Carbon and Schuylkill County

Prepared By:Carbon County Department of Planning and Development

-The combined watershed encompasses an area of approximately 133 square miles, and includes land in both Carbon and Schuylkill Counties. The combined watershed includes the Nesquehoning Creek, Mauch Chunk Creek, Mahoning Creek, and the Lizard Creek, all of which discharge to the Lehigh River.

-Present land use is a mix of forestland, agricultural land, abandoned mines, and urban areas. The existing urban areas cover the lower portions of the watershed, but several large State Game Lands are in the upper reaches of the combined watersheds.

-Steep sloping mountain ridges characterize the combined watersheds. The four watersheds are situated between well-defined ridges from northwest to southeast. The ridges are mainly forested and the valleys are predominately farmland and urban areas.

Nesquehoning Creek is the northernmost watershed. It encompasses a 34 square mile drainage area between Broad Mountain to the northwest and Nesquehoning Mountain and Pisgah Mountain to the southeast. Approximately 7.2 square miles of the watershed is located in Schuylkill County while 26.7 square miles is located in Carbon County. The watershed encompasses four municipalities.

1. Nesquehoning Borough, Carbon County

2. Packer Township, Carbon County

3. Lehigh Township, Carbon County

-The Nesquehoning Creek Watershed originates in a forested area on the slopes of Broad Mountain. It flows south for about two miles then turns to the northeast and flows into Greenwood Reservoir. Approximately 600 feet downstream from the spillway, it discharges into Lake Hauto. It then continues to the northeast in a relatively narrow valley. The stream then travels down a narrow undeveloped section to its confluence with the Lehigh River.

-The heavily forested, relatively steep slopes of Broad and Nesquehoning Mountains characterize the land within the watershed.

-The Nesquehoning Creek valley consists of some residential and industrial development. Urban development is concentrated in the Borough of Nesquehoning and Hometown.

-Large areas in the valley have been disturbed by coal mining related activities. Much of the runoff from strip mines is retained in abandoned pits and therefore lesser amounts of surface runoff is discharged into Nesquehoning Creek.

- Mauch Chunk is the located between the Nesquehoning Creek and Mahoning Creek watersheds. It encompasses a 8.8 square mile drainage area between Pisgah Mountain to the northwest and Mauch Chunk Ridge to the southeast. Approximately 0.7 square miles of the watershed is located in Schuylkill County while 8.1 square miles is located in Carbon County. The watershed encompasses three municipalities.

1. Jim Thorpe Borough, Carbon County

2. Summit Hill Borough, Carbon County

3. Tamaqua Borough, Schuylkill County

-The Mauch Chunk Creek Watershed contains the smallest drainage area of the four streams in the combined watershed.

--The Mauch Chunk Creek Watershed originates in Tamaqua Borough between the Pisgah Mountain an Mauch Chunk Ridge approximately four miles east of Route 309. It flows northeast for about three miles through forest and some agricultural land to the Mauch Chunk Lake. It then flows for another four miles through forest until Jim Thorpe Borough near the confluence with the Lehigh River.

-The heavily forested, relatively steep slopes of Pisgah and Mauch Chunk Ridge characterize the land within the watershed.

-The Mauch Chunk Creek valley consists of residential and small-scale agricultural use. Urban development is concentrated in the Boroughs of Summit Hill and Jim Thorpe.

-Mahoning Creek is the located between the Mauch Chunk Creek and Lizard Creek watersheds. It encompasses a 38.3 square mile drainage area between Mauch Chunk Ridge to the northwest and Mahoning Mountain to the southeast. Approximately 14 square miles of the watershed is located in Schuylkill County while 24.3 square miles is located in Carbon County. The watershed encompasses six municipalities.

1. Lehighton Borough, Carbon County

2. Jim Thorpe Borough, Carbon County

3. Summit Hill Borough, Carbon County

4. East Penn Township, Carbon County

5. Mahoning Township, Carbon County

6. West Penn Township, Schuylkill County

-The Mahoning Creek originates in a broad valley containing farming and residential development. Its source is located in West Penn Township approximately 4 miles south of Tamaqua Borough. It flows generally to the northeast through farmland and several sparsely populated villages.

-The heavily forested slopes along Mauch Chunk Ridge and the moderately forested slopes of the Mahoning Mountain characterize the land within the watershed.

-Lizard Creek is the southernmost and largest watershed of the combined watersheds. It encompasses a 51.5 square mile drainage area between Mahoning Mountain to the northwest and Blue Mountain to the southeast. Approximately 31.3 square miles of the watershed is located in Schuylkill County while 19.8 square miles is located in Carbon County. The watershed encompasses three municipalities.

1. East Penn Township, Carbon County

2. Mahoning Township, Carbon County

3. West Penn Township, Schuylkill County

-The Lizard Creek originates in a broad valley containing small-scale farms and residences. Its source is located in West Penn Township approximately 8 miles south of Tamaqua Borough. It flows generally to the northeast through farmland and sparsely populated villages.

-The heavily forested slopes along Lizard Creek and the moderately forested slopes of the Mahoning Mountain characterize the land within the watershed.