View source for Briar Creek (Susquehanna River tributary)

{{Short description|Tributary of the Susquehanna River in Columbia County, Pennsylvania}}
{{distinguish|text=[[Brier Creek (Susquehanna River tributary)]], in Otsego County, New York}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2015}}
{{Infobox river
|name = Briar Creek
|image = Briar Creek.JPG
|image_caption = Briar Creek in Briar Creek Township
|source1_location = Knob Mountain in Briar Creek Township
|mouth_location = Susquehanna River in Briar Creek
| subdivision_type1  = Country
| subdivision_name1  = [[United States]]
| subdivision_type2  = County
| subdivision_name2  = [[Columbia County, Pennsylvania|Columbia County]], [[Pennsylvania]]
| subdivision_type3  =
| subdivision_name3  =
|length = {{convert|7.77|mi|km|abbr=on}}
|discharge1_avg = {{convert|18.5|cuft/s}} (median, near the mouth)
|basin_size = {{convert|33.0|sqmi|km2|abbr=on}}
|tributaries_left = [[East Branch Briar Creek]]
|tributaries_right = [[West Branch Briar Creek]]
| pushpin_map       = United States#USA Pennsylvania
}}
'''Briar Creek''' is a tributary of the [[Susquehanna River]] in [[Columbia County, Pennsylvania]], in the United States. It is {{convert|7.77|mi|km}} in length.<ref name = "google maps">{{Citation|url = https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=41.040585,-76.287789|title = Google Maps|year = 2014|access-date = February 26, 2014}}</ref><ref name = "conservation plan"/> The stream has a watershed area of 33.0 square miles. It flows through Briar Creek Township and the borough of [[Briar Creek, Pennsylvania|Briar Creek]]. The area near the creek was originally inhabited by the [[Lenni Lenape]] and the [[Shawanese]]. European settlers arrived in the 1770s.
Briar Creek has two named tributaries: [[West Branch Briar Creek]] and [[East Branch Briar Creek]]. The discharge of Briar Creek ranges from 0.06 to 50 cubic feet per second. The water temperature of the creek ranges from {{convert|32|F|C}} to {{convert|80.96|F|C}}. The rock in the watershed mostly consists of [[sandstone]], [[siltstone]], [[mudstone]], [[limestone]], and [[shale]].
There are Pennsylvania State Game Lands in the watershed, as well as a lake known as the Briar Creek Reservoir. In the lake, the most common species of fish is [[yellow perch]].
==Course==
Briar Creek begins where [[Knob Mountain (Pennsylvania)|Knob Mountain]], Huntington Mountain, and Lee Mountain meet in western [[Briar Creek Township, Pennsylvania|Briar Creek Township]].<ref>{{Citation|author = USGS|url = http://www.usgwarchives.org/maps/pa/county/columb/usgs/centre.jpg|title = centre.jpg|year = 1979|access-date = February 24, 2014|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140607010404/http://www.usgwarchives.org/maps/pa/county/columb/usgs/centre.jpg|archive-date = June 7, 2014|df = mdy-all|author-link = USGS}}</ref><ref name="briarcre">{{Citation|author = USGS|url = http://www.usgwarchives.org/maps/pa/county/columb/usgs/briarcre.jpg|archive-url = https://archive.today/20140303210746/http://www.usgwarchives.org/maps/pa/county/columb/usgs/briarcre.jpg|url-status = dead|archive-date = March 3, 2014|title = briarcre.jpg|year = 1979|access-date = February 24, 2014|author-link = USGS}}</ref> It flows east for a short distance before turning south through a gap in Lee Mountain, briefly descending quite steeply. The course levels out as it leaves the mountain behind and begins flowing through a valley after a short distance.<ref name = "briarcre"/> It flows under [[Pennsylvania Route 93]], leaving the valley behind. Soon afterwards, the stream picks up the tributary West Branch Briar Creek and turns southeast.<ref name= "google maps"/><ref name = "briarcre"/> After some distance, it enters the community of [[Briar Creek, Pennsylvania|Briar Creek]] and picks up the tributary East Branch Briar Creek. The stream then turns southwest and reaches its confluence with the Susquehanna River near French Island.<ref name = "briarcre"/>
===Tributaries===
[[File:East Branch Briar Creek.JPG|thumb|left|East Branch Briar Creek, a major tributary of Briar Creek]]
Briar Creek has two named tributaries: East Branch Briar Creek and West Branch Briar Creek. East Branch Briar Creek joins Briar Creek {{convert|1.02|mi|km}} upstream of its mouth. It watershed has an area of {{convert|15.10|sqmi|km2}}. West Branch Briar Creek joins Briar Creek {{convert|2.74|mi|km}} upstream of its mouth. Its watershed has an area of {{convert|12.10|sqmi|km2}}.<ref name = "gaz">{{Citation|url = http://www.lycoming.edu/cwi/pdfs/paGazetterOfStreams.pdf|title = Pennsylvania Gazetteer of Streams|date = November 2, 2001|access-date = January 19, 2015|archive-date = September 17, 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150917160158/http://www.lycoming.edu/cwi/pdfs/paGazetterOfStreams.pdf|url-status = dead}}</ref>
==Hydrology==
The Briar Creek watershed falls into two of Pennsylvania's ten climate divisions: Division 1 (Pocono Mountains) and Division 5 (Central Susquehanna).<ref name = "conservation plan"/><ref>{{Citation|author = Earth System Research Laboratories|url = http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/data/usclimdivs/descript.html|title = ESRL|access-date = February 25, 2015|author-link = Earth System Research Laboratories}}</ref>
The [[discharge (hydrology)|discharge]] of Briar Creek about two miles (three kilometers) downstream of its headwaters ranges from {{nowrap|0.06}} to {{nowrap|39.1}} cubic feet per second (cfs), with a median of {{nowrap|0.685}} cfs. Just upstream of West Branch Briar Creek's confluence with the creek, the discharge ranges from {{nowrap|0.63}} to {{nowrap|22.1}} cfs, with a median of {{nowrap|4.03}} cfs. Near the mouth of the creek, the discharge ranges from {{nowrap|4.14}} to {{nowrap|50}} cfs. There is a median discharge of {{nowrap|18.5}} cfs at this point. On East Branch Briar Creek about two miles from its headwaters, the discharge ranges from {{nowrap|0.4}} to {{nowrap|10.425}} with a median discharge of {{nowrap|1.385}} cfs. Near Briar Creek Reservoir, East Branch Briar Creek's discharge has a minimum of {{nowrap|0.54}} cfs, a maximum of {{nowrap|11.5}} cfs, and a median of {{nowrap|4.645}} cfs. On West Branch Briar Creek, the discharge ranges from {{nowrap|0.67}} to {{nowrap|31.1}} cfs, with a median of {{nowrap|3.2}} cfs.<ref name = "conservation plan"/>
The water temperature of Briar Creek near its source ranges from {{convert|35.96|to|64.94|F|C}}, with a median of {{convert|51.44|F|C}}. This is the highest minimum temperature of any studied location in the watershed. Near West Branch Briar Creek's confluence with Briar Creek, the latter creek has a temperature range of {{convert|32|to|67.46|F|C}} and a median of {{convert|49.28|F|C}}. This is the lowest minimum temperature of any studied location in the drainage basin. Near its mouth, the temperature ranges from {{convert|32.18|to|80.96|F|C}}. The median temperature is {{convert|57.56|F|C}}. On West Branch Briar Creek, the temperature is a minimum of {{convert|35.6|F|C}}, a median of {{convert|57.38|F|C}}, and a maximum of {{convert|71.6|F|C}}. Two miles downstream of East Branch Briar Creek's headwaters, the median temperature is {{convert|49.73|F|C}} and the range is {{convert|32.18|to|71.42|F|C}}. Near Briar Creek Reservoir, the water temperature has a minimum of {{convert|32.18|F|C}}, a maximum of {{convert|78.62|F|C}}, and a median of {{convert|50.18|F|C}}.<ref name = "conservation plan"/>
Briar Creek is slightly alkaline on average. The [[pH]] of the creek near its mouth ranges from {{nowrap|7.16}} to {{nowrap|8.21}}, with a median of {{nowrap|7.7}}. Upstream of West Branch Briar Creek, the creek's pH ranges from {{nowrap|6.15}} to {{nowrap|7.69}}. The median is {{nowrap|7.45}}. Near the creek's headwaters, the pH ranges from {{nowrap|5.52}} to {{nowrap|7.47}} and has a median of {{nowrap|6.67}}. West Branch Briar Creek has a minimum pH of {{nowrap|6.96}}, a median pH of {{nowrap|7.87}}, and a maximum pH of {{nowrap|8.31}}. Not far from its headwaters, East Branch Briar Creek has a pH range of {{nowrap|6.78}} to {{nowrap|7.21}} and a median pH of {{nowrap|6.92}}. Near Briar Creek Reservoir, it has a pH range of {{nowrap|7.14}} to {{nowrap|8.73}} and a median pH of {{nowrap|7.565}}.<ref name = "conservation plan"/>
The level of [[total dissolved solids]] in Briar Creek near its source has a range of {{nowrap|50}} to {{nowrap|161}} parts per million (ppm) and a median of {{nowrap|96}} ppm. Upstream of West Branch Briar Creek, the range is {{nowrap|12}} to {{nowrap|98}} ppm and the median is {{nowrap|38}} ppm. Near Briar Creek's source, the median is {{nowrap|14}} ppm, the minimum is 10 ppm, and the maximum is {{nowrap|89}} ppm. The concentration of dissolved solids in the upper reaches of East Branch Briar Creek ranges from parts per {{nowrap|25}} to {{nowrap|113}} ppm, with a median of {{nowrap|35.5}} ppm. Immediately upstream of Briar Creek Reservoir, the concentration ranges from parts per {{nowrap|34}} to {{nowrap|86}} ppm, with a median of {{nowrap|43.5}} ppm.<ref name = "conservation plan"/>
==Geology and geography==
The watershed of Briar Creek is located in the [[ridge and valley]] physiographic region. The top of Lee Mountain forms a [[drainage divide]] between the creek's watershed and another watershed. Several points along Briar Creek and its tributaries have [[erosion|erode]] with ease or moderate ease. The [[infiltration capacity]] of these points is mostly moderate to high.<ref name = "conservation plan"/>
In the very northern reaches of the Briar Creek watershed, the [[bedrock]] is made up of [[sandstone]]. South of the sandstone layer, there is a section of the watershed where the bedrock is [[mudstone]]. In the central part of the watershed, the bedrock is [[siltstone]]. In the southern part of the watershed, the bedrock is mostly [[shale]], including the part of the watershed in Berwick, which it has bedrock of [[calcerous shale]]. A small area north of Berwick has [[limestone]] bedrock.<ref name = "conservation plan"/>
There are a number of types of soil in the Briar Creek watershed. One of these is the Holly Series, which is an acidic [[silt loam]]. Places in the watershed where the Holly Series is found include Briar Creek about one mile upstream of the mouth of West Branch Briar Creek, West Branch Briar Creek about {{convert|1.5|mi|km}} upstream of its mouth, and near Briar Creek Reservoir. Another soil series in the drainage basin is the Buchanan Series, an acidic stony loam. Places it is found include Briar Creek about two miles downstream of its headwaters. The Albrights Series, a silt loam with gravel, is also found in the watershed, in such places as East Branch Briar Creek two miles downstream of its headwaters. The Chenango Series is a silt loam that occurs, among other places, in the southeastern and southern corners of the watershed. The Watson Series and the Middlebury Series (sandy and silty loams, respectively) are found in parts of the central part of the Briar Creek watershed. The Zipp Series is a somewhat acidic silt loam that occurs in places such as the Cabin Run watershed.<ref name = "conservation plan"/>
Briar Creek is between {{convert|25|ft|m}} and {{convert|30|ft|m}} wide. Its tributary West Branch Briar Creek is about {{convert|15|ft|m}} wide.<ref name = "troutunlimited"/>
==Watershed==
[[File:Briar Creek Lake in August.JPG|thumb|Briar Creek Reservoir in August]]
The Briar Creek watershed has an area of {{convert|33.0|sqmi|km2}}.<ref name = "gaz"/> It is located in Columbia County and [[Luzerne County, Pennsylvania|Luzerne County]]. There are six communities that are fully or partly within the watershed: Briar Creek, Briar Creek Township, [[North Centre Township, Pennsylvania|North Centre Township]], [[Orange Township, Pennsylvania|Orange Township]], and [[Berwick, Pennsylvania|Berwick]] in Columbia County and [[Salem Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania|Salem Township]] in Luzerne County. A total of 1.04 square miles are located in Briar Creek, 16.48 are located in Briar Creek Township, 12.04 are located in North Centre Township, 0.22 are located in Orange Township, 1.24 are in Berwick, and 1.94 are in Salem Township. As compared to other watersheds with the same size and [[land use]], the Briar Creek watershed has been given a B rating by the [[Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection]]. According to the Briar Creek Coldwater Conservation Plan, this indicates that "residents in the watershed are working to improve and/or conserve resources in the area".<ref name = "conservation plan"/>
A total of 8678 acres, or 41% of the Briar Creek watershed is forested land. Much of this is on Knob Mountain or belongs to the Pennsylvania State Game Lands Number 55. A total of 7210 acres, or 34% of the watershed, is farmland and 1143 acres, or 6% of the watershed, is urban land. Most of this is in the southeastern part of the watershed. A total of 3984 acres, or 19% of the land in the watershed, is non-agricultural grassland.<ref name = "conservation plan"/>
There are approximately {{convert|44.23|mi|km}} of streams in the Briar Creek watershed. The watershed is made up of seven smaller watersheds, or sub-watersheds.<ref name = "conservation plan"/> A 53-acre lake known as the [[Briar Creek Reservoir]] is also situated on a tributary to Briar Creek.<ref name = "conservation plan"/><ref name = "placenames"/> The lake, which is [[manmade lake|manmade]], was constructed for [[flood control]] purposes in the early 1970s. It is also used for fishing and boating.<ref name = "placenames">{{Citation|author = Walter M. Brasch|title = Columbia County Place Names|pages = 28–29|year = 1982|author-link = Walter M. Brasch}}</ref>
==History and etymology==
Briar Creek was historically known as the "Kawanishoning" to the area's Native Americans.<ref name = "annals"/> This name was a [[Lenni Lenape]] word for "sweet briar". However, the creek was also referred to as "Kawanishoning Creek" by white soldiers and explorers during the time of the [[American Revolutionary War]]. By 1770, some maps began referring to the creek as Bryar Creek, which became the more common name by the end of the eighteenth century and remained so as late as 1840. However, the spelling gradually changed to Brier Creek and then Briar Creek.<ref name = "placenames"/>
Up to approximately 1770, the area around Briar Creek was inhabited by the [[Lenni Lenape]] Indians. They built villages on the banks of the creek.<ref name = "conservation plan"/> The [[Shawanese]] also had a village at the mouth of the creek.<ref>{{Citation|author = John Gosse Freeze|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ZjwuAAAAYAAJ&q=%22Briar+Creek%22+columbia+county+pa+-township+-borough&pg=PA101|title = A History of Columbia County, Pennsylvania: From the Earliest Times|page = 101|year = 1888|access-date = March 2, 2014}}</ref> In the 1770s, European settlers arrived in the area.<ref name = "conservation plan"/> The White family from [[New Jersey]] was among the first families of settlers to arrive in the Briar Creek valley.<ref name = "annals"/> The Briar Creek area was one of the first places in Columbia County to be settled, on account of the high level of fertility of the land.<ref name = "conservation plan"/> The area around Briar Creek was part of [[Northumberland County, Pennsylvania|Northumberland County]] in the late 1700s. In 1799, Samuel Ely was granted a patent from the state of Pennsylvania for 307 acres of land on Briar Creek known as "Manheim". In 1806, he gained a 426-acre tract of land on the creek. This tract was known as "Quincy". Ely's four sons inherited the land.<ref name = "annals">{{Citation|author = J.H. Beers|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=2EkVAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA746|pages = 3, 746, 1009|title = Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania|year = 1915|access-date = March 2, 2014}}</ref>
In the beginning of the 1800s, a number of [[watermill|mills]] were built on tributaries of the creek. A number of other industries were established in the watershed in the early 1800s, including a [[sawmill]], a [[woolen mill]], an [[iron furnace]], and a [[tannery]]. In the second half of the 1800s, railroads began to be built in the watershed. [[Heavy industries]] and fisheries also began to appear in the area around this time.<ref name = "conservation plan">{{Citation|author = Briar Creek Association for Watershed Solutions, Columbia County Conservation District|url = http://www.coldwaterheritage.org/docs/2009-grantees/briar-creek-conservation-plan.pdf?sfvrsn=0|title = Briar Creek Watershed Coldwater Conservation Plan Columbia County, PA|pages = 9–13, 16–24, 29–37|date = December 12, 2012|access-date = February 27, 2014|archive-date = February 25, 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150225155612/http://www.coldwaterheritage.org/docs/2009-grantees/briar-creek-conservation-plan.pdf?sfvrsn=0|url-status = dead}}</ref>
By 1911, two dams had been constructed on Glen Brook (a subtributary of Briar Creek) in Briar Creek Township two miles north of Berwick. In 1911, the first dam, known as Number One, had a capacity of 15 million gallons. The second dam, known as Number Two, had a capacity of 7.5 million gallons. In 1911, a third dam was under construction several hundred feet downstream of the two aforementioned dams. It was intended to have a capacity of 23.8 million gallons.<ref name = "report">{{Citation|author = Pennsylvania Department of Health|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=6MwKAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA663|title = Report, Part 1|page = 663|year = 1911|access-date = March 2, 2014|author-link = Pennsylvania Department of Health}}</ref>
The [[Briar Creek Watershed Association]] is a [[watershed association]] for Briar Creek. It was formed in 2006.<ref name = "conservation plan"/>
==Biology==
[[Pennsylvania State Game Lands#55]] are in the Briar Creek watershed. The [[Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources]] has designated the Briar Creek watershed as "place of ecological importance".<ref name = "conservation plan"/>
More than 90 species of birds [[Breeding in the wild|breed]] within the Briar Creek watershed.<ref name = "conservation plan"/> These include several species of [[duck]]s, [[Tyrant flycatcher|flycatcher]]s, [[heron]]s, [[plover]]s, [[Rallidae|rails]], and [[swallow]]s, as well as one species of [[kingfisher]] and one species of [[crane (bird)|crane]]. [[Bald eagles]], [[sandhill crane]]s, and several species of [[waterfowl]] have been observed on Briar Creek Reservoir. Mammals living in the watershed include [[mink]]s, [[muskrat]]s, and [[short-tailed shrew]]s, and the endangered [[Indiana bat]]. Fish, [[damselfly|damselflies]], [[mayfly|mayflies]], and other macroinvertebrates also inhabit the watershed. A total of 28 species of fish were observed by the [[Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission]] in the watershed in 2006. Earlier, 34 species were observed.<ref name = "conservation plan"/>
In April 2010, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission performed a survey of the fish species residing in Briar Creek Reservoir. The most common fish observed were [[yellow perch]] (645 specimens), [[brown bullhead]] (322 specimens), [[golden shiner]] (319 specimens), [[white crappie]] (216 specimens), [[hatchery trout]] (153 specimens), and [[bluegill]] (121 specimens). The largest fish observed were [[common carp]], of which two specimens between {{convert|23|in|cm}} and {{convert|25|in|cm}} were observed. The smallest fish were [[pumpkinseed]], of which 12 specimens between two and four inches (five and ten centimeters) were observed.<ref name = "pfbc"/> [[Minnow]]s also live in West Branch Briar Creek.<ref name = "troutunlimited"/>
==Recreation==
[[File:Briar Creek Park sign.JPG|thumb|Sign for the Briar Creek Lake Park]]
Briar Creek Reservoir is located in the Briar Creek watershed, on East Branch Briar Creek.<ref name = "conservation plan"/> It is owned by the [[Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission]] and Columbia County.<ref name="pfbc">{{Citation|author = Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission|url = http://fishandboat.com/images/reports/2010bio/4x05_21briar.htm|title = Briar Creek Lake Columbia County April 2010|date = April 2010|access-date = March 2, 2014|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140714123914/http://fishandboat.com/images/reports/2010bio/4x05_21briar.htm|archive-date = July 14, 2014|df = mdy-all}}</ref> It was originally constructed to control floods, but most recreational activities in the watershed take place at this lake. These include fishing, picnicking, and weddings. There are also Pennsylvania State Game Lands in the watershed.<ref name = "conservation plan"/> The waters of Briar Creek are approved trout waters and the stream is [[fish stocking|stocked]] with trout.<ref name = "troutunlimited">{{Citation|author = A. Joseph Armstrong|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=mhRawG_jSJgC&q=%22West+Branch+Briar+Creek%22&pg=PA241|title = Trout Unlimited's Guide to Pennsylvania Limestone Streams|page = 111|date = January 1, 2000|access-date = March 2, 2014|isbn = 9780811729444}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|author = Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission|url = http://www.fish.state.pa.us/fishpub/summary/troutregs_ne.htm|title = Trout Fishing Regulations NORTHEAST REGION - Regulated Trout Waters|year = 2014|access-date = March 2, 2014|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140322042427/http://www.fish.state.pa.us/fishpub/summary/troutregs_ne.htm|archive-date = March 22, 2014|df = mdy-all}}</ref>
==See also==
*[[Tenmile Run (Susquehanna River)|Tenmile Run]], next tributary of the Susquehanna going downstream
*[[Nescopeck Creek]], next tributary of the Susquehanna going upstream
*[[List of rivers of Pennsylvania]]
==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
{{Susquehanna River System}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|41.040779|-76.287875|type:river_globe:earth_region:US-PA|display=title}}
{{Good article}}
[[Category:Rivers of Columbia County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Tributaries of the Susquehanna River]]
[[Category:Rivers of Pennsylvania]]