Plank Bridge Creek

Plank Bridge Creek is a tributary of Spring Brook in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is approximately 2.4 miles (3.9 km) long and flows through Spring Brook Township.[1] The watershed of the creek has an area of 1.26 square miles (3.3 km2). It is inhabited by wild trout throughout its length. The surficial geology in its vicinity mainly consists of Wisconsinan Till, bedrock, Boulder Colluvium, alluvium, and wetlands.

Plank Bridge Creek
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationmountain in Spring Brook Township, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania
 • elevationbetween 1,880 and 1,900 feet (570 and 580 m)
Mouth 
 • location
Spring Brook in Spring Brook Township, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania
 • coordinates
41°18′19″N 75°38′38″W
 • elevation
1,188 ft (362 m)
Length2.4 mi (3.9 km)
Basin size1.26 sq mi (3.3 km2)
Basin features
ProgressionSpring Brook → Lackawanna River → Susquehanna River → Chesapeake Bay

Course

Plank Bridge Creek begins on a mountain in Spring Brook Township. It flows northwest for several hundred feet before turning northeast. After a few tenths of a mile, it turns north for a few tenths of a mile before turning east-northeast and entering a valley between Pinnacle Hill and another hill. The creek then turns north-northeast for several tenths of a mile before turning west-northwest and flowing alongside Spring Brook to its confluence with Spring Brook.[1]

Plank Bridge Creek joins Spring Brook 8.65 miles (13.92 km) upstream of its mouth.[2]

Geography and geology

The elevation near the mouth of Plank Bridge Creek is 1,188 feet (362 m) above sea level.[3] The elevation of the creek's source is between 1,880 and 1,900 feet (570 and 580 m) above sea level.[1]

The surficial geology in the vicinity of Plank Bridge Creek mainly consists of bedrock and a glacial or resedimented till known as Wisconsinan Till. The bedrock contains conglomerate, sandstone, and shale. However, small patches of alluvium, Boulder Colluvium (which contains numerous quartz, sandstone, and shale boulders), and wetlands are also present.[4]

A hill known as Pinnacle Hill is in the watershed of Plank Bridge Creek.[4]

Watershed

The watershed of Plank Bridge Creek has an area of 1.26 square miles (3.3 km2).[2] The entirety of the watershed is situated in Spring Brook Township.[5] The watershed is in the Lower North Branch Susquehanna basin.[6] The creek is entirely within the United States Geological Survey quadrangle of Avoca.[3]

History

Plank Bridge Creek was entered into the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. Its identifier in the Geographic Names Information System is 1183996.[3]

In the early 2000s, the Lackawanna River Watershed Conservation Plan recommended that Spring Brook Township include protection of Plank Bridge Creek in their comprehensive plans, as well as their ordinances for land use, zoning, and subdivision.[7]

Biology

Wild trout naturally reproduce in Plank Bridge Creek from its headwaters downstream to its mouth.[8]

See also

References
  1. United States Geological Survey, The National Map Viewer, retrieved March 30, 2015
  2. Pennsylvania Gazetteer of Streams (PDF), November 2, 2001, p. 114, retrieved March 30, 2015
  3. Geographic Names Information System, Feature Detail Report for: Plank Bridge Creek, retrieved March 30, 2015
  4. Duane D. Braun (2007), Surficial geology of the Avoca 7.5-minute quadrangle, Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties, Pennsylvania, p. 17, retrieved March 30, 2015
  5. Lackawanna River Watershed in Wayne County, Pennsylvania (PDF), archived from the original (PDF) on April 27, 2015, retrieved March 30, 2015
  6. Pennsylvania Water Supply Commission (1921), Water Resources Inventory Report ...: Act of July 25, 1913, Parts 1-4, p. 179, retrieved March 30, 2015
  7. Lackawanna River Corridor Association (2001), Lackawanna River Watershed Conservation Plan (PDF), p. 111, retrieved March 30, 2015
  8. Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (January 2015), Pennsylvania Wild Trout Waters (Natural Reproduction) - Jan 2015 (PDF), p. 46, retrieved March 30, 2015
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