Geology

The geology of a watershed influences a watershed in many ways, from the types of minerals in the water to the direction of flow and the flow pattern.  The Tunkhannock Creek Watershed is composed of many streams, which are a part of the Susquehanna River drainage system.  A majority of the streams demonstrate a drainage pattern known as dendritic  – this is developed when water flows over a uniform surface and there are no other factors determining the course of flow.  Pennsylvania is divided into seven physiographic provinces, and the Northeastern state belongs to the Appalachian Plateau province.  The landscape as we see it now has undergone thousands and thousands of years of slow, but extreme changes.  The shape of the Tunkhannock Creek Watershed and those surrounding it are resultant of glaciers.  The last glacial advance was determined to occur approximately 12-15,000 years ago, leaving behind glacial deposits that formed ponds, lakes, streams, and all the other geologic features that distinguish this Northeastern mountain and valley terrain.  For a more detailed explanation of the geology of the Tunkhannock Creek Watershed, click here.

http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/topogeo/index.htm (A link to Pennsylvania’s DCNR Pa. Geological Survey)

http://college.hmco.com/geology/resources/geologylink/index.html

What is a Watershed, Water Cycle, Habitats, Human Impacts on Water Quality, Global Water Issues, Macroinvertebrates, Geology, Groundwater