Little Beaver Creek

Little Beaver Creek is a wild and scenic area in Ohio. The Little Beaver Creek watershed is located primarily in Columbiana County in eastern Ohio, and in portions of Carroll County, Mahoning County, and western Pennsylvania, draining approximately 605 mi² (1,567 km²), of which 503 mi² (1,303 km²) are in Ohio. The watershed in total size covers an area of approximately 510 square miles, with about 80% of this being situated in Ohio. The great majority of land within the watershed is privately owned. Within the watershed are roughly 808 miles of linear streams.

For other uses, see Little Beaver Creek (disambiguation).
Little Beaver Creek
Little Beaver Creek as it passes through Fredericktown, Ohio
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationConfluence of Middle and West Forks at Williamsport, Ohio
 • elevation840 ft (260 m)[1]
Mouth 
 • location
Ohio River at Glasgow, Pennsylvania
 • elevation
665 ft (203 m)[2]
Basin size605 sq mi (1,570 km2)[3]
TypeScenic
DesignatedOctober 23, 1975

The creek is protected by a number of classifications, including Ohio Wild and Scenic River and National Scenic River, as well as being part of Ohio's state park system. It is the only major river in Ohio to have dual State Wild and Scenic and National Scenic River designations, and was the first in the country to earn both distinctions. The creek empties into the Ohio River just east of East Liverpool, Ohio. The now-defunct Sandy and Beaver Canal was constructed alongside the creek.

According to an Ohio Department of Natural Resources study conducted in 2004, Little Beaver Creek is an exceptionally clean waterway with a highly diverse ecosystem. It supports 63 species of fish, 49 mammal species, 270 species of migratory and resident birds and 46 species of reptiles and amphibians, including the rare and protected salamander known as the hellbender. It is thought to be the only riparian corridor in the United States which shows geologic evidence of all five ice ages.

Little Beaver Creek has several forks, which lead generally in a southern and easterly direction. The North Fork and Middle Forks of the creek join in confluence at Laurel Point in the unincorporated village of Fredericktown, Ohio. From here the creek flows down to the Ohio River.

The Little Beaver Creek watershed is home to Beaver Creek State Forest,[4] Beaver Creek State Park,[5] and Sheepskin Hollow State Nature Preserve.[6]

Name

Little Beaver Creek is an English translation of the original Native American name.[7]

According to the Geographic Names Information System, the Little Beaver Creek has also been known as:[8]

  • Beaver Creek
  • Little Beaver River
  • Middle Fork Beaver Creek
  • Little Beaver Creek
  • The Tubs

See also

References
  1. U.S. Geological Survey. West Point quadrangle, Ohio. 1:24,000. 7.5 Minute Series. Washington D.C.: USGS, 1992.
  2. U.S. Geological Survey. East Liverpool North quadrangle, Ohio. 1:24,000. 7.5 Minute Series. Washington D.C.: USGS, 1994.
  3. "Map of Ohio watersheds". Archived from the original on 2007-03-11.
  4. Beaver Creek State Forest Archived 2006-10-05 at the Wayback Machine
  5. Beaver Creek State Park Archived 2006-05-15 at the Wayback Machine
  6. Sheepskin Hollow State Nature Preserve Archived 2006-10-07 at the Wayback Machine
  7. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 188.
  8. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Little Beaver Creek

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