Kiskiminetas River

River in Pennsylvania, United States

The Kiskiminetas River (commonly referred to as the Kiski^[2][3] by locals) is a tributary of the Allegheny River, approximately 27 miles (43 km) long, in Western Pennsylvania in the United States.^[1] The region stretching from the northern side of Harmar Township, Pennsylvania to the Kiskiminetas towns is often referred to by the locals as the Alle-Kiski Valley after the rivers.

Course

The Kiskiminetas River is formed at Saltsburg, on the border between Westmoreland and Indiana counties, by the confluence of the Conemaugh River and Loyalhanna Creek. It flows northwest in a meandering course past Avonmore, Apollo, Vandergrift, Hyde Park and Leechburg. It joins the Allegheny River near Freeport at Schenley, approximately 25 miles (40 km) northeast of Pittsburgh.^[4]

The Kiski-Conemaugh watershed includes much of the historic coal-producing region of Western Pennsylvania. The water quality is considered degraded by numerous abandoned mine drainages in its upper reaches and tributaries, leading to on-going efforts by federal, state, and private agencies to improve the water quality of the river. The Kittanning Path, a major trail in the region used by Native Americans and early European settlers, crossed the river at a ford near present-day Leechburg.

Political subdivisions

The course of the Kiskiminetas River traverses the following political subdivisions, named in order of encounter traveling downstream.

• Saltsburg
• Loyalhanna Township, Westmoreland County
• Conemaugh Township, Indiana County
• Kiskiminetas Township, Armstrong County
• Bell Township, Westmoreland County
• Apollo
• Allegheny Township, Westmoreland County
• East Vandergrift
• Vandergrift
• Parks Township, Armstrong County
• Leechburg
• West Leechburg
• Gilpin Township, Armstrong County

Tributaries

(Mouth at the Allegheny River)

• Elder Run
• Penn Run
• Brady Run
• Guffy Run
• Carnahan Run
• Pine Run
• Beaver Run
• Roaring Run
  • Rattling Run (also called Jackson's Run)
• Flat Run
• Wolford Run
• Long Run
• Sulphur Run
• Blacklegs Creek
  • Big Run
  • Marshall Run
  • Harpers Run
  • Nesbit Run
  • Hooper Run
  • Whisky Run
• Loyalhanna Creek
• Conemaugh River

Blacklegs Creek

Etymology

There is no definite interpretation of the origin of the name. It may come from a Native American phrase Kithanne, meaning "Place of the largest stream." According to regional historians in the area, the name has historically had several other possible meanings, including: "river of the big fish" and "plenty of walnuts." Robert Walker Smith in his "History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania" (Chicago: Waterman, Watkins & Co., 1883) reported that John Heckewelder (a Moravian writer, explorer, and historian who wrote about the Lenape and other tribes in Western Pennsylvania in the 18th century) claimed that the name is "corrupted from Gieschgumanito, signifying, make daylight. In this case, the etymology is: Gisch-gu---day; gisch-que---today; gieschapen---it is daybreak; manitoon---to make. It was probably the word of command, given by a warrior to his comrades at night to break up camp and resume the journey, or war-path." Smith also described another possible meaning from another source: "It is said in McCullough's Narrative, that the Indians called this river Kee-ak-ksheman-nit-toos, signifying 'cut spirit'." Smith noted that he preferred Heckewelder's definition. It is also possible that "Kiskiminetas" means "clear, clean stream of many bends."

See also

• List of crossings of the Kiskiminetas River
• List of rivers of Pennsylvania
• List of tributaries of the Allegheny River

References

1. "Kiskiminetas River". Geographic Names Information System. 1979-08-02. Retrieved 2010-05-14.
2. "Mussel discovered in Kiski River for first time in a century". Trib Total Media, LLC. 2019-10-29. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
3. "Kiskiminetas River". Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers. 2013. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
4. "Kiskiminetas River". pawatersheds.org. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
5. "Kiskiminetas River, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
6. "Conemaugh River, Indiana County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
7. "Loyalhanna Creek, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
8. "Blacklegs Creek, Indiana County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
9. "Sulphur Run, Indiana County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
10. "Long Run, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
11. "Wolford Run, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
12. "Flat Run, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
13. "Roaring Run, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
14. "Rattling Run, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
15. "Beaver Run, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
16. "Pine Run, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
17. "Carnahan Run, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
18. "Guffy Run, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
19. "Brady Run, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
20. "Penn Run, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
21. "Elder Run, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
22. "Green Valley Lake, Indiana County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
23. "Whisky Run, Indiana County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
24. "Hooper Run, Indiana County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
25. "Nesbit Run, Indiana County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
26. "Harpers Run, Indiana County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
27. "Marshall Run, Indiana County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
28. "Big Run, Indiana County, Pennsylvania". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.

External links

• U.S. Geological Survey: PA stream gaging stations
• Kiskiminetas meaning