Hans Yost Creek

Hans Yost Creek begins in a large valley in Foster Township. It flows in a westerly direction through the valley for several tenths of a mile, entering Barry Township. The creek then turns southwest for a short distance before turning west. After a few tenths of a mile, it turns southwest for several tenths of a mile, entering a much narrower valley. The creek eventually turns in a westerly direction for several tenths of a mile briefly turning northwest and then southwest along the way before reaching the end of its valley and turning northwest. A short distance further downstream, the creek reaches its confluence with Deep Creek. Tributaries Hans Yost Creek has no named tributaries, nor are any tributaries visible on the United States Geological Survey map of the Tremont quadrangle. However, a few small intermittent streams do flow into the creek's headwaters. ==Hydrology==

Hans Yost Creek is designated as an impaired waterbody for its entire length. The causes of the impairment are metals and pH and the probable source of impairment is abandoned mine drainage. There are two abandoned mine discharges in the creek's watershed. One is known as the Moser Mine Pool Discharge and enters the creek in its upper reaches. The estimated flow of this discharge is 0.259 million gallons per day. The other is known locally as Rattling Run and is formed from the Collapsed Tunnel Discharge and the Buck Mountain Vein Overflow Discharge. This discharge enters the creek in its lower reaches. The average discharge of Hans Yost Creek above the Moser Discharge has been estimated to be 0.259 million gallons per day, while below the discharge, it has been estimated at 0.518 million gallons per day. Above the Rattling Run discharge, the creek's discharge was found to average at 1.49 million gallons per day, while below the discharge, it was 3.59 million gallons per day. In the 1980s and/or 1990s, the iron concentration in Hans Yost Creek upstream of the Moser Discharge ranged from , with an average of . Below the discharge, it ranged from less than to , with an average of . Above the Rattling Run discharge, the iron concentration ranged from , with an average of . Below this discharge, the concentration ranged between , with an average of . The manganese concentration in Hans Yost Creek upstream of the Moser Discharge ranged from less than to , with an average of . Below the discharge, it ranged from with an average of . Above the Rattling Run discharge, the manganese concentration ranged from , with an average of . Below this discharge, the concentration ranged between , with an average of . ==Geography, geology, and watershed==

The elevation near the mouth of Hans Yost Creek is above sea level. The elevation near the creek's source is above sea level. Part of a steep valley between Broad Mountain and Mahantango Mountain is drained by Hans Yost Creek. The creek flows through the Southern Anthracite Coal Field. The watershed of Hans Yost Creek has an area of . The creek is entirely within the United States Geological Survey quadrangle of Tremont. Its mouth is located within of Weishample. The headwaters of Hans Yost Creek flow through forested land and are difficult to access. The watershed of Hans Yost Creek is located northeast of Harrisburg and north of Tremont. Pennsylvania Route 901 and Interstate 81 are partially in the vicinity of the creek's watershed. ==History==

Hans Yost Creek was entered into the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. Its identifier in the Geographic Names Information System is 1176486. The creek is also known as Hanyost Creek. The watershed of Hans Yost Creek experienced extensive mining during the late 1800s and early 1900s. There are still active mining permits in the watershed, as of 2001. However, they are remining permits and thus do not involve discharges into the creek. At least two biological studies have been conducted on Hans Yost Creek. In 1972, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources found the macroinvertebrate community to be satisfactory. However, in 1997, a study by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection found the creek to be impaired. The Tri-Valley Watershed Association, which operates in the watersheds of Deep Creek, Pine Creek, and Mahantango Creek, has dosed the Moser Mine Pool Discharge with limestone to increase the creek's alkalinity. ==Biology==

The drainage basin of Hans Yost Creek is classified as a Coldwater Fishery. The designated use for Hans Yost Creek is aquatic life. ==See also==