Black Run (West Branch Susquehanna River tributary)

Black Run is a tributary of the West Branch Susquehanna River in Lycoming County and Union County, in Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is approximately 3.6 miles (5.8 km) long and flows through Brady Township in Lycoming County and Gregg Township in Union County.[1] The watershed of the stream has an area of 5.87 square miles (15.2 km2). The stream is not designated as an impaired waterbody. It is a relatively small stream with its mouth located near Montgomery. The stream's watershed is designated as a Warmwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery.

Black Run
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationeast of a pond in Brady Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
 • elevation629 ft (192 m)
Mouth 
 • location
West Branch Susquehanna River in Brady Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania near Montgomery
 • coordinates
41°08′24″N 76°53′44″W
 • elevation
456 ft (139 m)
Length5.87 mi (9.45 km)
Basin size5.87 sq mi (15.2 km2)
Basin features
ProgressionWest Branch Susquehanna River → Susquehanna River → Chesapeake Bay
Tributaries 
 • leftthree unnamed tributaries
 • rightone unnamed tributary

Course

Black Run begins to the east of a pond in Brady Township, Lycoming County. It flows south-southeast for several tenths of a mile before exiting Brady Township and Lycoming County. Upon leaving Lycoming County, the stream enters Gregg Township, Union County and turns southeast for several tenths of a mile, passing through a pond, receiving an unnamed tributary from the left, and passing through a wetland. It then passes through another pond, where it receives an unnamed tributary from the right. The stream then turns east for several tenths of a mile before turning east-southeast for several tenths of a mile. In this reach, it receives an unnamed tributary from the left. The stream then turns northeast, crossing US Route 15, before turning east and receiving an unnamed tributary from the left. After a few tenths of a mile, it turns northeast for a few tenths of a mile, reentering Brady Township, Lycoming county. The stream then turns east-southeast for a few tenths of a mile before reaching its confluence with the West Branch Susquehanna River.[1]

Black Run joins the West Branch Susquehanna River 20.34 miles (32.73 km) upstream of its mouth.[2]

Hydrology

Black Run is not designated as an impaired waterbody.[3] The Lycoming County RMS Recycling Facility and the Lycoming County RMS Southside Stockpile once applied for a permit to discharge stormwater into an unnamed tributary or tributaries of the stream.[4] The Federal Correctional Complex, Allenwood has discharged effluent from its wastewater treatment plant into the stream.[5]

Geography and geology

The elevation near the mouth of Black Run is 456 feet (139 m) above sea level.[6] The elevation of the stream's source is 629 feet (192 m) above sea level.[1]

Black Run was described as a "rather small and insignificant stream" in an 1899 report.[7]

Glacial drift and boulders of the Catskill Formation and the Pocono Formation occur in the vicinity of Black Run.[8]

Watershed

The watershed of Black Run has an area of 5.87 square miles (15.2 km2).[2] The stream is entirely within the United States Geological Survey quadrangle of Montoursville South.[6] Its mouth is located near Montgomery.[2] The stream is situated near the northern border of Gregg Township, Union County.[9]

The Allenwood Federal Prison Camp and the Lycoming County Landfill are in the watershed of Black Run. In 1990, it was noted that there was a potential industrial site to the north of the stream.[10]

History

Black Run was entered into the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. Its identifier in the Geographic Names Information System is 1169731.[6]

In the late 1800s, a tannery discharged waste into Black Run.[7] In 1990, a wastewater treatment plant was proposed; it was planned to be located near the mouth of Black Run and to discharge 760,000 US gallons (2,900 m3) per day into the West Branch Susquehanna River.[10]

Biology

The drainage basin of Black Run is designated as a Warmwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery.[11]

See also

References
  1. United States Geological Survey, The National Map Viewer, archived from the original on April 5, 2012, retrieved January 16, 2016
  2. Pennsylvania Gazetteer of Streams (PDF), November 2, 2001, p. 36, retrieved January 16, 2016
  3. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Assessment Summary for Reporting Year 2006 Pennsylvania, Lower West Branch Susquehanna Watershed, archived from the original on August 21, 2017, retrieved January 16, 2016
  4. "APPROVALS TO USE NPDES AND/OR OTHER GENERAL PERMITS", Pennsylvania Bulletin, retrieved January 16, 2016
  5. Federal Correctional Institution, Allenwood: Environmental Impact Statement, 1990, retrieved January 17, 2016
  6. Geographic Names Information System, Feature Detail Report for: Black Run, retrieved January 16, 2016
  7. Pennsylvania (1899), Official Documents, Comprising the Department and Other Reports ..., Volume 4, p. 121, retrieved January 16, 2016
  8. Pennsylvania, Geological Survey of (1887), Report of Progress 1874-1889,A-Z..., p. 87, retrieved January 17, 2016
  9. Jeannette Lasansky (2011), Union County River Towns, Arcadia Publishing, p. 8, ISBN 9780738574585, retrieved January 17, 2016
  10. Lycoming County Planning Commission (January 3, 1990), Public Notice of Proposed Revision to the Official Sewage Facilities Plan of Brady Township, Lycoming County, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (PDF), p. 23, archived from the original (PDF) on August 11, 2010, retrieved January 16, 2016
  11. "§ 93.9l. Drainage List L. Susquehanna River Basin in Pennsylvania West Branch Susquehanna River", Pennsylvania Code, retrieved January 16, 2016
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