Penns Creek

Penns Creek is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in central Pennsylvania in the United States.Originally named "John Penn's Creek" after William Penn's younger brother, it was renamed"Penns Creek" (without the apostrophe) in 1802 by an Act of Assembly.

Penns Creek flows from where it forms in Spring Mills to the Susquehanna River, approximately 3.6 miles (5.8 km) downstream of Selinsgrove.

This limestone creek is unusual in that it is born a stream that one can paddle, gushing from a spring whose origin is the black labyrinth of Penns Cave, a commercial cave that offers guided tours by boat.

The upper reaches of Penns Creek offers some of the best trout flyfishing in the Northeast; with a Green Drake hatch occurring in late May that draws large crowds. As the water travels towards the Susquehanna, the temperatures gradually warm to levels best suited for panfish.

Tributaries

(In order heading downstream)
*Penns Cave
*Sinking Creek
*Elk Creek (Penns Creek)
*Pine Creek (Penns Creek)
*Middle Creek (Penns Creek)

Environmental Issues

Ongoing pollution and soil erosion in the region continue to degrade the water quality and the environment locally as well as regionally. Farming, surface mining, wastewater treatment facilities and industrial spills are cited as contributing factors to loss of water quality. It also contributes to the pollution of the Chesapeake Bay. Controlling the wastewater discharges alone is expected to cost local taxpayers [http://www.cbf.org/site/PageServer?pagename=resources_facts_nutrient_red_ww billions of dollars] .

The Lower Penns Creek Watershed Association’s central purpose is to protect, conserve, and improve the Lower Penns Creek watershed by promoting the wise stewardship of the land and aquatic resources. The organization is open to all citizens. The organization has sponsored a main stream assessment The Lower Penns Creek watershed is approximately 163 square miles within Snyder and Union Counties. It drains into the Susquehanna River on the northern border of the community of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. It is located within the Lower Susquehanna subbasin. LPCWA’s efforts contribute to the success of the missions of the [http://www.susquehannagreenway.org/greenway/site/default.asp Susquehanna Greenway Partnership] and the [http://www.srbc.net/ Susquehanna River Basin Commission] . The Snyder County Conservation District and the Union County Conservation District both have watershed specialists that participate in LPCWA.

ee also

*List of Pennsylvania rivers

References

*Gertler, Edward. "Keystone Canoeing", Seneca Press, 2004. ISBN 0-9749692-0-6
*Inch, Bill. "A Bi-Centennial Look at Penns Creek Through the Years 1806–2006", The Country Print Shop, Middleburg, Pa., 2006.

External links

* [http://waterdata.usgs.gov/pa/nwis/current/?type=flow U.S. Geological Survey: PA stream gaging stations]
* [http://www.pennscave.com Penns Cave]
* [http://www.pennscreekcamp.com Penns Creek Campground, Millmont, PA (situated on Penns Creek)]