Mahoning Creek: A Few Statistics

Photo Credit: https://meadhunt.com/project/mahoning/
researched and compiled by Carrie Birdsong

Source:
     1.     Location: valley in Madison Township,
             Columbia County, PA.
     2.     Elevation: between 1,080 and 1,100
             feet (330 and 340 m).
Mouth:
     1.     Location: Susquehanna River in
             Danville, Montour County, PA.
     2.     Elevation: 463 feet (141 m).
Length: 10.6 mi (17.1 km).
Basin Size: 39.6 sq mi (103 km2)
Progression: Susquehanna River à Chesapeake Bay.
Tributaries:
     Left: Sechler Run, Kase Run.
     Right: Mauses Creek.

The Mahoning Creek is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in Columbia and Montour Counties in Pennsylvania. Approximately around 10.6 long and it flows through Madison Township in Columbia County, and West Hemlock Township, Derry Township, Valley Township, Mahoning Township, and Danville in Montour County. Its tributaries include Kase Run, Mauses Creek, and Sechler Run. Mahoning Creek is designated as a Trout-Stocking Fishery and a Migratory Fishery for part of its length and as a Warmwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery for the remainder.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection considers Mahoning Creek impaired by siltation. The main rock formations in the watershed include the Trimmers Rock Formation, the Clinton Group, the Catskill Formation, the Hamilton Group, the Bloomsburg and Mifflintown Formation, the Onondaga and Old Port Formation, and the Wills Creek Formation. Most of the watershed is forested or agricultural land, but there is some developed land.

Mahoning Creek begins in a valley in Madison Township, and flows south for a short distance before turning west-southwest for almost a mile, and exits Columbia County. Once the creek leaves Columbia County, it enters West Hemlock Township, Montour County, then flowing south-southwest alongside Pennsylvania Route 642 for a few miles before crossing Pennsylvania Route 642 and entering Derry Township. The creek then turns south for a few miles and enters Valley Township. Once in Valley Township, it continues its southerly route in its valley and crosses Pennsylvania Route 642 once again. Almost a mile further downstream, it crosses Interstate 80 and receives Kase Run, its first named tributary from the left. The creek meanders west for almost a mile, and then turns southwest, flowing alongside Pennsylvania Route 642 once again. Not far from Mausdale, Mahoning Creek crosses Pennsylvania Route 642 and Pennsylvania Route 54 and receives the tributary Mauses Creek from the right. The creek then turns southeast and begins flowing alongside Pennsylvania Route 54 into Mahoning Township and through a water gap in Montour Ridge. It enters Danville and leaves the water gap behind, turning south-southwest and crossing U.S. Route 11. After almost a mile, the creek receives Sechler Run, its last-named tributary, from the left, and turns west-northwest. After several tenth of a mile, it exits Danville and enters Mahoning Township briefly before turning sharply southeast and reentering Danville. A short distance from Danville, the creek reaches its confluence with the Susquehanna River, which is 136.26 miles (219.29 km) upstream of its mouth.