Corn Run Explained

Corn Run
Source1 Location:near Breezy Acres in Catawissa Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania
Mouth Location:Susquehanna River in Catawissa, Columbia County, Pennsylvania
Mouth Coordinates:40.9581°N -76.4647°W
Progression:Susquehanna River → Chesapeake Bay
Name Etymology:named after the corn that fell into it during a 1904 flood
Length:2.8miles
Source1 Elevation:780feetto800feetft (toft)
Mouth Elevation:459feet
Basin Size:2.29sqmi

Corn Run is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is approximately 2.8miles long and flows through Catawissa Township and Catawissa. The stream's watershed has an area of 2.29sqmi. Corn Run was historically known as Roberts Run. The stream is listed as a coldwater fishery.

Course

Corn Run begins near the community of Breezy Acres in Catawissa Township. It flows southwest for approximately half a mile before receiving an unnamed tributary and turning south for a short distance. The stream then picks up another unnamed tributary and turns west-southwest for some distance, receiving another unnamed tributary along the way. It eventually starts flowing parallel to State Route 3015 and turns south and enters Catawissa. In Catawissa, the stream turns east, crosses a railroad, and reaches its confluence with the Susquehanna River.

Corn Run joins the Susquehanna River 146.17miles upstream of its mouth.

Geography

The elevation near the mouth of Corn Run is 459feet above sea level. The elevation near its source is between 780feet and 800feet. There are some steep slopes in the vicinity of the stream.

There are seven obstructions on Corn Run and they are assigned numbers between 31 and 37. The obstructions include a stone box, a concrete box, an iron culvert, and several others.

Watershed

The watershed of Corn Run has an area of 2.29sqmi. Parts of the watershed are forested and there are also some ponds near the stream. However, the areas of the watershed that are within the stream's flood boundary are moderately populated residential areas.

A total of 1.16sqmi of land in the watershed of Corn Run are in flood zones. 0.25sqmi are in Catawissa and 0.91sqmi are in Catawissa Township.

A portion of Corn Run is in a development, which is known as Roberts Addition as of 1982.

The entire drainage basin of Corn Run is considered to be a coldwater fishery.

History and etymology

Corn Run was historically known as Roberts Run, after Moses Roberts, who was one of the earliest settlers of Catawissa. During a flood in 1904, bushels of corn were washed into the stream, causing it to be renamed Corn Run. The new name of the stream was popular among locals by 1915. However, it was still referred to as Roberts Run on some maps as late as the 1950s.

The Creasey Farm, which was owned by Nathan Creasey, was historically located on Corn Run.

See also