Turtle Creek (Monongahela River)

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Turtle Creek
Kitfry-1-.jpg
1751 map depicting "Turtle C" near top, just left of center
Origin Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Mouth Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Basin countries United States
Mouth elevation 722 feet (220 meters)
River system Monongahela River

Turtle Creek is a 21.1-mile-long (34.0 km)[1] tributary of the Monongahela River in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.[2] At its juncture with the Monongahela is Braddock, Pennsylvania, where the Battle of the Monongahela ("Braddock's Defeat") was fought in 1755. In the mid-19th century, the Pennsylvania Railroad laid tracks along the stream as part of its Main Line from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh.

Course

The headwaters of Turtle Creek are in Delmont. The stream flows west and enters the Monongahela River at North Versailles Township.

History

Turtle Creek is the English translation of the Native American name.[3]

Watershed

Photo of the George Westinghouse Bridge over the Turtle Creek Valley.

The Turtle Creek watershed is the region drained by Turtle Creek. Sixty-six percent of its area is in Westmoreland County, with the balance in Allegheny County. Turtle Creek's source is in Delmont, Westmoreland County and its mouth on the Monongahela River is in North Versailles Township, Allegheny County. The watershed's area is 147.41 square miles (381.79 km2). It drains forests, farmlands, abandoned mines, and urban and suburban communities. 33 municipalities span the watershed. The lower watershed drains a heavily industrial area between the cities of Pittsburgh and McKeesport.[4]

Subwatersheds include the following:

  • Abers Creek 10.64 square miles (27.56 km2)
  • Ardmore Run 3.16 square miles (8.18 km2)
  • Lower Brush Creek 17.43 square miles (45.14 km2)
  • Upper Brush Creek 26.13 square miles (67.68 km2)
  • Bushy Run 13.94 square miles (36.10 km2)
  • Dirty Camp Run 3.23 square miles (8.37 km2)
  • Haymaker Run 10.97 square miles (28.41 km2)
  • Lyons Run 8.78 square miles (22.74 km2)
  • Sawmill Run 2.02 square miles (5.23 km2)
  • Steel's Run 4.81 square miles (12.46 km2)
  • Thompson Run 15.87 square miles (41.10 km2)
  • Lower Turtle Creek 10.02 square miles (25.95 km2)
  • Middle Turtle Creek 7.43 square miles (19.24 km2)
  • Upper Turtle Creek 12.98 square miles (33.62 km2).

See also

References

  1. U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map, accessed August 15, 2011
  2. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. Turtle Tracks, Fall 2000

External links