West Branch Schuylkill River
| West Branch Schuylkill River West Branch | |
|---|---|
Topographic map of the West Branch Schuylkill River watershed in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania with the black line denoting the watershed boundary | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| Counties | Schuylkill |
| Cities | Buck Run, Glen Dower, Minersville, Pottsville, Cressona, Schuylkill Haven |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Buck Run, Pennsylvania, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania |
| • coordinates | 40°42′45″N 76°18′27″W / 40.71250°N 76.30750°W |
| • elevation | 1,200 ft (370 m) |
| Mouth | Schuylkill River |
• location | Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
• coordinates | 40°38′3″N 76°10′51″W / 40.63417°N 76.18083°W |
• elevation | 600 ft (180 m) |
| Length | 13 mi (21 km) |
| Basin size | 21 sq mi (54 km2) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Dyer Run, Wagner Run, Wheeler Creek, Beaver Creek |
| • right | Indian Run, Panther Creek |
The West Branch Schuylkill River (also known simply as the West Branch) is an approximately 12.9-mile-long (20.8 km) tributary of the Schuylkill River in central Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, with a watershed approximately 21 square miles (54 km2) in size. Several small communities are located in the watershed, which include Beaver Meadows, Buck Run, Glen Dower, Minersville, Pottsville, Cressona, and Schuylkill Haven.
Mild amounts of acid mine drainage affect the West Branch and its tributaries. From its headwaters near Interstate 81, the river flows southeast through several water gaps in the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, ending at its confluence with the Schuylkill River in Schuylkill Haven.