Coal Run (North Branch Buffalo Creek tributary)

Coal Run begins near a valley in Lewis Township. It flows southeast for several tenths of a mile before entering West Buffalo Township. Immediately upon entering that township, the stream turns east-southeast for several tenths of a mile, receiving one unnamed tributary from the left. It then flows east for a few miles, receiving three more unnamed tributaries from the left. After a while, it turns east-southeast for a few tenths of a mile before turning east again and receiving another unnamed tributary from the left. The stream then flows east-northeast for several tenths of a mile until it reaches its confluence with North Branch Buffalo Creek.

Coal Run joins North Branch Buffalo Creek {{convert|0.46|mi|km}} upstream of its mouth.{{Citation|url = http://www.lycoming.edu/cwi/pdfs/paGazetterOfStreams.pdf|title = Pennsylvania Gazetteer of Streams|page = 48|date = November 2, 2001|access-date = August 4, 2015}}

Coal Run has no named tributaries. However, it has a number of unnamed tributaries. The stream codes of these unnamed tributaries include 19039, 19041, and 19042.{{Citation|author=Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection |url=http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/watermgt/wqp/wqstandards/TMDL/Buffalo_Creek_TMDL.pdf |title=Buffalo Creek tributaries TMDL Union and Centre Counties |page=12 |date=August 2011 |access-date=August 5, 2015 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151210195100/http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/watermgt/wqp/wqstandards/TMDL/Buffalo_Creek_TMDL.pdf |archive-date=December 10, 2015 }}

Various tributaries to Coal Run are designated as impaired waterbodies. The cause of the impairment is nutrients and siltation, while the source is grazing-related agriculture. The total maximum daily load date is 2015. Streams in its watershed are also impacted by E. coli and thermal radiation. The stream and a number of others in Union County have been described as "not as clean as they should be".{{Citation|author = Rick Dandes|newspaper = The Daily Item|url = http://www.dailyitem.com/news/work-begins-to-clean-area-streams/article_a7fe50c1-8902-56bc-a1dd-7202b9a655aa.html|title = Work begins to clean area streams|date = April 28, 2008|access-date = August 5, 2015}}

In 2000, the load of sediment in Coal Run was {{convert|608838|lb|kg}} and in 2008, it was {{convert|571464|lb|kg}}. This equates to between {{convert|150|and|200|lb/acre|kg/ha}} per year. However, in the future, it could be reduced by 61.76 percent to {{convert|218504|lb|kg}} per year. In 2000, row crops and streambank erosion were the largest contributors of sediment, contributing {{convert|289101|and|230144|lb|kg}}, respectively. A total of {{convert|56742|lb|kg}} came from hay and pastures, {{convert|9808|lb|kg}} came from unpaved roads, {{convert|5639|lb|kg}} came from low-density urban land, and {{convert|17404|lb|kg}} came from other sources.

The nitrogen load of Coal Run in 2000 was {{convert|58691|lb|kg}}, while in 2008, it was {{convert|58248|lb|kg}}. This corresponds to between {{convert|15|and|20|lb/acre|kg/ha}}. In the future, the annual nitrogen load could be reduced by as much as 20.57 percent to {{convert|46264|lb|kg}}.

In 2000, the phosphorus load of Coal Run was {{convert|2033|lb|kg}}, while in 2008, it was {{convert|1999|lb|kg}}. This equates to slightly less than {{convert|0.6|lb/acre|kg/ha}} per year. However, in the future, the phosphorus load could be reduced by 43.82 percent to {{convert|1123|lb|kg}} per year.

The elevation near the mouth of Coal Run is {{convert|538|ft|m}} above sea level.{{Citation|author = Geographic Names Information System|url = http://gnis.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=136:3:0::NO:3:P3_FID,P3_TITLE:1172067,Coal%20Run|title = Feature Detail Report for: Coal Run|access-date = August 4, 2015}}{{Dead link|date=July 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The elevation of the stream's source is between {{convert|740|and|760|ft|m|0}} above sea level.

There is no fencing or streambank stabilization in the watershed of Coal Run.

The watershed of Coal Run has an area of {{convert|5.33|sqmi|km2}}. The stream is entirely within the United States Geological Survey quadrangle of Mifflinburg. The watershed of the stream makes up 3 percent of the Buffalo Creek drainage basin. There are {{convert|13.4|mi|km}} of streams in the watershed, including {{convert|6.1|mi|km}} in agricultural land.{{Citation|author = Union County Conservation District, Buffalo Creek Watershed Alliance|url = http://www.pacd.org/webfresh/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/UnionCIP.pdf|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130731010340/http://www.pacd.org/webfresh/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/UnionCIP.pdf|url-status = dead|archive-date = 2013-07-31|title = 319 Watershed Implementation Plan: Buffalo Creek Watershed Union County, PA|pages = 24 29–30, 50, 57–59, 81–87|date = November 2008|access-date = August 4, 2015}}

Agricultural land makes up 50 percent of the watershed of Coal Run and forested land makes up 40 percent. Impervious surface make up 3 percent of the watershed, though this could rise to 24 percent in the future. There are {{convert|21|acre|ha}} of no-till conversions in the watershed.

The agricultural land in the watershed of Coal Run includes {{convert|974|acre|ha}} of row crops and {{convert|969|acre|ha}} of hay and pastures. A total of {{convert|346|acre|ha}} of agricultural land are on slopes of more than 3 percent.

Coal Run was entered into the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. Its identifier in the Geographic Names Information System is 1172067.

A steel arch bridge carrying T-394 over Coal Run was built in 1984. It is {{convert|21.0|ft|m}} long and is located {{convert|1|mi|km}} north of Mifflinburg.{{Citation|url = http://www.uglybridges.com/pa/union/|title = Union County|access-date = August 4, 2015}}

Wild trout naturally reproduce in Coal Run from its headwaters downstream to its mouth.{{Citation|author = Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission|url = http://fishandboat.com/trout_repro.pdf|title = Pennsylvania Wild Trout Waters (Natural Reproduction)|page = 92|date = May 2015|access-date = August 4, 2015|archive-date = July 1, 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150701171657/http://www.fishandboat.com/trout_repro.pdf|url-status = dead}}

Vegetated buffer strips occur along {{convert|3.3|mi|km}} of streams in the watershed of Coal Run.

The pathogen load of Coal Run is 7.058 × 10¹⁵ organisms per month, though this could be reduced to 6.686 × 10¹⁵ organisms per month in the future. The largest contributors of pathogens are urban areas and farm animals (6.526 × 10¹⁵ and 5.503 × 10¹⁴ organisms per month, respectively). Septic systems and wildlife contribute 1.054 × 10¹² and 4.451 × 10¹¹ organisms per month, respectively.

• Panther Run, next tributary of North Branch Buffalo Creek going upstream
• List of rivers of Pennsylvania

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Category:Rivers of Union County, Pennsylvania

Category:Tributaries of Buffalo Creek (West Branch Susquehanna River)

Category:Rivers of Pennsylvania