Spring Brook (also known as Spring Brook Creek) is a

tributary A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drainag ...

of the

Lackawanna River The Lackawanna River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed August 8, 2011 tributary of the Susquehanna River in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It flows through a region of the ...

Lackawanna County Lackawanna County (; unm, Lèkaohane) is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located in Northeastern Pennsylvania and had a population of 215,896 as of the 2020 census. Its county seat and largest city is Scranton. The count ...

and

Luzerne County Luzerne County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and is water. It is Northeastern Pennsylvania's second-largest county ...

, in

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; (Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, Ma ...

, in the United States. It is approximately long and flows through Covington Township, Spring Brook Township, and

Moosic Moosic ( ) is a borough in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, south of downtown Scranton and northeast of downtown Wilkes-Barre, on the Lackawanna River. Moosic is in a former coal-mining region. A few older industries existed at one time, includ ...

in Lackawanna County and

Pittston Township Pittston Township is a township in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The population was 3,179 as of the 2020 census. The township is located within the Greater Pittston region. As of 2010, the total population of Greater Pittston was 48,020. The Wilke ...

in Luzerne County. The watershed of the stream has an area of . It is designated as a High-Quality Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery above Interstate 476 and as a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery below it. A section is also designated as

Class A Wild Trout Waters Class A Wild Trout Waters are the highest biomass class given to streams in Pennsylvania by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. They are considered to contain the highest-quality naturally reproducing trout populations in Pennsylvania. ...

. The stream's tributaries include Panther Creek, Plank Bridge Creek, Rattlesnake Creek, Green Run, Monument Creek, and Covey Swamp Creek. It has a relatively high level of water quality and is very slightly acidic, with a pH of 6.4 to 6.9. The upper reaches of the watershed of Spring Brook are mountainous and swampy. Further downstream, the stream flows through a

water gap A water gap is a gap that flowing water has carved through a mountain range or mountain ridge and that still carries water today. Such gaps that no longer carry water currents are called wind gaps. Water gaps and wind gaps often offer a pra ...

in the

Moosic Mountains The Moosic Mountains is a mountain range in northeastern Pennsylvania that stretches from Scranton to Mount Pleasant Township, a distance of roughly 32 miles. The high point of the range is in Jefferson Township, at an elevation of above sea ...

. Sandstone, shale, and some coal are present in the vicinity of the stream. It has been channelized in a concrete channel for part of its length and is the main source of flooding in Spring Brook Township, Lackawanna County. The stream is the second-largest tributary of the Lackawanna River. Reservoirs on Spring Brook include the Spring Brook Intake, the Nesbitt Reservoir, the Watres Reservoir. There are three dams on the stream. The watershed is mainly forested, with only a small amount of urban land. In the past, industries in the watershed of Spring Brook included timbering, coal mining, and agriculture. Two railroads also passed through the watershed in the early 1900s, at least one of which was established by the 1880s. The stream's watershed has served as a water supply since at least the early 1900s and still serves as a water supply for the Lackawanna Valley. Several bridges have also been constructed across the stream in the 20th century. The stream has been part of several studies since 1970. Part of its length is navigable by kayaking, paddling, and rafting.

Course

Spring Brook begins near Interstate 380 in Covington Township, Lackawanna County. It flows south for a short distance before meandering west for a few miles, crossing Interstate 380 and entering Spring Brook Township. The stream then turns south for several tenths of a mile before turning northwest for several tenths of a mile. It turns southwest before turning north-northwest and flowing around The Hogback. On the northern side of that hill, the stream turns south and then northwest, entering the Watres Reservoir. The stream exits the reservoir on its western side and flows northwest for a few miles, passing Pinnacle Hill and receiving the tributaries Panther Creek and Plank Bridge Creek from the

left Left may refer to: Music * ''Left'' (Hope of the States album), 2006 * ''Left'' (Monkey House album), 2016 * "Left", a song by Nickelback from the album ''Curb'', 1996 Direction * Left (direction), the relative direction opposite of right * L ...

. It eventually bends east and enters the

Nesbitt Reservoir The Nesbitt Reservoir is located on Pennsylvania Route 502 in Spring Brook Township, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. History and notable features This reservoir is managed and protected by the Pennsylvania American Water Company (PAWC). It pro ...

after crossing

Pennsylvania Route 502 Pennsylvania Route 502 (PA 502) is a state highway located in Lackawanna and Luzerne counties in Pennsylvania. The western terminus is at U.S. Route 11 (US 11) in Moosic. The eastern terminus is at PA 435 in Covington Township. The route is ...

. Here, it receives the tributary Rattlesnake Creek from the

right Rights are legal, social, or ethical principles of freedom or entitlement; that is, rights are the fundamental normative rules about what is allowed of people or owed to people according to some legal system, social convention, or ethical th ...

and flows between high hills. On the northern side of the reservoir, the stream flows north, receiving the tributary Green Run from the right before turning west-southwest. A few miles further downstream, it passes through the Spring Brook Intake before exiting Lackawanna County. Upon exiting Lackawanna County, Spring Brook enters Pittston Township, Luzerne County. It receives the tributary Monument Creek from the left and turns north-northwest for a few miles, flowing alongside Pennsylvania Route 502. On this stretch, it leaves behind the hills that it flows through, crosses Pennsylvania Route 502, and exits Luzerne County. Upon exiting Luzerne County, the stream enters Moosic, Lackawanna County and continues flowing north-northwest and receives the tributary Covey Swamp Creek from the right. The stream then turns west-southwest for a short distance before turning south and then west, crossing

Interstate 81 Interstate 81 (I-81) is a north–south (physically northeast–southwest) Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at I-40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Island ...

. It then turns northwest for a few tenths of a mile, crossing

US Route 11 {{Infobox road , country=USA , type=US , route=11 , map={{maplink, frame=yes, plain=yes, frame-align=center, frame-width=290, frame-height=330, type=line, from=U.S. Route 11.map , map_custom=yes , map_notes=US 11 in red, US 11E in blue, US 11W in ...

before reaching its confluence with the Lackawanna River. Spring Brook joins the Lackawanna River upriver of its mouth.

Tributaries

Spring Brook has numerous named tributaries: Panther Creek, Plank Bridge Creek, Rattlesnake Creek, Green Run, Monument Creek, and Covey Swamp Creek. Panther Creek joins Spring Brook upstream of its mouth. Its watershed has an area of . Plank Bridge Creek joins Spring Brook upstream of its mouth. Its watershed has an area of . Rattlesnake Creek joins Spring Brook upstream of its mouth. Its watershed has an area of . Green Run reaches its confluence with Spring Brook upstream of its mouth. Its watershed has an area of . Spring Brook also has numerous unnamed tributaries.

Hydrology

Spring Brook experiences noticeable flow loss. As of 2009, it has high levels of sodium and alkalinity. Pittson Township and the borough of Moosic have permits to discharge

stormwater Stormwater, also spelled storm water, is water that originates from precipitation (storm), including heavy rain and meltwater from hail and snow. Stormwater can soak into the soil ( infiltrate) and become groundwater, be stored on depressed land ...

into it. However, the

water quality Water quality refers to the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of water based on the standards of its usage. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which compliance, generally achieved through ...

and habitat quality of the stream are relatively unimpacted. The stream has relatively high water quality even where it flows through a concrete channel. In a study by the

Susquehanna River Basin Commission The Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) is a federal-interstate compact commission created by the Susquehanna River Basin Compact (Pub. L. 91-575) between three U.S states: (Pennsylvania, New York, and Maryland), and the federal government, a ...

, it was found not to fail any water quality standards either during base flow or storm flow conditions. However, a study from the previous year found concentrations of sodium and alkalinity exceeding the threshold for concern. In the early 1900s, Spring Brook was a clear stream in its upper reaches. However, by the time it reached the property of the Du Pont Powder Company, it was affected by slush pumped into it by the Pennsylvania Coal Company. Between 1971 and 1990, the

streamflow Streamflow, or channel runoff, is the flow of water in streams and other channels, and is a major element of the water cycle. It is one component of the movement of water from the land to waterbodies, the other component being surface runoff. W ...

of Spring Brook ranged from 0.900 to 27.0 cubic feet per second. The

discharge Discharge may refer to Expel or let go * Discharge, the act of firing a gun * Discharge, or termination of employment, the end of an employee's duration with an employer * Military discharge, the release of a member of the armed forces from serv ...

ranged from 0.06 to 22 cubic feet per second in the 1970s. The

gage height Water level, also known as gauge height or stage, is the elevation of the free surface of a sea, stream, lake or reservoir relative to a specified vertical datum.ISO 772: 1996. Hydrometric determinations – Vocabulary and symbols. See also ...

of the stream in the 1970s ranged from . The peak annual discharge of the stream at its mouth has a 10 percent chance of reaching 5050 cubic feet per second. It has a 2 percent chance of reaching 10,900 cubic feet per second and a 1 percent chance of reaching 14,700 cubic feet per second. The peak annual discharge has a 0.2 percent chance of reaching 29,500 cubic feet per second. The concentration of

dissolved oxygen Oxygen saturation (symbol SO2) is a relative measure of the concentration of oxygen that is dissolved or carried in a given medium as a proportion of the maximal concentration that can be dissolved in that medium at the given temperature. It ca ...

in Spring Brook at the community of Spring Brook was measured to be 10.6 milligrams per liter in 1975. The concentration of

hydrogen ion A hydrogen ion is created when a hydrogen atom loses or gains an electron. A positively charged hydrogen ion (or proton) can readily combine with other particles and therefore is only seen isolated when it is in a gaseous state or a nearly particl ...

s was measured to range from 0.00013 to 0.00040 milligrams per liter in the 1970s. The concentration of

carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide ( chemical formula ) is a chemical compound made up of molecules that each have one carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It is found in the gas state at room temperature. In the air, carbon dioxide is t ...

ranged from 2.2 to 6.2 milligrams per liter and the

bicarbonate In inorganic chemistry, bicarbonate ( IUPAC-recommended nomenclature: hydrogencarbonate) is an intermediate form in the deprotonation of carbonic acid. It is a polyatomic anion with the chemical formula . Bicarbonate serves a crucial bioch ...

concentration ranged from 9 to 12 milligrams per liter. The

sulfate The sulfate or sulphate ion is a polyatomic ion, polyatomic anion with the empirical formula . Salts, acid derivatives, and peroxides of sulfate are widely used in industry. Sulfates occur widely in everyday life. Sulfates are salt (chemistry), ...

concentration in Spring Brook ranged from 12.0 to 19.0 milligrams per liter. The

chloride The chloride ion is the anion (negatively charged ion) Cl−. It is formed when the element chlorine (a halogen) gains an electron or when a compound such as hydrogen chloride is dissolved in water or other polar solvents. Chloride s ...

concentration ranged between 3.7 and 8.0 milligrams per liter. The concentration of organic

nitrogen Nitrogen is the chemical element with the symbol N and atomic number 7. Nitrogen is a nonmetal and the lightest member of group 15 of the periodic table, often called the pnictogens. It is a common element in the universe, estimated at seve ...

in Spring Brook at the community of Spring Brook was measured to be 0.09 milligrams per liter in 1975. The concentration of

ammonia Ammonia is an inorganic compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . A stable binary hydride, and the simplest pnictogen hydride, ammonia is a colourless gas with a distinct pungent smell. Biologically, it is a common nitrogeno ...

in the form of nitrogen was measured to be 0.040 milligrams per liter. The concentration of

nitrate Nitrate is a polyatomic ion with the chemical formula . Salts containing this ion are called nitrates. Nitrates are common components of fertilizers and explosives. Almost all inorganic nitrates are soluble in water. An example of an insoluble ...

s in the form of nitrogen was 0.74 milligrams per liter and the concentration of

nitrite The nitrite ion has the chemical formula . Nitrite (mostly sodium nitrite) is widely used throughout chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The nitrite anion is a pervasive intermediate in the nitrogen cycle in nature. The name nitrite also re ...

s in the form of nitrogen ranged from 0.045 to 0.29 milligrams per liter in 1971. The concentration of

sodium Sodium is a chemical element with the symbol Na (from Latin ''natrium'') and atomic number 11. It is a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metal. Sodium is an alkali metal, being in group 1 of the periodic table. Its only stable ...

and

potassium Potassium is the chemical element with the symbol K (from Neo-Latin '' kalium'') and atomic number19. Potassium is a silvery-white metal that is soft enough to be cut with a knife with little force. Potassium metal reacts rapidly with atmosp ...

(as Na) in Spring Brook ranged from 1.4 to 3.9 milligrams per liter. The concentration of

magnesium Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg and atomic number 12. It is a shiny gray metal having a low density, low melting point and high chemical reactivity. Like the other alkaline earth metals (group 2 of the periodic ...

ranged from 0.90 to 1.60 milligrams per liter and the

calcium Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar t ...

concentration ranged from 7.30 to 8.80 milligrams per liter. The concentration of recoverable

iron Iron () is a chemical element with symbol Fe (from la, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, right in ...

in the stream was measured to be 60 micrograms per liter in 1975. The concentration of

alkalinity Alkalinity (from ar, القلوي, al-qaly, lit=ashes of the saltwort) is the capacity of water to resist acidification. It should not be confused with basicity, which is an absolute measurement on the pH scale. Alkalinity is the strengt ...

in the waters of Spring Brook between the Watres Dam and the Nesbitt Reservoir is 11 milligrams per liter. In the 1970s, the stream's pH ranged from 6.4 to 6.9. The total concentration of

water hardness Hard water is water that has high mineral content (in contrast with "soft water"). Hard water is formed when water percolates through deposits of limestone, chalk or gypsum, which are largely made up of calcium and magnesium carbonates, ...

ranged from 23 to 28 milligrams per liter. The

turbidity Turbidity is the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by large numbers of individual particles that are generally invisible to the naked eye, similar to smoke in air. The measurement of turbidity is a key test of water quality. Fluids ...

of the stream at the community of Spring Brook was one measured to be less than 5

Jackson Turbidity Unit Jackson may refer to: People and fictional characters * Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Qu ...

s. The

specific conductance Electrical resistivity (also called specific electrical resistance or volume resistivity) is a fundamental property of a material that measures how strongly it resists electric current. A low resistivity indicates a material that readily allows ...

of the stream ranged from 60 to 78 micro-siemens per centimeter at during five measurements in the 1970s. The concentration of

dissolved solids In chemistry, a solution is a special type of homogeneous mixture composed of two or more substances. In such a mixture, a solute is a substance dissolved in another substance, known as a solvent. If the attractive forces between the solvent ...

in the stream was measured to be 54 milligrams per liter in 1975.

Geography, geology, and climate

The elevation near the

mouth In animal anatomy, the mouth, also known as the oral cavity, or in Latin cavum oris, is the opening through which many animals take in food and issue vocal sounds. It is also the cavity lying at the upper end of the alimentary canal, bounded on t ...

of Spring Brook is above

sea level Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical datuma standardise ...

. The elevation of the stream's

source Source may refer to: Research * Historical document * Historical source * Source (intelligence) or sub source, typically a confidential provider of non open-source intelligence * Source (journalism), a person, publication, publishing institute ...

is approximately above sea level. The gradient of the creek is per mile. The topography of the watershed of Spring Brook is mainly mountainous, with swampy land in its upper reaches. Some

bog A bog or bogland is a wetland that accumulates peat as a deposit of dead plant materials often mosses, typically sphagnum moss. It is one of the four main types of wetlands. Other names for bogs include mire, mosses, quagmire, and muskeg; a ...

s are also present in this area. Wetlands near the stream's headwaters include the Yostville marshes. In the stream's middle and lower reaches, its valley is flanked by steep, high mountains. Its channel is

sinuous Sinuosity, sinuosity index, or sinuosity coefficient of a continuously differentiable curve having at least one inflection point is the ratio of the curvilinear length (along the curve) and the Euclidean distance (straight line) between the en ...

and flows through

rock formation A rock formation is an isolated, scenic, or spectacular surface rock outcrop. Rock formations are usually the result of weathering and erosion sculpting the existing rock. The term ''rock formation'' can also refer to specific sedime ...

s consisting of

sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates ...

and

shale Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock formed from mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4) and tiny fragments (silt-sized particles) of other minerals, especia ...

. There is also some

coal Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as stratum, rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other Chemical element, elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen ...

in the lower reaches of the watershed. There are some

culm Culm or The Culm may refer to: * Culm (anthracite), meaning of "culm" in British English, a kind of coal found in the Culm Measures, and a term used for fine-grained waste from anthracite coal **Culm bomb or culm ball * Culm (botany), the stem of ...

dumps along the stream between Pennsylvania Route 502 and US Route 11. Spring Brook flows across the

Pocono Plateau Pocono may refer to: Places * Pocono Mountains, a mountainous region in northeastern Pennsylvania * Pocono Creek, a tributary of Brodhead Creek in the Poconos * Pocono Biological Laboratories, a company related to Sanofi pasteur * Pocono Raceway, ...

and passes through the

via a

known as the Spring Brook Gap. Its mouth is in the

Lackawanna Valley The Lackawanna River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed August 8, 2011 tributary of the Susquehanna River in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It flows through a region of t ...

. In its lower reaches, the stream is

channelized Channelized in a telecommunications environment means that the line that communications have been transmitted over contains more than one message thread, separated in some fashion. Typical channelization methods include packetizing, frequency-d ...

in a large open concrete channel. A number of bank stabilization projects have been done on the stream from Belin Village downstream to its mouth. Some land in the vicinity of the stream is designated as a 100 year

floodplain A floodplain or flood plain or bottomlands is an area of land adjacent to a river which stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls, and which experiences flooding during periods of high discharge.Goudi ...

. There are a number of

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, a ...

s on Spring Brook. One of these is the Spring Brook Intake Dam, which was determined in 1980 to be in good condition. Another is the Nesbitt Dam and a third is the Watres Dam. Most of the Group A and Group B

soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms that together support life. Some scientific definitions distinguish ''dirt'' from ''soil'' by restricting the former ...

s in Spring Brook Township, Lackawanna County are located along Spring Brook. These soils groups consist mainly of Pope soils. The average annual rate of precipitation in the watershed of Spring Brook is between . The water temperature of the stream at the community of Spring Brook ranged from in five measurements during the 1970s.

Watershed

The

watershed Watershed is a hydrological term, which has been adopted in other fields in a more or less figurative sense. It may refer to: Hydrology * Drainage divide, the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins * Drainage basin, called a "watershe ...

of Spring Brook has an area of . The watershed is in southern Lackawanna County and northeastern Luzerne County. It is in the lower part of the Lackawanna River watershed, in its south-central and southwestern section. The watershed is part of the North Pocono Watershed region of the Lackawanna River watershed. The mouth of the stream is in the

United States Geological Survey The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, ...

quadrangle of Avoca. However, its source is in the quadrangle of Moscow. The creek mainly flows in a northwesterly direction. Spring Brook is the second-largest tributary of the Lackawanna River, after Roaring Brook. It is a third-order stream. A significant portion of the watershed is

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

ed. However, some residential areas, such as Yostville, Maple Lake, and Spring Brook Village are in the stream's vicinity. The stream also flows through an urban area in Moosic. Its headwaters are near Yostville. However, only a few square miles of the watershed is urban. Approximately 60 percent of the stream's watershed is owned by the Theta Company as of 2006.

Reservoir A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation. Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including control ...

s and

pond A pond is an area filled with water, either natural or Artificiality, artificial, that is smaller than a lake. Defining them to be less than in area, less than deep, and with less than 30% Aquatic plant, emergent vegetation helps in disting ...

s in the watershed of Spring Brook include the Spring Brook Intake, the

, the Watres Reservoir, and Maple Lake. The first three are used as drinking water reservoirs and the lakes also serve as flood protection. The

Pennsylvania American Water Company The Pennsylvania-American Water Company is a utility company in the state of Pennsylvania which provides water and sewage services to more than 2 million people within the state. There are 370 areas served, including the cities of Pittsburgh, S ...

owns all four lakes and several hundred acres of the surrounding land. There are flood

levee A levee (), dike (American English), dyke (Commonwealth English), embankment, floodbank, or stop bank is a structure that is usually earthen and that often runs parallel to the course of a river in its floodplain or along low-lying coastl ...

s at the mouth of the stream. There is some evidence of coal mining on a ridge overlooking the area in the stream's vicinity. However, residential encroachment on the stream's

is a more significant environmental concern. Spring Brook is the main source of

flood A flood is an overflow of water ( or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are an area of study of the discipline hydrol ...

ing in Spring Brook Township, Lackawanna County.

History and industries

Spring Brook was entered into the

Geographic Names Information System The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) is a database of name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features throughout the United States and its territories, Antarctica, and the associated states of ...

on August 2, 1979. Its identifier in the Geographic Names Information System is 1188206. Spring Brook provided power for early lumbering in Spring Brook Township, Lackawanna County. In the early 1900s, the main industries in the watershed of Spring Brook included

coal mining Coal mining is the process of extracting coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from ...

and

agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled peop ...

. The Pennsylvania Coal Company historically had a washery that discharged into the stream. The Du Pont Powder Company also operated in the watershed at that time. A railroad line along the stream was present by the 1880s. The

Wilkes-Barre and Eastern Railroad The Wilkes-Barre and Eastern Railroad (WB&E) was a railroad that operated in Pennsylvania from 1892 to 1939. History The WB&E was a wholly owned subsidiary of the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad (NYS&W). It was chartered in 1892 to p ...

also crossed the stream's watershed and the

Scranton and Spring Brook Railroad Scranton is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Lackawanna County. With a population of 76,328 as of the 2020 U.S. census, Scranton is the largest city in Northeastern Pennsylvania, the Wyomin ...

followed the stream between Rockdale and its mouth. During this time period, major communities in the watershed included

, which had a population of 3964 at the time. The

main stem In hydrology, a mainstem (or trunk) is "the primary downstream segment of a river, as contrasted to its tributaries". Water enters the mainstem from the river's drainage basin, the land area through which the mainstem and its tributaries flow.. ...

and several tributaries were also historically used as a

water supply Water supply is the provision of water by public utilities, commercial organisations, community endeavors or by individuals, usually via a system of pumps and pipes. Public water supply systems are crucial to properly functioning societies. T ...

by the Spring Brook Water Supply Company. The stream is still used as an important water supply in the Lackawanna Valley, as of 2001. Together with Roaring Brook and

Stafford Meadow Brook Stafford Meadow Brook (also known as Stafford Meadow Creek) is a tributary of the Lackawanna River in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is approximately long and flows through Roaring Brook Township, Scranton, and Moosi ...

, it serves as a water supply to a substantial part of the valley. Some areas of the watershed have been subjected to extensive timbering programs as recently as 2001. The Nesbitt Water Filtration Plant is in the watershed, in Pittston Township, Luzerne County. It is owned by the Pennsylvania American Water Company. Spring Brook flooded during

Hurricane Diane Hurricane Diane was the first Atlantic hurricane to cause more than an estimated $1 billion in damage (in 1955 dollars, which would be $ today), including direct costs and the loss of business and personal revenue. It formed on August 7 ...

in 1955, reaching a discharge of near

and destroying three homes and inundating the basements and first floors of many others. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection constructed a levee on the stream after this flooding event. The stream also experienced bank failure during

s in October 1985 and January 1996. It also flooded homes and trailers in its vicinity. A two-span

steel stringer Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resist ...

/multi-beam or girder

bridge A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...

carrying Main Street/State Route 3024 over Spring Brook was built in 1956. It is long and is situated in Moosic. Another bridge of the same type was built over the stream in 1957. This bridge is long and is in Pittston Township. A two-span prestressed box beam or girders bridge was built over the stream in Moosic in 1958. It is long and carries Pennsylvania Route 502. Another bridge of the same type (but with only one span) was built in Moosic in 1959 and repaired in 1985. It carries US Route 11 and is long. In 1961, a two-span steel stringer/multi-beam or girder bridge was built over the stream in Moosic. It is long and carries Pennsylvania Route 502. A prestressed box beam carrying Pennsylvania Route 502 over the stream was constructed in 1987. This bridge is in Pittston Township and has a length of . Spring Brook has been studied several times. It was studied by the

from 1971 to 1975, by Daniels (working for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission) in 1976, by Rider and Blacksmith (working for the

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is the agency in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania responsible for protecting and preserving the land, air, water, and public health through enforcement of the state's environmental laws. ...

) in 1985, by Copeland (working for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission) in 1992, by Moase (working for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission) in 1993, and Popp and McGurl in 2003. The stream is on the

Bureau of Abandoned Mine Restoration's priority list for restoration.

Biology

The drainage basin of Spring Brook is designated as a High-Quality Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery from its headwaters downstream to the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike (

Interstate 476 Interstate 476 (I-476) is a auxiliary Interstate Highway of I-76 in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The highway runs from I-95 near Chester north to I-81 near Scranton, serving as the primary north–south Interstate corridor through ...

). From that point downstream to its mouth, the drainage basin of the stream is designated as a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery. Wild

trout Trout are species of freshwater fish belonging to the genera '' Oncorhynchus'', '' Salmo'' and '' Salvelinus'', all of the subfamily Salmoninae of the family Salmonidae. The word ''trout'' is also used as part of the name of some non-sa ...

naturally reproduce in Spring Brook from its headwaters downstream to its mouth. A 2.4-mile (4-kilometer) section of the stream from the Watres Dam downstream to the Nesbitt Reservoir is considered by the

Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is an independent state agency responsible for the regulation of all fishing and boating in the state of Pennsylvania within the United States of America. Unlike many U.S. states, Pennsylvania has a separ ...

to be Class A Wild Trout Waters for both brook trout and

brown trout The brown trout (''Salmo trutta'') is a European species of salmonid fish that has been widely introduced into suitable environments globally. It includes purely freshwater populations, referred to as the riverine ecotype, ''Salmo trutta'' morp ...

. The tributaries Green Run and Panther Creek are Class A Wild Trout Waters for brook trout and part of the tributary Rattlesnake Creek is Class A Wild Trout Waters for both brook trout and brown trout. Numerous

macroinvertebrate Invertebrates are a paraphyletic group of animals that neither possess nor develop a vertebral column (commonly known as a ''backbone'' or ''spine''), derived from the notochord. This is a grouping including all animals apart from the chordate s ...

species have been observed in Spring Brook. A total of 18 genera are from the orders '' Ephemeroptera'', ''

Plecoptera Plecoptera is an order of insects, commonly known as stoneflies. Some 3,500 species are described worldwide, with new species still being discovered. Stoneflies are found worldwide, except Antarctica. Stoneflies are believed to be one of the mos ...

'', and ''

Trichoptera The caddisflies, or order Trichoptera, are a group of insects with aquatic larvae and terrestrial adults. There are approximately 14,500 described species, most of which can be divided into the suborders Integripalpia and Annulipalpia on the ...

''. A short distance upstream of the Watres Reservoir, the most common genera taxa were the family ''

Chironomidae The Chironomidae (informally known as chironomids, nonbiting midges, or lake flies) comprise a family of nematoceran flies with a global distribution. They are closely related to the Ceratopogonidae, Simuliidae, and Thaumaleidae. Many species ...

'' and the genera ''

Drunella ''Drunella'' is a genus of spiny crawler mayflies in the family Ephemerellidae Ephemerellidae are known as the spiny crawler mayflies. They are a family of the order Ephemeroptera. There are eight genera consisting of a total 90 species (Merr ...

'', ''

Ephemerella ''Ephemerella'' is a genus of spiny crawler mayflies in the family Ephemerellidae Ephemerellidae are known as the spiny crawler mayflies. They are a family of the order Ephemeroptera. There are eight genera consisting of a total 90 species (M ...

'', and ''

Hydropsyche ''Hydropsyche'' is a genus of netspinning caddisflies in the family Hydropsychidae The Hydropsychidae are a family-level taxon consisting of net-spinning caddisflies. Hydropsychids are common among much of the world's streams, and a few speci ...

''. Of a 200-individual sample, 34, 28, 25, and 20 individuals of each taxon have been observed, respectively. Slightly less common are the genera ''

Epeorus ''Epeorus'' is a genus of mayflies in the family Heptageniidae. Species * '' Epeorus aculeatus'' Braasch, 1990 * '' Epeorus aesculus'' Imanishi, 1934 * '' Epeorus albertae'' (McDunnough, 1924) * '' Epeorus alexandri'' (Kluge & Tiunova, 1989) * ...

'', ''

Hexatoma ''Hexatoma'' is a genus of Tipuloidea, crane fly in the family Limoniidae. Species *Subgenus ''Cladolipes'' Hermann Loew, Loew, 1865 :*''Hexatoma cisatlantica, H. cisatlantica'' Charles Paul Alexander, Alexander, 1937 :*''Hexatoma haiasana, H. h ...

'', ''

Leuctra Leuctra or Leuktra ( grc, τὰ Λεῦκτρα, tà Leûktra, grc, τὸ Λεῦκτρον, tò Leûktron, label=none ) was a village of ancient Boeotia, situated on the road from Thespiae to Plataea, and in the territory of the former city. I ...

'', and ''

Lepidostoma ''Lepidostoma'' is a genus of bizarre caddisflies in the family Lepidostomatidae. There are more than 150 described species in ''Lepidostoma''. See also * List of Lepidostoma species References Further reading * * * External links

* ...

''. Of the 200-individual sample, 15, 13, 11, and 10 individuals of each taxon have been observed, respectively. Still less common are the genera ''

Baetis ''Baetis'' is a genus of mayflies of the family Baetidae, known as the blue-winged olive to anglers. There are at least 150 described species in ''Baetis''. They are distributed worldwide, with the most variety in North America and norther ...

'', ''

Paraleptophlebia ''Paraleptophlebia'' is a genus of mayflies in the family Leptophlebiidae. Commonly found in North America, Britain, and parts of Western Europe. Species These 57 species belong to the genus ''Paraleptophlebia'': * '' Paraleptophlebia adopti ...

'', ''

Acroneuria ''Acroneuria'' is a genus of common stoneflies in the family Perlidae. There are more than 30 described species in ''Acroneuria''. Species These 32 species belong to the genus ''Acroneuria'': * '' Acroneuria abnormis'' (Newman, 1838) (common ...

'', ''

Stenonema ''Stenonema'' is a genus of mayflies in the family Heptageniidae The Heptageniidae (synonym: Ecdyonuridae) are a family of mayflies with over 500 described species mainly distributed in the Holarctic, Oriental, and Afrotropical regions, and ...

'', '' Nigronia'', ''

Agapetus Agapetus ( grc, Ἀγαπητός, link=no, ''beloved'') may refer to: * ''Agapetus'' (caddisfly), a genus of caddisflies ** List of Agapetus species * Agapetus (deacon) (), a deacon of the church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople * Agapetus (phys ...

'', '' DoIophilodes'', and ''

Optioservus ''Optioservus'' is a genus of riffle beetles in the family Elmidae. There are about 13 described species in ''Optioservus''. Species * ''Optioservus browni'' White, 1978 (Brown's optioservus riffle beetle) * ''Optioservus canus'' Chandler, 1954 ( ...

''. In the 200-individual sample, 8, 6, 5, 4, 4, 3, 2, and 2 individuals of each taxon have been observed, respectively. Only one individual each of the genera ''

Isonychia ''Isonychia'' is a genus of brushlegged mayflies in the family Isonychiidae, the sole genus of the family. There are more than 30 described species in ''Isonychia''. Species These 36 species belong to the genus ''Isonychia'': * ''Isonychia ara ...

'', ''

Amphinemura ''Amphinemura'' is a genus of spring stonefly, spring stoneflies in the family Nemouridae. There are about 18 described species in ''Amphinemura''. Species * ''Amphinemura alabama'' Baumann, 1996 * ''Amphinemura apache'' Baumann and Gaufin, 197 ...

'', ''

Cheumatopsyche ''Cheumatopsyche'' is a genus of netspinning caddisflies in the family Hydropsychidae The Hydropsychidae are a family-level taxon consisting of net-spinning caddisflies. Hydropsychids are common among much of the world's streams, and a few sp ...

'', '' Rhycophila'', ''

Neophylax ''Neophylax'' is a genus of autumn mottled sedges in the family Uenoidae. There are more than 30 described species in ''Neophylax''. Species These 37 species belong to the genus ''Neophylax'': * ''Neophylax acutus'' Vineyard & Wiggins, 1987 * '' ...

'', ''

Psephenus ''Psephenus'' is a genus of water penny beetles in the family Psephenidae Water-penny beetles are a family (the Psephenidae) of 272 species (in 35 genera) of aquatic beetles found on all continents except Antarctica, in both tropical and tem ...

'', ''

Boyeria ''Boyeria'' is a genus of dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae, commonly called spotted darners. They occur in temperate North America and Eurasia. The name ''Boyeria'' commemorates the French entomologist Etienne Laurent Joseph Hippolyte Boyer ...

'', ''

Tabanus ''Tabanus'' is a genus of biting horseflies of the family Tabanidae. Females have scissor-like mouthparts that aim to cut the skin. The horsefly can then lap up the blood. Horseflies of this genus are known to be potential vectors of anthrax, ...

'', and ''

Cambarus ''Cambarus'' is a large and diverse genus of crayfish from the United States and Canada. The adults range in size from about 5 centimeters (2 in) up to approximately 15 centimeters (6 in). Description The genus ''Cambarus'' is the sec ...

'' were observed. The

wetland A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The ...

s at the headwaters of Spring Brook are home to

boreal forest Taiga (; rus, тайга́, p=tɐjˈɡa; relates to Mongolic and Turkic languages), generally referred to in North America as a boreal forest or snow forest, is a biome characterized by coniferous forests consisting mostly of pines, spruces ...

trees. These include

black spruce ''Picea mariana'', the black spruce, is a North American species of spruce tree in the pine family. It is widespread across Canada, found in all 10 provinces and all 3 territories. It is the official tree of the province of Newfoundland and La ...

paper birch ''Betula papyrifera'' (paper birch, also known as (American) white birch and canoe birch) is a short-lived species of birch native to northern North America. Paper birch is named for the tree's thin white bark, which often peels in paper like ...

, and

tamarack ''Larix laricina'', commonly known as the tamarack, hackmatack, eastern larch, black larch, red larch, or American larch, is a species of larch native to Canada, from eastern Yukon and Inuvik, Northwest Territories east to Newfoundland, and als ...

Huckleberry Huckleberry is a name used in North America for several plants in the family Ericaceae, in two closely related genera: ''Vaccinium'' and ''Gaylussacia''. The huckleberry is the state fruit of Idaho. Nomenclature The name 'huckleberry' is a Nort ...

lady's slipper Cypripedioideae is a subfamily of orchids commonly known as lady's slipper orchids, lady slipper orchids or slipper orchids. Cypripedioideae includes the genera ''Cypripedium, Mexipedium, Paphiopedilum, Phragmipedium'' and '' Selenipedium''. Th ...

leather leaf ''Chamaedaphne calyculata'', known commonly as leatherleaf or cassandra, is a perennial dwarf shrub in the plant family Ericaceae and the only species in the genus ''Chamaedaphne''. It is commonly seen in cold, acidic bogs and forms large, sprea ...

, mountain laurel,

pitcher plant Pitcher plants are several different carnivorous plants which have modified leaves known as pitfall traps—a prey-trapping mechanism featuring a deep cavity filled with digestive liquid. The traps of what are considered to be "true" pitcher p ...

, and

rhododendron ''Rhododendron'' (; from Ancient Greek ''rhódon'' "rose" and ''déndron'' "tree") is a very large genus of about 1,024 species of woody plants in the heath family (Ericaceae). They can be either evergreen or deciduous. Most species are nativ ...

plants inhabit bogs in the area. The modified Hilsenhoff Biotic Index value of Spring Brook a short distance upstream of the Watres Reservoir is 2.56. The modified EPT Index value at this location is 15. The

taxa richness In biology, a taxon (back-formation from ''taxonomy''; plural taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular nam ...

value is 26.

Recreation

A trail known as the Spring Brook / Wilkes-Barre and Eastern Greenway was proposed in the Lackawanna River Watershed Conservation Plan in 2001. There are plans for trails on the flood levee at the stream's mouth and on the old Wilkes-Barre and Eastern Railroad corridor. A stretch of at least of Spring Brook are navigable by kayaking, paddling, or rafting. This stretch runs from the Nesbitt Reservoir to Moosic. The difficulty of the stream ranges from Class II to Class IV. Spring Brook is an approved trout stream. In 1996, it was opened for trout fishing on April 29.

References

External links

Google Street View image of Spring BrookAnother Google Street View image of Spring Brook
{{authority control Rivers of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania Rivers of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania Tributaries of the Lackawanna River Rivers of Pennsylvania