Rattling Run (Little Mahanoy Creek tributary)

File:Rattling_Run_looking_downstream_in_Gordon.JPG

Rattling Run begins on a mountain in Butler Township. It flows west-southwest for a few tenths of a mile before turning northwest and flowing through the Gordon Reservoir. The stream then turns west-southwest for several tenths of a mile, entering a valley and flowing alongside Highridge Park Road/Gordon Mountain Road. It then turns northwest for several tenths of a mile before turning north-northwest and entering Gordon. Here, it leaves its valley and continues flowing north-northwest. After a few tenths of a mile, it reaches its confluence with Little Mahanoy Creek.

Rattling Run joins Little Mahanoy Creek {{convert|0.32|mi|km}} upstream of its mouth.{{Citation|url = http://www.lycoming.edu/cwi/pdfs/paGazetterOfStreams.pdf|title = Pennsylvania Gazetteer of Streams|page = 118|date = November 2, 2001|access-date = December 23, 2015}}

Rattling Run is not designated as an impaired waterbody.{{Citation|author = United States Environmental Protection Agency|url = http://oaspub.epa.gov/tmdl/attains_waterbody.control?p_list_id=&p_au_id=PA2312&p_cycle=2006&p_state=PA&p_report_type=A|title = 2006 Waterbody Report for Rattling Run|access-date = December 23, 2015}} In general, the mouth of Rattling Run was found to have a slightly lower pH and slightly lower nutrient concentrations than Little Mahanoy Creek.

The discharge of Rattling Run was measured to be {{convert|9.61|cuft/s|m3/s}} in March 2001 and {{convert|1.99|cuft/s|m3/s}} in August 2001. The concentrations of dissolved oxygen were {{convert|12.3|and|8.3|mg/L|oz/cuft|sp=us}}, respectively. In March 2001, the pH of the stream was 5.7 and the net alkalinity concentration was {{convert|3|mg/L|oz/cuft|sp=us}}, while in August 2001, the pH was 6.5.

The concentration of dissolved aluminum in Rattling Run was {{convert|0.14|mg/L|oz/cuft|sp=us}} in March 2001 and {{convert|0.01|mg/L|oz/cuft|sp=us}}. The concentrations of dissolved manganese and iron in the stream were {{convert|0.09|and|0.01|mg/L|oz/cuft|sp=us}} in March 2001 and {{convert|0.01|and|0.01|mg/L|oz/cuft|sp=us}} in August 2001.

The dissolved nitrate concentration in Rattling Run was {{convert|0.10|mg/L|oz/cuft|sp=us}} in March 2001 and {{convert|0.18|mg/L|oz/cuft|sp=us}} in August 2001. The dissolved phosphorus concentration was {{convert|0.03|mg/L|oz/cuft|sp=us}} in March and less than {{convert|0.01|mg/L|oz/cuft|sp=us}} in August. The dissolved sulfate concentration was {{convert|7|and|6|mg/L|oz/cuft|sp=us}} in March and August 2001, respectively.

The elevation near the mouth of Rattling Run is {{convert|810|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:1184693,Rattling%20Run|title = Feature Detail Report for: Rattling Run|access-date = December 23, 2015}} The elevation of the stream's source is {{convert|1460|ft|m}} above sea level.

Rattling Run is a few miles to the south of the Western Middle Anthracite Field.{{Citation|url = http://mine-drainage.usgs.gov/pubs/cravotta/SIR_2004-5291.pdf|title = Effects of Abandoned Coal-Mine Drainage on Streamflow and Water Quality in the Mahanoy Creek Basin, Schuylkill, Columbia, and Northumberland Counties, Pennsylvania, 2001|pages = 9, 16, 18, 31|date = November 2, 2001|access-date = December 23, 2015}} The stream has experienced some erosion along the sides and bottom of its channel.{{Citation|author = Helena Kovalewski|newspaper = Evening Herald|url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/3876620//|title = Proposed flood control measures for Gordon explained|page = 1|date = June 30, 1976|access-date = December 23, 2015}}

The watershed of Rattling Run has an area of {{convert|2.75|sqmi|km2}}. The mouth of the stream is in the United States Geological Survey quadrangle of Ashland. However, its source is in the quadrangle of Minersville.

A reservoir known as the Gordon Reservoir is on Rattling Run. In 1970, it was owned by the Butler Township Water Company.{{Citation|author = Susquehanna River Basin Commission|url =https://books.google.com/books?id=H6BPAAAAYAAJ&q=%22Rattling+Run%22+gordon+pa|title = Susquehanna River Basin study, Volume 11|year = 1970}}

The designated use for Rattling Run is aquatic life.

Rattling Run flooded during Hurricane Agnes in April 1972, causing $350,000 in damage and significant damage to nearby structures.{{Citation|author = Federal Emergency Management Agency|url = https://www.rampp-team.com/county_maps/pennsylvania/schuylkill/schuylkill_pa_fis_tables1.pdf|title = Flood Insurance Study Volume 1 Of 2 Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania|page = 14|date = June 30, 2010|access-date = December 23, 2015}}

Rattling Run was entered into the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. Its identifier in the Geographic Names Information System is 1184693.

Rattling Run was stocked with 1000 adult and yearling rainbow trout at least once in the early 1900s.{{Citation|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=w1pLAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA88|title = Report of the Commissioner for ...|page = 88|year = 1904|last1 = Commission|first1 = United States Fish}} Improvements were made to the stream in 1937.{{Citation|url = http://files.usgwarchives.net/pa/schuylkill/history/local/gord001.txt|title = A history of Gordon, Pennsylvania from 1788 to 1952|access-date = December 23, 2015}} Flood control proposals for Rattling Run in Gordon were made in 1976.

A steel culvert bridge carrying Gordon Mountain Road over Rattling Run was built in 1959 and is {{convert|24.0|ft|m}} long.{{Citation|url = http://www.uglybridges.com/pa/schuylkill/|title = Schuylkill County|access-date = December 23, 2015}}

In June 1991, it was reported that raw sewage was being piped from homes directly into Rattling Run and Little Mahanoy Creek.{{cite web | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1955&dat=19910616&id=5vkhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9KIFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1047,93093&hl=en | title=Gordon Approves Plan for Public Sewer System |work=Reading Eagle | date=Jun 16, 1991 | access-date=27 December 2015 | author=Moore, Chester A.}}

In 2001, neither fish nor macroinvertebrates were observed in Rattling Run at Gordon. The stream is classified as a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery.{{Citation|work = Pennsylvania Bulletin|url = http://www.pabulletin.com/secure/data/vol44/44-35/1820b.html|title = The Pennsylvania Clean Streams Law and the Federal Clean Water Act: Final actions taken for NPDES permits and WQM permits|date = August 30, 2014|access-date = December 23, 2015|postscript=. "CWF" in source denotes "Cold Water Fishery" and "MF" in source denotes "Migratory Fishery"}}

• List of rivers of Pennsylvania
• List of tributaries of Mahanoy Creek

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{cite web | last=Usalis | first=John E. | title=Flooding a vivid memory for northern Schuylkill residents | work=Standard Speaker | date=June 26, 2011 | url=http://standardspeaker.com/news/flooding-a-vivid-memory-for-northern-schuylkill-residents-1.1167134 | access-date=December 27, 2015}}

• [http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/qwdata/?site_no=0155521486&agency_cd=USGS&inventory_output=0&rdb_inventory_output=file&TZoutput=0&pm_cd_compare=Greater%20than&radio_parm_cds=all_parm_cds&format=html_table&qw_attributes=0&qw_sample_wide=wide&rdb_qw_attributes=0&date_format=YYYY-MM-DD&rdb_compression=file&submitted_form=brief_list USGS 0155521486 Rattling Run at Gordon, PA]

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Category:Rivers of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania

Category:Tributaries of Mahanoy Creek

Category:Rivers of Pennsylvania