Culley Run

File:Culley Run looking downstream.JPG

Culley Run begins in a valley in Benton Township between Steinbuck Road and Cully Run Road. It flows southeast for several hundred feet, alongside Cully Run Road. It then turns east for a short distance and then turns south, still following the road. After a few tenths of a mile, the stream crosses Pennsylvania Route 254 and turns east-southeast for several tenths of a mile, flowing alongside Pennsylvania Route 254. After several tenths of a mile, it crosses Pennsylvania Route 254 again. Several hundred feet further downstream, it reaches its confluence with Fishing Creek, not far from the community of Maple Grove.

Culley Run joins Fishing Creek {{convert|21.16|mi|km}} upstream of its mouth.{{Citation|url = http://www.lycoming.edu/cwi/pdfs/paGazetterOfStreams.pdf|title = Pennsylvania Gazetteer of Streams|date = November 2, 2001|accessdate = December 22, 2014}}

The elevation near the mouth of Culley Run is {{convert|718|ft|m}} above sea level.{{Citation|author = Geographic Names Information System|author-link = Geographic Names Information System|url = http://gnis.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=136:3:0::NO::P3_FID,P3_TITLE:1172817,Culley%20Run|archive-url = https://archive.today/20141222180258/http://gnis.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=136:3:0::NO::P3_FID,P3_TITLE:1172817,Culley+Run|url-status = dead|archive-date = December 22, 2014|title = Feature Detail Report for: Culley Run|accessdate = December 22, 2014}} The elevation of the stream's source is between {{convert|860|and|880|ft|m}} above sea level.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has made plans to put {{convert|75|ft|m}} of rock slope protection on the right bank of Culley Run at a location {{convert|0.75|mi|km}} west of the intersection of Pennsylvania Route 254 with Pennsylvania Route 487. This project was expected to permanently affect {{convert|75|ft|m}} of Culley Run and {{convert|110|ft|m}} of Fishing Creek.{{Citation|work=Pennsylvania Bulletin |url = http://www.pabulletin.com/secure/data/vol29/29-49/2047b.html|title = [29 Pa.B. 6125] [Continued from previous Web Page]|accessdate = December 22, 2014}} The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation also has a permit to maintain a box culvert made of reinforced concrete on the stream. This culvert is {{convert|14.0|ft|m}} long and {{convert|5.5|ft|m}} high and is sunk {{convert|1|ft|m}} into the streambed.{{Citation|work=Pennsylvania Bulletin |url = http://www.pabulletin.com/secure/data/vol31/31-17/727d.html|title = [31 Pa.B. 2284] [Continued from previous Web Page] AIR QUALITY|accessdate = December 22, 2014}}

Culley Run flows over alluvium in its lower reaches. This alluvium contains stratified sand, silt, gravel, and some boulders. It is approximately {{convert|6|ft|m}} thick. Colluvium can also be found in the vicinity of the stream's lower reaches. It contains shale and sandstone pieces of various sizes. A glacial till known as the Illinoian Till can be found in the upper reaches of the stream's watershed. Bedrock containing red and gray sandstone and shale also occurs in the watershed.{{Citation|author = Duane D. Braun|url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/cs/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_20026689.zip|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140524163520/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/cs/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_20026689.zip|url-status = dead|archive-date = May 24, 2014|title = Surficial geology of the Benton 7.5-Minute Quadrangle, Columbia and Lycoming Counties, Pennsylvania|page = 16|year = 2012|accessdate = December 22, 2014}}

There is a bridge carrying Pennsylvania Route 254 over the stream. The bridge was repaired at one point for a cost of $104,000.{{Citation|url = http://www.ctbpls.com/www/PA/11R/AMD/H2701A09087.PDF|title = Legislative Reference Bureau Amendments to House Bill No. 1915|accessdate = December 22, 2014}}

The watershed of Culley Run has an area of {{convert|1.45|sqmi|km2}}. The stream is entirely in the United States Geological Survey quadrangle of Benton.

Culley Run was entered into the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. Its identifier in the Geographic Names Information System is 1172817.

In 2004, the Columbia County Natural Areas Inventory recommended protecting Culley Run.{{Citation|author = The Pennsylvania Science Office of The Nature Conservancy|url = http://www.naturalheritage.state.pa.us/CNAI_PDFs/Columbia%20County%20NAI%202004.pdf|title = Columbia County Natural Areas Inventory 2004|page = 57|year = 2004|accessdate = December 22, 2014}}

Culley Run is also known as Colley Run.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?ei=TG3BVJObEcbsUvqrg8AF&id=0erXAAAAMAAJ&dq=colley+run|first=Walter M.|last=Brasch|author-link = Walter Brasch|title = Columbia County Place Names|page = 58|year = 1982|publisher=Columbia County Historical Society}} Walter M. Brasch asserts in his 1982 book Columbia County Place Names that Colley Run is the correct name of the stream, although it is officially known as Culley Run. Brasch states that the stream is most likely named after Alexander Colley, Sr., a surveyor and teacher who served on the Pennsylvania legislature from 1822 to 1823.

• Karnes Hollow, next tributary of Fishing Creek going downstream
• West Creek (Pennsylvania), next tributary of Fishing Creek going upstream
• List of tributaries of Fishing Creek (North Branch Susquehanna River)
• List of rivers of Pennsylvania

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Category:Rivers of Columbia County, Pennsylvania

Category:Tributaries of Fishing Creek (North Branch Susquehanna River)

Category:Rivers of Pennsylvania