Little Nescopeck Creek

Little Nescopeck Creek
Little Nescopeck Creek looking upstream near its mouth
Satellite map of Little Nescopeck Creek. The red dot is the stream's source and blue dot is its mouth.
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Butler Township
Mouth
• location	Sybertsville
• elevation	900 ft (270 m)
Length	8.5 mi (13.7 km)
Basin size	14 sq mi (36 km2)

Little Nescopeck Creek is a tributary of Nescopeck Creek in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is approximately 8.5 miles (13.7 km) long and flows through Butler Township, Sugarloaf Township, and Conyngham.^[1] The watershed of the creek has an area of 14.0 square miles (36 km²). The creek is acidic and receives mine water from the Jeddo Tunnel. The main rock formation in the watershed is the Mauch Chunk Formation. However, the Pottsville Formation also appears in some areas. Soil series in the drainage basin include the Arnot Series, the Basher Series, and various other soil types.

There is one source of acid mine drainage in the watershed of Little Nescopeck Creek: the Jeddo Tunnel. Major roads in the creek's watershed include Interstate 80, Pennsylvania Route 93, and Pennsylvania Route 309. Additionally, wetlands occur in the drainage basin. The watershed of the creek was inhabited by 8000 B.C.E. However, European settlers did not arrive until the 18th century. The Sugarloaf Massacre occurred near the creek in 1780. Recreational opportunities in the watershed include swimming and boating, and there are golf courses, public parks, and rail-trails in within the watershed.

The watershed of Little Nescopeck Creek is designated as a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery. Several fish species inhabit the creek near its headwaters, but there is no aquatic life downstream of the Jeddo Tunnel. Fourteen amphibian species and eight reptile species also inhabit the watershed; some of them breed there as well. Dozens of species of insects and macroinvertebrates live in the creek's drainage basin. Common mammals include white-tailed deer, cottontail rabbits, and others. Plants inhabiting the watershed include conifer and hardwood trees, herbs, legumes, and grasses.