Lampblack Creek

Lampblack Creek (also known as Lamp Black Creek) is a tributary of Gardner Creek in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long and flows through Jenkins Township.[1] The watershed of the creek has an area of 1.08 square miles (2.8 km2). The surficial geology in the area mainly consists of bedrock consisting of sandstone and shale, shale and sandstone pits, urban land, alluvium, Wisconsinan Till, and coal dumps.

Lampblack Creek
Lamp Black Creek
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationsmall valley on a hill in Jenkins Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
 • elevationbetween 1,220 and 1,240 feet (370 and 380 m)
Mouth 
 • location
Gardner Creek in Jenkins Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
 • coordinates
41°16′51″N 75°46′30″W
 • elevation
935 ft (285 m)
Length1.5 mi (2.4 km)
Basin size1.08 sq mi (2.8 km2)
Basin features
ProgressionGardner Creek → Mill Creek → Susquehanna River → Chesapeake Bay

Course

Lampblack Creek begins in a small valley on a hill in Jenkins Township. It flows west-southwest for several tenths of a mile before turning west-northwest for a short distance, crossing Interstate 476. The creek then turns southwest for several before turning northwest. Several hundred feet further downstream, it reaches its confluence with Gardner Creek.[1]

Lampblack Creek joins Gardner Creek 3.92 miles (6.31 km) upstream of its mouth.[2]

Hydrology, geography and geology

The elevation near the mouth of Lampblack Creek is 935 feet (285 m) above sea level.[3] The elevation of the creek's source is between 1,220 and 1,240 feet (370 and 380 m) above sea level.[1]

The surficial geology of Lampblack Creek mainly features bedrock consisting of sandstone and shale, as well as shale and sandstone pits. There are also some patches of urban land, alluvium, a glacial or resedimented till known as Wisconsinan Till, and coal dumps.[4]

In 1974, Lampblack Creek was described as having "depressed" water quality. It was affected by acid mine drainage and sedimentation.[5] As of 2009, Pennsy Supply, Inc. has a permit to discharge treated mine discharge into Lampblack Creek.[6]

Watershed

The watershed of Lampblack Creek has an area of 1.08 square miles (2.8 km2).[2] The creek is entirely within the United States Geological Survey quadrangle of Pittston.[3]

The Laflin Reservoir was historically on Gardner Creek just upstream of Lampblack Creek. Lampblack Creek historically had a dam on it and a ditch also ran from the creek to Gardner Creek at a point above the Laflin Reservoir.[7]

Lampblack Creek is a minor sub-tributary of Mill Creek.[8]

History

Lampblack Creek was entered into the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. Its identifier in the Geographic Names Information System is 1178836. The creek is also known as Lamp Black Creek.[3] This name appears in the Atlas of the Anthracite Coalfields of Pennsylvania, which was published in 1888.[9]

In the 2000s, a 70.9-acre area in the watersheds of Lampblack Creek and Mill Creek in Jenkins Township experienced a $1.27 million mine reclamation project.[10]

Biology

Lamplack Creek is designated as a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery.[11]

See also

References
  1. United States Geological Survey, The National Map Viewer, archived from the original on March 29, 2012, retrieved February 26, 2015
  2. Pennsylvania Gazetteer of Streams (PDF), November 2, 2001, p. 82, retrieved February 26, 2015
  3. Geographic Names Information System, Feature Detail Report for: Lampblack Creek, retrieved February 26, 2015
  4. Duane D. Braun (2006), Surficial geology of the Pittston 7.5-minute quadrangle, Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties, Pennsylvania, p. 16, archived from the original on May 24, 2014, retrieved February 27, 2015
  5. Edward R. Brezina (1974), A Listing of Aquatic Biological Stream Investigations: June, 1968 to January, 1974, p. 40, retrieved February 26, 2015
  6. LAND RECYCLING AND ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION, Pennsylvania Bulletin, September 12, 2009, retrieved February 26, 2015
  7. Annual report of the Commissioner of Health of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, retrieved February 27, 2015
  8. Luzerne County Planning Commission, MILL CREEK WATERSHED ACT 167 STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN LUZERNE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA VOLUME II - PLAN CONTENTS JUNE 30, 2000 (PDF), p. 13, archived from the original (PDF) on April 7, 2014, retrieved February 26, 2015
  9. Geographic Names Information System, Variant Citation, retrieved February 26, 2015
  10. 4 county mine sites reclaimed, Times Leader, 2009, archived from the original on December 9, 2014, retrieved February 26, 2015
  11. ATTACHMENT 3 NORTHEAST-POCONO RELIABILITY PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING (PDF), p. 14, retrieved February 26, 2015
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