79°31′37″W Loyalhanna Township, Westmoreland County
Flat Run[12] 7 Right 40°32′10″N 79°30′17″W (elev. 801 feet (244 m)) Kiskiminetas Township, Armstrong County 40°34′06″N 79°28′16″W Kiskiminetas Township, Armstrong County
Roaring Run[13] 8 Right 40°33′04″N 79°32′10″W (elev. 801 feet (244 m)) Kiskiminetas Township, Armstrong County 40°36′18″N 79°26′27″W Kiskiminetas Township, Armstrong County
Rattling Run[14] 8.1 Right 40°33′39″N 79°31′38″W (elev. 919 feet (280 m)) Kiskiminetas Township, Armstrong County 40°36′40″N 79°30′30″W Kiskiminetas Township, Armstrong County
Beaver Run[15] 9 Left 40°34′35″N 79°34′03″W (elev. 787 feet (240 m)) Bell Township, Westmoreland County 40°21′40″N 79°32′34″W Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County
Pine Run[16] 10 Left 40°36′26″N 79°35′05″W (elev. 771 feet (235 m)) Allegheny Township, Westmoreland County 40°30′57″N 79°37′21″W Washington Township, Westmoreland County
Carnahan Run[17] 11 Right 40°36′44″N 79°35′02″W (elev. 768 feet (234 m)) Parks Township, Armstrong County 40°37′50″N 79°28′34″W Kiskiminetas Township, Armstrong County
Guffy Run[18] 12 Right 40°37′59″N 79°34′54″W (elev. 784 feet (239 m)) Parks Township, Armstrong County 40°40′46″N 79°33′25″W Bethel Township, Armstrong County
Brady Run[19] 13 Right 40°37′57″N 79°36′33″W (elev. 758 feet (231 m)) Leechburg 40°40′04″N 79°34′39″W Gilpin Township, Armstrong County
Penn Run[20] 14 Left 40°38′24″N 79°37′20″W (elev. 863 feet (263 m)) Allegheny Township, Westmoreland County 40°37′42″N 79°38′06″W Allegheny Township, Westmoreland County
Elder Run[21] 15 Right 40°38′52″N 79°37′33″W (elev. 755 feet (230 m)) Gilpin Township, Armstrong County 40°41′23″N 79°34′21″W Gilpin Township, Armstrong County

Blacklegs Creek
Tributaries of Blacklegs Creek
NameNumberBankMouthPolitical subdivisionSourcePolitical subdivision
Blacklegs Creek[8] 0 Right 40°30′02″N 79°27′15″W (elev. 823 feet (251 m)) Conemaugh Township, Indiana County 40°37′17″N 79°17′31″W Armstrong Township, Indiana County
Green Valley Lake[22] 1 Left 40°35′45″N 79°18′35″W (elev. 1,132 feet (345 m)) Young Township, Indiana County
Whisky Run[23] 2 Right 40°33′41″N 79°21′40″W (elev. 955 feet (291 m)) Young Township, Indiana County 40°36′26″N 79°24′37″W South Bend Township, Armstrong County
Hooper Run[24] 3 Left 40°33′00″N 79°21′54″W (elev. 935 feet (285 m)) Young Township, Indiana County 40°35′15″N 79°18′54″W Young Township, Indiana County
Nesbit Run[25] 4 Right 40°32′35″N 79°22′04″W (elev. 922 feet (281 m)) Young Township, Indiana County 40°34′55″N 79°23′11″W Young Township, Indiana County
Harpers Run[26] 5 Right 40°32′11″N 79°22′33″W (elev. 912 feet (278 m)) Young Township, Indiana County 40°35′04″N 79°23′50″W South Bend Township, Armstrong County
Marshall Run[27] 6 Left 40°31′55″N 79°22′51″W (elev. 909 feet (277 m)) Conemaugh Township, Indiana County 40°31′22″N 79°19′07″W Young Township, Indiana County
Big Run[28] 7 Right 40°31′16″N 79°24′05″W (elev. 886 feet (270 m)) Conemaugh Township, Indiana County 40°36′52″N 79°25′46″W South Bend Township, Armstrong County

Etymology

There is no definite interpretation of the origin of the name. It may come from a Native American phrase Kithanne, meaning "Place of the largest stream." According to regional historians in the area, the name has historically had several other possible meanings, including: "river of the big fish" and "plenty of walnuts." Robert Walker Smith in his "History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania" (Chicago: Waterman, Watkins & Co., 1883) reported that John Heckewelder (a Moravian writer, explorer, and historian who wrote about the Lenape and other tribes in Western Pennsylvania in the 18th century) claimed that the name is "corrupted from Gieschgumanito, signifying, make daylight. In this case, the etymology is: Gisch-gu---day; gisch-que---today; gieschapen---it is daybreak; manitoon---to make. It was probably the word of command, given by a warrior to his comrades at night to break up camp and resume the journey, or war-path." Smith also described another possible meaning from another source: "It is said in McCullough's Narrative, that the Indians called this river Kee-ak-ksheman-nit-toos, signifying 'cut spirit'." Smith noted that he preferred Heckewelder's definition. It is also possible that "Kiskiminetas" means "clear, clean stream of many bends."

See also

References
  1. "Kiskiminetas River". Geographic Names Information System. 1979-08-02. Retrieved 2010-05-14.
  2. "Mussel discovered in Kiski River for first time in a century". Trib Total Media, LLC. 2019-10-29. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
  3. "Kiskiminetas River". Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers. 2013. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
  4. "Kiskiminetas River". pawatersheds.org. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  5. "Kiskiminetas River, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  6. "Conemaugh River, Indiana County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  7. "Loyalhanna Creek, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  8. "Blacklegs Creek, Indiana County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  9. "Sulphur Run, Indiana County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  10. "Long Run, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  11. "Wolford Run, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  12. "Flat Run, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  13. "Roaring Run, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  14. "Rattling Run, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  15. "Beaver Run, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  16. "Pine Run, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  17. "Carnahan Run, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  18. "Guffy Run, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  19. "Brady Run, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  20. "Penn Run, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  21. "Elder Run, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  22. "Green Valley Lake, Indiana County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  23. "Whisky Run, Indiana County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  24. "Hooper Run, Indiana County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  25. "Nesbit Run, Indiana County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  26. "Harpers Run, Indiana County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  27. "Marshall Run, Indiana County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  28. "Big Run, Indiana County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
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