What is "spring creek"

A spring creek is a type of free flowing river whose name derives from its origin: an underground spring or set of springs which produces sufficient water to consistently feed a unique river. The water flowing in a spring creek may be additionally be fed by snow pack or rain run-off, as in most traditional free-flowing rivers, but often the entire water source for a spring creek is an aquifer or other underground water source. For this reason, spring creeks are often filled with very pure, clean water and also demonstrate water flows that are smooth, consistent, and unwavering throughout the seasons of the year - unlike rivers filled with run-off or spring and summer melt-off from snow pack, whose water flows, water clarity, and water conditions often vary highly over the course of the year. In addition, water temperatures in spring creeks tend to vary less throughout the seasons of the year than traditional creeks and rivers because they are fed by underground water sources. Because of the depths of these water sources, spring creeks often emerge from their source or headwaters very cold and stay that way over the length of their runs. In addition, due to the consistent water flows and the fact that spring creek water is "pushed" by the force of pressure from the source rather than "pulled" by the force of gravity downhill, spring creeks can flow through very flat sections of land with minimal depths over grades that might not sustain run-off creeks and rivers. In these low-grade or flat sections of spring creeks, water flows can appear almost laminar with the surface of the creek appearing to be nearly flat and without the prominent riffles and surface disturbances caused by more rough or uneven surface bottoms found below free-stone run-off creeks and rivers surfaces.

Due to the characteristics described above, spring creeks are often well known in the context of trout and other freshwater fly fishing as excellent riparian habitats. Trout, particularly sport fish such as brown trout and rainbow trout, often thrive and grow rapidly in spring creeks due not only to the consistent water flows and low temperatures, but also due to the advantageous insect environments they foster. Insects such as mayflies (baetis and callibaetis, among others) and caddis flies find spring creek habitats very appealing and often live, mate, and hatch on these waterways in great numbers throughout the year. Because these insects in pupal and winged form represent the principal diet of freshwater trout, the fish living in spring creeks often have ample food supply throughout the year. This element of spring creek habitats, combined with the advantageous water conditions, can create the ideal conditions for large, healthy, hefty local populations of the kind of trout that fly fisherman pursue.

Some examples of spring creeks famous for their fly fishing conditions are the Henrys Fork, in southeastern Idaho, the Silver Creek, in central southern Idaho, and the Metolius River, in central Oregon. In this context, fly fisherman often refer to creeks and rivers as "like a spring creek" if the water flows and habitat display the characteristics described above.

Spring Creek is a tributary of the Knife River, approximately 50 mi (80 km) long, in western North Dakota in the United States.

It rises in the Killdeer Mountains, in Dunn County, and flows east across the prairie country, past Killdeer, Dunn Center, Halliday, and Zap. It joins the Knife near Beulah.

Spring Creek, in Sonoma County, California, is a stream that rises in the northern part of the Sonoma Mountains within Annadel State Park, draining the western slopes of Taylor Mountain and feeding into Matanzas Creek below the Matanzas Creek Reservoir.

The waters of Spring Creek ultimately reach the Pacific Ocean just south of Jenner, California by way of Matanzas Creek, Santa Rosa Creek, the Laguna de Santa Rosa, Mark West Creek, and the Russian River.

Spring Creek is a tributary of the Flint River in southwest Georgia in the United States.

Rising in the northeastern corner of Clay County, north of Bluffton, the creek flows south to join the Flint River in Lake Seminole, approximately upstream of that river's confluence with the Chattahoochee River to form the Apalachicola River, which flows through Florida to the Gulf of Mexico.

Spring Creek is a creek that divides Harris and Montgomery County in Southeast Texas. It is the only natural creek in both Harris and Montgomery County. The Creek flows into the west fork of the San Jacinto River west of Lake Houston. Spring Creek flows through the cities of Tomball, the northern part of Spring, The Woodlands, and Kingwood.

Spring Creek is a tributary of Bald Eagle Creek in Centre County, Pennsylvania in the United States.

Spring Creek passes through a water gap in Bald Eagle Mountain and joins Bald Eagle Creek at Milesburg.

The stream is the site of a kayak and canoe slalom training center, located along Sunnyside Boulevard in Bellefonte. Removal of the McCoy & Linn dam in 2007 now permits a Class I whitewater run of about 3 miles (at higher water levels) from Bellefonte to Milesburg.

Spring Creek is a small river in southwestern Minnesota. It is a headwater to the Yellow Medicine River, which is a tributary to the Minnesota River. Springs are part of the source of the creek's water, hence the name. In the winter, the springs may cause the ice to be thinner and weaker over and downstream of the spring. Spring Creek has a perennial length of , and can reach a total length of when conditions permit. Spring Creek flows entirely within the boundaries of Yellow Medicine County.

The shallow water can be completely frozen in the cold winters, which results in fish kill. Increasing environmental pressures have degraded the amount of game fish present. In past years, it was not unusual to find large Northern Pike and other predatory species. Most fish caught are bullheads and carp. Grasses and trees border the river for much of its length, and provides habitat for a variety of wildlife. Due to the large number of trees edging the creek, there are many fallen trees which make navigation by canoe difficult or impossible. Beavers have also taken advantage of the trees and built several dams.

Spring Creek is a tributary of the Cache La Poudre River in the state of Colorado in the United States.

Spring Creek begins north of Horsetooth Mountain within Horsetooth Mountain Park just west of Fort Collins, Colorado and flows into Horsetooth Reservoir. 1 After leaving Horsetooth Reservoir out of Spring Canyon Dam, Spring Creek flows through central Fort Collins just south of Colorado State University. 2 For most of its passage through the city, it is paralled by the city-maintained Spring Creek Trail.

The Spring Creek Trail follows Spring Creek through several parks in mid Fort Collins. It currently extends from Spring Canyon park at the southern end of Overland Trail to the confluence of Spring Creek and the Poudre River where it joins the Poudre Trail. The Spring Creek Trail extends through a new underpass of Taft Hill Road. This highly popular trail continues to Spring Canyon Community Park and the Pineridge Natural Area. The Spring Creek Trail is 6.6 miles.3

Spring Creek is a tributary of the Little Kanawha River in western West Virginia in the United States. Via the Little Kanawha and Ohio rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of in a rural region on the unglaciated portion of the Allegheny Plateau. It is long, or long including its Left Fork.

Spring Creek is formed just south of the city of Spencer in northern Roane County by the confluence of the Left Fork Spring Creek, long, which rises near the community of Clover and flows northwestward, paralleled for most of its course by West Virginia Route 36; and the Right Fork Spring Creek, long, which rises near the community of Speed and flows northward, paralleled for most of its course by U.S. Route 119. From the confluence of its forks, Spring Creek flows northward through Spencer and northern Roane County into southeastern Wirt County, where it flows into the Little Kanawha River from the south at the community of Sanoma, approximately southeast of Elizabeth.

Little Spring Creek is a tributary of Spring Creek, long, in northeastern Roane County.

Charles Mill Lake, approximately southeast of Spencer, is formed by a dam on the Charles Fork, a tributary of the Left Fork Spring Creek. The lake was constructed in 1974 and is owned by the city of Spencer; it is operated as a recreation area for boating, fishing, hiking, biking, and camping.

According to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, approximately 79.5% of the Spring Creek watershed is forested, mostly deciduous. Approximately 18.7% is used for pasture and agriculture.

Spring Creek is a stream in Macon County, Illinois. A tributary of Stevens Creek, itself a tributary of the Sangamon River, Spring Creek originates just northeast of the town of Forsyth before emptying into Stevens Creek west of Horace B. Garman Park in Decatur, Illinois.

Spring Creek is a stream in Victoria County, Texas, in the United States.

Spring Creek was named from its source at a clear spring. A 1970 newspaper article reports the stream's waters had been since muddied by industrial pollution.

Spring Creek is a stream in the U.S. state of Ohio. The stream is a tributary of the Great Miami River.

Spring Creek was so named for the fact it is a spring-fed creek.

Spring Creek is a tributary of the Sangamon River in the U.S. state of Illinois. After rising in Morgan County, it flows into Sangamon County and discharges into the Sangamon River. In the lower part of its course, it flows through the city of Springfield, bordering Springfield's Oak Ridge Cemetery and the tomb of Abraham Lincoln.

The tributary can be fished from its banks, and is known for bullhead, carp, channel catfish, and sucker. The maximum depth of the creek is 2 feet (0.6 m) at mean waterflow.

According to the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), there are 10 streams having the name Spring Creek in the state of Illinois.