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Collins Creek is a tributary of Mill Creek in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is approximately 2.8 miles (4.5 km) long and flows through Pittston Township and Dupont.[1] The watershed of the creek has an area of 1.39 square miles (3.6 km²). The creek has no named tributaries, but several drainage ditches flow into it. It is a Coldwater Fishery and is not impaired. The creek is one source of flooding in Pittston Township.

Collins Creek
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	near the base of a hill in Pittston Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
• elevation	between 1,260 and 1,280 feet (380 and 390 m)
Mouth
• location	Mill Creek in Dupont, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
• coordinates	41°18′35″N 75°44′55″W
• elevation	873 ft (266 m)
Length	2.8 mi (4.5 km)
Basin size	1.39 sq mi (3.6 km2)
Discharge
• average	0.10 to 3.70 cubic feet per second (0.0028 to 0.1048 m3/s)
Basin features
Progression	Mill Creek → Lackawanna River → Susquehanna River → Chesapeake Bay

Course

Collins Creek begins near the base of a hill in Pittston Township. It flows north for a short distance before turning northwest for several tenths of a mile. It then turns west before turning southwest and then west again. Several tenths of a mile further downstream, the creek enters Dupont and turns southwest for a few tenths of a mile, reentering Pittston Township. It then turns west-southwest for several tenths of a mile before reaching its confluence with Mill Creek.[1]

Collins Creek joins Mill Creek 3.66 miles (5.89 km) upstream of its mouth.[2]

Tributaries

Collins Creek has no named tributaries.[1] However, a number of drainage ditches lead into the creek.[3]

Hydrology

Collins Creek is not considered to be impaired.[4] Pittston Township and the borough of Dupont have permits to discharge stormwater into the creek.[5]

The peak annual discharge of Collins Creek at its mouth has a 10 percent chance of reaching 230 cubic feet per second. It has a 2 percent chance of reaching 390 cubic feet per second and a 1 percent chance of reaching 470 cubic feet per second. It has a 0.2 percent chance of reaching 680 cubic feet per second.[6]

The peak annual discharge of Collins Creek at the border between Pittston Township and Dupont has a 10 percent chance of reaching 200 cubic feet per second. It has a 2 percent chance of reaching 340 cubic feet per second and a 1 percent chance of reaching 400 cubic feet per second. It has a 0.2 percent chance of reaching 580 cubic feet per second.[6]

The discharge of Collins Creek was measured several times in the middle of the 20th century. The values ranged from 0.10 to 3.70 cubic feet per second.[7]

Geography and geology

The elevation near the mouth of Collins Creek is 873 feet (266 m) above sea level.[8] The elevation near the creek's source is between 1,260 and 1,280 feet (380 and 390 m) above sea level.[1]

The headwaters of Collins Creek are on a ridge near the Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport. It also passes by the International Trade Zone Industrial Park and loses water to a mine pool, as does the nearby Lidy Creek.[9]

Watershed and biology

The watershed of Collins Creek has an area of 1.39 square miles (3.6 km²).[2] The stream is entirely within the United States Geological Survey quadrangle of Avoca.[8] The creek is one of the main tributaries of Mill Creek. Its watershed is "high quality" and mountainous (as is the case with Collins Creek).[9] According to the Lackawanna River Watershed Conservation Plan, the creek's location on United States Geological Survey quadrangle maps is erroneous.[9]

Collins Creek is designated as a Coldwater Fishery.[5] There is a stream site operated by the United States Geological Survey on the creek in Dupont.[10]

Collins Creek is a source of flooding in Pittston Township.[6]

History

Collins Creek was entered into the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. Its identifier in the Geographic Names Information System is 1172217.[8]

A storm in 1955 caused high waters on Collins Creek. However, there was little flooding in Pittston Township during that storm.[6] In 1990, a tanker truck spilled 8000 gallons of gasoline in the area, causing emergency operations to be performed in the watershed of the creek.[3] In 2002, the replacement of a bridge carrying Interstate 81 over the creek in Dupont was authorized for $1,100,000.[11] Collins Creek and Lidy Creek were subjected to a restoration project that was approved in 2007. It was carried out by Sikora Brothers Paving Co. for $46,709. The Federal Emergency Management Agency funded $45,000.[12]

See also

• Lidy Creek, next tributary of Mill Creek going downstream
• List of rivers of Pennsylvania
• List of tributaries of the Lackawanna River

References

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