page_title: Chillisquaque Creek
section_title: Geography, geology, and climate
hierarchical_section_title: Chillisquaque Creek / Geography, geology, and climate
caption_attribution_description: English: Chillisquaque Creek near Washingtonville, Pennsylvania
context_page_description: Chillisquaque Creek is a tributary of the West Branch Susquehanna River in Montour County and Northumberland County, in Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is approximately 20.2 miles long and flows through Derry Township, Washingtonville, and Liberty Township in Montour County and East Chillisquaque Township and West Chillisquaque Township in Northumberland County. The watershed of the creek has an area of 112 square miles. Agricultural impacts have caused most of the streams in the watershed of the creek to be impaired. Causes of impairment include sedimentation/siltation and habitat alteration. The average annual discharge of the creek between 1980 and 2014 ranged from 48.2 to 146.0 cubic feet per second. Its watershed mainly consists of rolling agricultural land. The creek's channel flows through rock formations consisting of sandstone and shale. It is a warmwater stream.
  The watershed of Chillisquaque Creek occupies parts of four counties: Columbia County, Montour County, Northumberland County, and Lycoming County. There is a gauging station along the creek near Washingtonville.
context_section_description: The elevation near the mouth of Chillisquaque Creek is 430 feet (130 m) above sea level. The elevation of the creek's source is approximately 520 feet (160 m) above sea level. The gradient of the creek is about 3 feet per mile (0.57 m/km).
  The upper reaches of the watershed of Chillisquaque Creek are in the Muncy Hills. Montour Ridge is located to the south of the watershed. Additionally, Limestone Ridge is situated near the creek. The creek's drainage basin mainly consists of rolling agricultural land, with some forested floodplains. Much of the central part of Montour County is in the 100-year floodplain of the creek and its tributaries. In places, it has high, muddy banks, and is generally "placid", save for some riffles and gravel bars. It is rarely blocked by fences and fallen trees, but there are a few strainers. A seep is located along the creek near the Bucknell preserve and a spring is located below Pennsylvania Route 54.
  Chillisquaque Creek cuts a broad and almost flat valley through rock of the Hamilton Group. It is 2 to 3 miles (3.2 to 4.8 km) wide and rarely rises to more than 50 feet (15 m) higher than the creek. A 1775 map shows the creek's headwaters as being at Tilghmans Springs. However, A. Joseph Armstrong (author of Trout Unlimited's Guide to Pennsylvania Limestone Streams) was unable to find the springs. The creek is between 20 and 30 feet (6.1 and 9.1 m) wide and has no apparent limestone influence, despite being near Limestone Ridge and flowing through Limestone Township.
  Chillisquaque Creek flows in a generally southwesterly direction. The channel of the creek is sinuous and flows through rock formations consisting of sandstone and shale. Oriskany sandstone and Lower Helderberg limestone occur on Limestone Ridge near it. Oriskany cherty sandstone occurs near the confluence of the tributary Mud Creek. Additionally, Black Genesee shales have also been observed near the creek, as does the Tully limestone. Rock of the Hamilton Group is common in the area as well and is in places covered with sandstone boulders of the Pocono Formation. Hydric soils occur along it in central Montour County.
  In the early 1900s, the average annual rate of precipitation in the watershed of Chillisquaque Creek was 35 to 45 inches (89 to 114 cm). The creek has relatively warm water.
caption: Chillisquaque Creek below Washingtonville
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