Catawissa Creek
Encyclopedia
Catawissa Creek is a 41.8 miles (67.3 km) tributary
of the Susquehanna River
in east-central Pennsylvania
in the United States
.
Catawissa Creek (Lenape
for "growing fat") rises in the coal fields of Schuylkill County
near Audenried
, just south of the city of Hazleton
. It runs west along the south side of Pismire Ridge, and then drops steeply and turns south into a deep valley. It meanders sharply and turns west again between Green Mountain and Locust Mountain — the Ringtown Valley. It turns north and squeezes through a narrow gorge, passing the west end of Green Mountain. Meeting Tomhicken Creek, it turns west again, cutting sharp meanders along the southern side of Buck Mountain. The abandoned Reading Railroad's Catawissa Branch begins to follow it along the side of Catawissa Mountain, which gradually squeezes it against Buck Mountain until creek and rail grade push north through another steep gorge just south of Shumans, where Beaver Run enters the stream. The creek eases around the west end of McCauley Mountain and meanders west again. Just south of Nescopeck Mountain, Scotch Run enters the stream, followed by the abandoned PRR
Scotch Valley Branch. The stream, the rail grades, and a local road push north through a deep gap between Catawissa and Nescopeck mountains to Mainville
. The creek then turns west-southwest and joins the Susquehanna River at Catawissa
in Columbia County
.
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
in east-central Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Catawissa Creek (Lenape
Lenape language
The Delaware languages, also known as the Lenape languages, are Munsee and Unami, two closely related languages of the Eastern Algonquian subgroup of the Algonquian language family...
for "growing fat") rises in the coal fields of Schuylkill County
Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania
-Notable people:*Boxing heavyweight great Muhammad Ali had his training camp in Deer Lake.*Charles Justin Bailey, commanding general of the 81st Division in World War I, was born in Tamaqua on June 21, 1859....
near Audenried
Audenried, Pennsylvania
Audenried, Pennsylvania is a village in the NW corner of Carbon County, Pennsylvania located on Route 309. It is located in Banks Township between Hazleton and McAdoo and is split between the Hazleton zip code of 18201 and the Beaver Meadows zip code of 18216. It is served by the Hazleton Area...
, just south of the city of Hazleton
Hazleton, Pennsylvania
Hazleton is a city in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 25,340 at the 2010 census, an increase of 8.6% from the 2000 census count .-Greater Hazleton:...
. It runs west along the south side of Pismire Ridge, and then drops steeply and turns south into a deep valley. It meanders sharply and turns west again between Green Mountain and Locust Mountain — the Ringtown Valley. It turns north and squeezes through a narrow gorge, passing the west end of Green Mountain. Meeting Tomhicken Creek, it turns west again, cutting sharp meanders along the southern side of Buck Mountain. The abandoned Reading Railroad's Catawissa Branch begins to follow it along the side of Catawissa Mountain, which gradually squeezes it against Buck Mountain until creek and rail grade push north through another steep gorge just south of Shumans, where Beaver Run enters the stream. The creek eases around the west end of McCauley Mountain and meanders west again. Just south of Nescopeck Mountain, Scotch Run enters the stream, followed by the abandoned PRR
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
Scotch Valley Branch. The stream, the rail grades, and a local road push north through a deep gap between Catawissa and Nescopeck mountains to Mainville
Mainville, Pennsylvania
Mainville is a census-designated place in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 83 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Bloomsburg–Berwick Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
. The creek then turns west-southwest and joins the Susquehanna River at Catawissa
Catawissa, Pennsylvania
Catawissa is a borough in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,589 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Bloomsburg–Berwick Micropolitan Statistical Area....
in Columbia County
Columbia County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 64,151 people, 24,915 households, and 16,568 families residing in the county. The population density was 132 people per square mile . There were 27,733 housing units at an average density of 57 per square mile...
.
Tributaries
- Scotch Run
- Fisher Run
- Beaver Run
- Klingermans Run
- Cranberry Run
- Crooked Run
- Tomhicken Creek
- Little Catawissa Creek
- Dark Run
- Rattling Run
- Davis Run
- Messers Run