Six Springs Creek

Six Springs Creek begins in a valley near Interstate 380 in Spring Brook Township. It flows south for several tenths of a mile and crosses Pennsylvania Route 307 before turning southwest, receiving two unnamed tributaries from the left and entering a valley. In the valley, the creek gradually turns west-northwest, passing through several ponds and receiving three more unnamed tributaries: one from the left and two from the right. The creek eventually turns southwest and after a short distance, reaches its confluence with Rattlesnake Creek.

Six Springs Creek joins Rattlesnake Creek {{convert|3.40|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|access-date = March 30, 2015}}

The waters of Six Springs Creek used to be potable. However, runoff from septic tanks has caused the creek to experience substantial pollution.{{Citation|author = Jim Van Nostrand|newspaper = Times Leader|url = http://archives.timesleader.com/1993_9/1993_07_27_PG_W_WANTS_WATERSHED_REZONED_FOR_HOUSES_COMPANY_SAYS_IT_HAS_NO_P.html|title = PG&W wants watershed rezoned for houses company says it has no plans to build, but Pittston Township officials wonder why, then, the zoning should be changed|date = July 27, 1993|access-date = March 30, 2015}} In 1984 Our Water: Legacy in Peril described the creek as being "a catch basin for runoffs from a car wash, laundromat and malfunctioning septic tanks".{{Citation|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=uHnWAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Six+Springs+Creek%22|title = Our Water: Legacy in Peril}} One entity also has a permit to discharge stormwater into the creek.{{Citation|work = Pennsylvania Bulletin|url = http://www.pabulletin.com/secure/data/vol37/37-7/248a.html|title = VI. NPDES Individual Permit Applications for Discharges of Stormwater Associated with Construction Activities|access-date = March 30, 2015}}

The waters of Six Springs Creek indirectly feed into the Nesbitt Reservoir, an unfiltered reservoir owned by the Pennsylvania Gas and Water Company. However, the officials of the company made plans to improve the chlorination facilities of the pipelines carrying water from the reservoir.

The elevation near the mouth of Six Springs Creek is {{convert|1450|ft|m}} above sea level.{{Citation|author = Geographic Names Information System|url = http://gnis.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=136:3:0::NO::P3_FID,P3_TITLE:1187734,Six%20Springs%20Creek|title = Feature Detail Report for: Six Springs Creek|access-date = March 30, 2015}} The elevation of the creek's source is between {{convert|1700|and|1720|ft|m}} above sea level.

The surficial geology in the vicinity of Six Springs Creek mainly consists of a glacial or resedimented till known as Wisconsinan Till. However, patches of bedrock consisting of conglomeratic sandstone, sandstone, and shale are also present, as are smaller areas of Wisconsinan Ice-Contact Stratified Drift. There are also a few patches of wetland.{{Citation|author = Duane D. Braun|url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/cs/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_015813.zip|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140524155752/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/cs/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_015813.zip|url-status = dead|archive-date = May 24, 2014|title = Surficial geology of the Moscow 7.5-minute quadrangle, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania|page = 14|year = 2007|access-date = March 30, 2015}}

IH Land Development, Inc. has received a permit to construct and maintain a road and a driveway crossing through {{convert|0.18|acre|m2}} of wetland in the watershed of Six Springs Creek. The purpose of this project is to provide access to Tranquility Woods Residential Development, just south of the corner of Pennsylvania Route 690 and Maple Lake Road.{{citation|work = Pennsylvania Bulletin|url = http://www.pabulletin.com/secure/data/vol35/35-52/2375a.html|title = Applications received under the Dam Safety and Encroachments Act (32 P. S. §§ 693.1–693.27) and section 302 of the Flood Plain Management Act (32 P. S. § 679.302) and requests for certification under section 401(a) of the FWPCA (33 U.S.C.A. § 1341(a)).|access-date = March 30, 2015}}

The watershed of Six Springs Creek has an area of {{convert|2.95|sqmi|km2}}. The watershed is mostly in Spring Brook Township. However, a small part is in Covington Township.{{Citation|url = http://planning.co.wayne.pa.us/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Wayne_Watersheds_Major_Lackawanna-and-Surroundings_36x48.pdf|title = Lackawanna River Watershed in Wayne County, Pennsylvania|access-date = March 30, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150427142919/http://planning.co.wayne.pa.us/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Wayne_Watersheds_Major_Lackawanna-and-Surroundings_36x48.pdf|archive-date = April 27, 2015}} The creek is entirely within the United States Geological Survey quadrangle of Moscow.

There is a tract of Exceptional Value wetland in the watershed of Six Springs Creek.

Six Springs Creek was entered into the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. Its identifier in the Geographic Names Information System is 1187734.

In 2001, the Lackawanna River Watershed Conservation Plan recommended that Spring Brook Township include protection of Six Springs Creek in their zoning plans.{{Citation|author = Lackawanna River Corridor Association |url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/cs/groups/public/documents/document/DCNR_001596.pdf|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150923213128/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/cs/groups/public/documents/document/DCNR_001596.pdf|url-status = dead|archive-date = September 23, 2015|title = Lackawanna River Watershed Conservation Plan|page = 111|year = 2001|access-date = March 30, 2015}} A culvert carrying Swartz Valley Road across the creek was constructed some time before 2011. It was damaged during Tropical Storm Lee in 2011 and plans were later made to replace it for $263,730.{{Citation|author = David Singleton|newspaper = The Times-Tribune|url = http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/renegotiated-contract-to-save-lackawanna-county-thousands-1.1543580|title = Renegotiated contract to save Lackawanna County thousands|date = August 29, 2013|access-date = March 30, 2015}}

Wild trout naturally reproduce in Six Springs Creek 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 = 46|date = January 2015|access-date = March 30, 2015}} The watershed of the creek is designated as a High-Quality Coldwater Fishery.

• List of rivers of Pennsylvania
• List of tributaries of the Lackawanna River

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Category:Rivers of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania

Category:Tributaries of Spring Brook (Lackawanna River)

Category:Rivers of Pennsylvania