Big Wapwallopen Creek
| Big Wapwallopen Creek | |
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Big Wapwallopen Creek in Hollenback Township in June 2015
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| Other name(s) | Wapwallopen Creek, Big Wap |
| Etymology | nearby Native American village |
| Basin features | |
| Main source | Crystal Lake in Bear Creek Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania between 1,920 and 1,940 feet (590 and 590 m) |
| River mouth | Susquehanna River on the border between Conyngham Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania and Nescopeck Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania 495 ft (151 m) 41°04′22″N 76°08′06″W / 41.07277°N 76.13506°WCoordinates: 41°04′22″N 76°08′06″W / 41.07277°N 76.13506°W |
| Progression | Susquehanna River → Chesapeake Bay |
| Basin size | 53.2 sq mi (138 km2) |
| Tributaries |
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| Physical characteristics | |
| Length | 23 mi (37 km) |
| Discharge |
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Big Wapwallopen Creek (also known as Wapwallopen Creek or Big Wap) is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is approximately 23 miles (37 km) long and flows through Bear Creek Township, Fairview Township, Rice Township, Wright Township, Dorrance Township, Hollenback Township, Nescopeck Township, and Conyngham Township. The watershed of the creek has an area of 53.2 square miles (138 km2). The creek has three named tributaries: Balliet Run, Watering Run, and Bow Creek. The creek is designated as a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery and is also Class A Wild Trout Waters for part of its length. However, a portion is considered to be impaired by organic enrichment and/or low levels of dissolved oxygen and its pH ranges from moderately acidic to slightly alkaline.
Big Wapwallopen Creek has three large waterfalls, all of which are more than 25 feet (7.6 m) high. The creek flows through the Wapwallopen Gorge in its lower reaches, where it descends 210 feet (64 m). It mainly flows through rock formations consisting of sandstone and shale. The creek has existed for several million years, but the portion of its course that flows through the Wapwallopen Gorge is less than 20,000 years old. The creek's watershed is mainly rural and most of it is forested. It is the main source of flooding in six townships.
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