Snow Creek (Mahantango Creek tributary)

Snow Creek is a tributary of Mahantango Creek in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is approximately 3.8 miles (6.1 km) long and flows through Upper Mahanoy Township and Jordan Township.[1] The watershed of the creek has an area of 4.72 square miles (12.2 km2). The creek has no named tributaries and is not designated as an impaired waterbody in any stream segment.

Snow Creek
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationhill in Upper Mahanoy Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania
 • elevation955 ft (291 m)
Mouth 
 • location
Mahantango Creek in Jordan Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania near Klingerstown
 • coordinates
40°39′49″N 76°42′00″W
 • elevation
512 ft (156 m)
Length3.8 mi (6.1 km)
Basin features
ProgressionMahantango Creek → Susquehanna River → Chesapeake Bay
Tributaries 
 • leftthree unnamed tributaries
 • rightfour unnamed tributaries

Course

Snow Creek begins on a hill in Upper Mahanoy Township. It flows south-southwest for a few tenths of a mile before turning south for a few tenths of a mile, passing through a small pond, reaching the bottom of the hill, and receiving an unnamed tributary from the left. The creek then turns west-southwest for a few tenths of a mile before receiving an unnamed tributary from the right and entering a valley. In the valley, it continues to flow west-southwest for more than a mile before entering Jordan Township. Upon entering this township, the creek gradually turns south for a few tenths of a mile, receiving one unnamed tributary from the right and one from the left. It then turns south-southwest for several tenths of a mile, receiving one unnamed tributary from the right and another from the left before turning southwest and crossing Klingerstown Road. A short distance further downstream, the creek receives another unnamed tributary from the right and reaches its confluence with Mahantango Creek on the border between Northumberland County and Schuylkill County.[1]

Snow Creek joins Mahantango Creek 16.88 miles (27.17 km) upstream of its mouth.[2]

Hydrology, geography and geology

The elevation near the mouth of Snow Creek is 512 feet (156 m) above sea level.[3] The elevation near the creek's source is 955 feet (291 m) above sea level.[1]

As of 2004, no reach of Snow Creek or any of its unnamed tributaries are designated as impaired waterbodies.[4]

Watershed

The watershed of Snow Creek has an area of 4.72 square miles (12.2 km2).[2] The creek is entirely within the United States Geological Survey quadrangle of Klingerstown.[3] Its mouth is located within 1 mile (1.6 km) of Klingerstown.[3] There are approximately 10.75 miles (17.30 km) of streams in the creek's watershed.[4]

A 6.4-mile (10.3 km) long greenway along Snow Creek has been proposed.[5]

History

Snow Creek was entered into the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. Its identifier in the Geographic Names Information System is 1187945.[3]

A concrete tee beam bridge carrying State Route 3018 across Snow Creek was constructed 6 miles (9.7 km) east of Pillow in 1938 and is 35.1 feet (10.7 m) long.[6]

See also

References
  1. United States Geological Survey, The National Map Viewer, retrieved June 4, 2016
  2. Pennsylvania Gazetteer of Streams (PDF), November 2, 2001, p. 131, retrieved June 5, 2016
  3. Geographic Names Information System, Feature Detail Report for: Snow Creek, retrieved June 4, 2016
  4. Watershed Restoration Action Strategy (WRAS) State Water Plan Subbasin 06C Mahantango Creek and Wiconisco Creek Watersheds (Susquehanna River) Northumberland, Schuylkill, Dauphin, Juniata, Perry, and Snyder Counties, February 2004, retrieved June 5, 2016
  5. Northumberland County Greenways and Open Space Plan (PDF), p. 77, retrieved June 5, 2016
  6. Northumberland County, retrieved June 5, 2016
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