Swatara Creek

The Waterville Bridge over the headwaters of Swatara Creek in Swatara State Park

The Swatara Creek ( also Swatara River ) is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania. It has a length of 114 km and a catchment area of ​​about 1470 km ².

The river rises in Foster Township ( Schuylkill County) at the Broad Mountain, a mountain range of the Appalachian Mountains, about 460 meters above the sea. In the upper reaches of Swatara Creek cuts through several of the parallel Appalachian mountain ranges - first Sharp Mountain and Second Mountain. After passing through the village Pine Grove, follows the Swatara Gap breakthrough by the Blue Mountain. Then the Swatara Creek in flatter terrain occurs and increases with the Little Swatara Creek 's largest tributary on. Other major tributaries are Quittapahilla Creek on the left side and Manada Creek and Beaver Creek on the right side. In the lower reaches of Swatara Creek forms numerous meanders and flows in the places Jonestown and Hummelstown over the southwest. At Middletown in Dauphin County, the river eventually empties into the Susquehanna River.

From its mouth to the Quittapahilla Creek was built in the early 19th century along the Swatara Creeks of the Union Canal. A feeder channel from a reservoir at Pine Grove led by the Swatara Gap to the south and served the Union Canals of the water supply. Here the Swatara State Park covers since 1971 along the river's northern bank.

The breakthrough valleys of the Swatara Creek by Second and Blue Mountain are now used by Interstate 81.