Spring Creek (Little Kanawha River)
Encyclopedia
Spring Creek is a tributary
of the Little Kanawha River
in western West Virginia
in the United States
. Via the Little Kanawha and Ohio
rivers, it is part of the watershed
of the Mississippi River
, draining an area of 89 square miles (230.5 km²) in a rural region on the unglaciated
portion of the Allegheny Plateau
. It is 25.3 miles (40.7 km) long, or 33.3 miles (53.6 km) long including its Left Fork.
Spring Creek is formed just south of the city of Spencer
in northern Roane County
by the confluence
of the Left Fork Spring Creek, 8 miles (12.9 km) long, which rises near the community of Clover
and flows northwestward, paralleled for most of its course by West Virginia Route 36; and the Right Fork Spring Creek, 7.8 miles (12.6 km) long, which rises near the community of Speed
and flows northward, paralleled for most of its course by U.S. Route 119
. From the confluence of its forks, Spring Creek flows northward through Spencer and northern Roane County into southeastern Wirt County
, where it flows into the Little Kanawha River from the south at the community of Sanoma
, approximately 8 miles (12.9 km) southeast of Elizabeth
.
Little Spring Creek is a tributary of Spring Creek, 7 miles (11.3 km) long, in northeastern Roane County.
Charles Mill Lake, approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) southeast of Spencer, is formed by a dam on the Charles Fork, a tributary of the Left Fork Spring Creek. The lake was constructed in 1974 and is owned by the city of Spencer; it is operated as a recreation area for boating, fishing, hiking, biking, and camping.
According to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, approximately 79.5% of the Spring Creek watershed is forest
ed, mostly deciduous
. Approximately 18.7% is used for pasture and agriculture.
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 Little Kanawha River
Little Kanawha River
The Little Kanawha River is a tributary of the Ohio River, 169 mi long, in western West Virginia in the United States. Via the Ohio, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of 2,320 mi² on the unglaciated portion of the Allegheny Plateau...
in western West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Via the Little Kanawha and Ohio
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
rivers, it is part of the watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, draining an area of 89 square miles (230.5 km²) in a rural region on the unglaciated
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
portion of the Allegheny Plateau
Allegheny Plateau
The Allegheny Plateau is a large dissected plateau area in western and central New York, northern and western Pennsylvania, northern and western West Virginia, and eastern Ohio...
. It is 25.3 miles (40.7 km) long, or 33.3 miles (53.6 km) long including its Left Fork.
Spring Creek is formed just south of the city of Spencer
Spencer, West Virginia
Spencer is a city in Roane County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,352 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Roane County. Spencer is the home of the annual West Virginia Black Walnut Festival. Points of interest include Charles Fork Lake, Chrystal Water and Power...
in northern Roane County
Roane County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,446 people, 6,161 households, and 4,479 families residing in the county. The population density was 32 people per square mile . There were 7,360 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile...
by the confluence
Confluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
of the Left Fork Spring Creek, 8 miles (12.9 km) long, which rises near the community of Clover
Clover, Roane County, West Virginia
Clover is an unincorporated community in Roane County, West Virginia, United States. Clover is located on West Virginia Route 36 southeast of Spencer....
and flows northwestward, paralleled for most of its course by West Virginia Route 36; and the Right Fork Spring Creek, 7.8 miles (12.6 km) long, which rises near the community of Speed
Speed, West Virginia
Speed is an unincorporated community in Roane County, West Virginia, United States. Speed is located on U.S. Route 119 south of Spencer....
and flows northward, paralleled for most of its course by U.S. Route 119
U.S. Route 119
U.S. Route 119, commonly abbreviated as US 119, is a spur of US 19. It is a north–south route that was an original United States highway of 1926. It is often referred to as Corridor G east of US 23 and KY 80 in Kentucky to Interstate 64 at Charleston, West Virginia.- Kentucky :US 119 is a two...
. From the confluence of its forks, Spring Creek flows northward through Spencer and northern Roane County into southeastern Wirt County
Wirt County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,873 people, 2,284 households, and 1,699 families residing in the county. The population density was 25 people per square mile . There were 3,266 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile...
, where it flows into the Little Kanawha River from the south at the community of Sanoma
Sanoma, West Virginia
Sanoma is an unincorporated community in Wirt County, West Virginia, United States. Sanoma lies at the confluence of the Little Kanawha River and Spring Creek, southeast of Elizabeth; County Route 36 passes through the community....
, approximately 8 miles (12.9 km) southeast of Elizabeth
Elizabeth, West Virginia
Elizabeth is a town in Wirt County, West Virginia along the Little Kanawha River. The population was 994 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Wirt County. The townsite of Elizabeth was settled by William Beauchamp in 1796, and was known as "Beauchamp's Mills" until 1817, when it was named...
.
Little Spring Creek is a tributary of Spring Creek, 7 miles (11.3 km) long, in northeastern Roane County.
Charles Mill Lake, approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) southeast of Spencer, is formed by a dam on the Charles Fork, a tributary of the Left Fork Spring Creek. The lake was constructed in 1974 and is owned by the city of Spencer; it is operated as a recreation area for boating, fishing, hiking, biking, and camping.
According to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, approximately 79.5% of the Spring Creek watershed is forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
ed, mostly deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
. Approximately 18.7% is used for pasture and agriculture.