Overview
Coal Brook is a tributary of the Lackawanna River in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is approximately long and flows through Fell Township and Carbondale. The watershed of the stream has an area of . The stream experiences flow loss and is impaired by flow alterations and metals. Most of its length is heavily impacted by past mining and the lower reaches are in an underground culvert. The Coal Brook Colliery was historically in the stream's watershed. Coal Brook is a first-order stream and is designated as a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery.
Course
Coal Brook begins on a mountain in Fell Township. It flows south-southeast for several tenths of a mile before turning east for several hundred feet. The stream then turns south for approximately a mile before entering Carbondale. At this point, it turns southeast. A few tenths of a mile further downstream, it reaches its confluence with the Lackawanna River.
Hydrology
Coal Brook is designated as an impaired stream. The causes of the impairment are flow alterations and metals. The likely source of the impairment is abandoned mine drainage. Coal Brook experiences total flow loss. However, a comprehensive restoration project could restore flow and a natural channel to Coal Brook. In October 2000, stream flow disappeared in a reach upstream of Dundaff Road.
Geography and geology
The elevation near the mouth of Coal Brook is above sea level. The elevation of the stream's source is between above sea level. Its headwaters are in mountain springs.
Watershed
The watershed of Coal Brook has an area of . The mouth of the stream is in the United States Geological Survey quadrangle of Waymart. However, its source is in the quadrangle of Carbondale. Coal Brook is a first-order stream. Dundaff Road is slightly to the east of its headwaters.
History
Coal Brook was entered into the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. Its identifier in the Geographic Names Information System is 1172047.
Biology
The drainage basin of Coal Brook is designated as a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery. As of the early 1990s, no macroinvertebrates inhabit the stream. At the headwaters of Coal Brook, the stream has a substantial riparian buffer consisting of native trees and understory. However, some logging has occurred in its vicinity. Further downstream, successional and invasive vegetation occurs along the stream channel.
See also
*Racket Brook, next tributary of the Lackawanna River going downriver *Wilson Creek (Lackawanna River), next tributary of the Lackawanna River going upriver *List of rivers of Pennsylvania *List of tributaries of the Lackawanna River