Leading Creek (Little Kanawha River)
Encyclopedia
Leading Creek is a tributary
of the Little Kanawha River
, 28.6 miles (46 km) long, in central 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 147 square miles (380.7 km²) in a rural region on the unglaciated
portion of the Allegheny Plateau
.
Leading Creek rises just west of Camden
in Lewis County
and flows west-southwestward into Gilmer County
, through the unincorporated communities of Alum Bridge
and Pickle Street
in Lewis County and Linn
and Troy
in Gilmer County. It flows into the Little Kanawha River approximately 2.4 miles (3.9 km) west-northwest of Glenville
.
Between Camden and Troy, the creek's course is paralleled by the Staunton and Parkersburg Turnpike
, along present-day U.S. routes 33
and 119
between Camden and Linn; and West Virginia Route 47 between Linn and Troy.
According to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, approximately 84% of the Leading Creek watershed is forest
ed, mostly deciduous
. Approximately 15% is used for pasture and agriculture.
According to the Geographic Names Information System
, Leading Creek has also been known historically by the spelling "Leeding Creek."
stream gauge
1.4 miles (2.3 km) upstream from the creek's mouth, the annual mean flow of the creek between 1937 and 1951 was 220 cubic feet per second (6 m³/s). The highest recorded flow during the period was 12,100 cu ft/s (343 m³/s) on June 25, 1950. The lowest recorded flow was 0.1 cu ft/s (0 m³/s) on several days in September 1939.
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Little Kanawha River
Little Kanawha River
The Little Kanawha River is a tributary of the Ohio River, 169 mi long, in western West Virginia in the United States. Via the Ohio, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of 2,320 mi² on the unglaciated portion of the Allegheny Plateau...
, 28.6 miles (46 km) long, in central West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Via the Little Kanawha and Ohio
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
rivers, it is part of the watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, draining an area of 147 square miles (380.7 km²) in a rural region on the unglaciated
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
portion of the Allegheny Plateau
Allegheny Plateau
The Allegheny Plateau is a large dissected plateau area in western and central New York, northern and western Pennsylvania, northern and western West Virginia, and eastern Ohio...
.
Leading Creek rises just west of Camden
Camden, West Virginia
Camden is an unincorporated community in Lewis County, West Virginia, United States. Camden is located on U.S. Route 33 and U.S. Route 119 west-northwest of Weston. Camden has a post office with ZIP code 26338....
in Lewis County
Lewis County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,919 people, 6,946 households, and 4,806 families residing in the county. The population density was 44 people per square mile . There were 7,944 housing units at an average density of 21 per square mile...
and flows west-southwestward into Gilmer County
Gilmer County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,160 people, 2,768 households, and 1,862 families residing in the county. The population density was 21 people per square mile . There were 3,621 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile...
, through the unincorporated communities of Alum Bridge
Alum Bridge, West Virginia
Alum Bridge is an unincorporated community in Lewis County, West Virginia, United States. Alum Bridge is located on U.S. Route 33 and U.S. Route 119 along Leading Creek, west of Weston. Alum Bridge has a post office with ZIP code 26321....
and Pickle Street
Pickle Street, West Virginia
Pickle Street is an unincorporated community in Lewis County, West Virginia, United States, on U.S. Route 33 along Leading Creek. It is mostly a residential area, but it has an auction house.- Name Origin :...
in Lewis County and Linn
Linn, West Virginia
Linn is an unincorporated community in Gilmer County, West Virginia, United States. Linn is located at the junction of U.S. Route 33, U.S. Route 119, and West Virginia Route 47, along Leading Creek, northeast of Glenville. Linn has a post office with ZIP code 26384....
and Troy
Troy, West Virginia
Troy is an unincorporated community in Gilmer County, West Virginia, United States. Troy is located on West Virginia Route 47 along Leading Creek, northeast of Glenville. Troy has a post office with ZIP code 26443....
in Gilmer County. It flows into the Little Kanawha River approximately 2.4 miles (3.9 km) west-northwest of Glenville
Glenville, West Virginia
Glenville is a town in and the county seat of Gilmer County, West Virginia, United States, along the Little Kanawha River. The population was 1,544 at the 2000 census. It is the home of Glenville State College.-History:...
.
Between Camden and Troy, the creek's course is paralleled by the Staunton and Parkersburg Turnpike
Staunton and Parkersburg Turnpike
The Staunton and Parkersburg Turnpike was built in the U.S. state of the Commonwealth of Virginia during the second quarter of the 19th century to provide a roadway from Staunton and the upper Shenandoah Valley to the Ohio River at present-day Parkersburg...
, along present-day U.S. routes 33
U.S. Route 33
U.S. Route 33 is a United States federal highway that runs northwest-southeast for 709 miles from northern Indiana to Richmond, Virginia, passing through Ohio and West Virginia en route. Although most odd-numbered U.S...
and 119
U.S. Route 119
U.S. Route 119, commonly abbreviated as US 119, is a spur of US 19. It is a north–south route that was an original United States highway of 1926. It is often referred to as Corridor G east of US 23 and KY 80 in Kentucky to Interstate 64 at Charleston, West Virginia.- Kentucky :US 119 is a two...
between Camden and Linn; and West Virginia Route 47 between Linn and Troy.
According to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, approximately 84% of the Leading Creek watershed is forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
ed, mostly deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
. Approximately 15% is used for pasture and agriculture.
According to the Geographic Names Information System
Geographic Names Information System
The Geographic Names Information System is a database that contains name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features located throughout the United States of America and its territories. It is a type of gazetteer...
, Leading Creek has also been known historically by the spelling "Leeding Creek."
Flow rate
At a United States Geological SurveyUnited States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...
stream gauge
Stream gauge
A stream gauge, stream gage or gauging station is a location used by hydrologists or environmental scientists to monitor and test terrestrial bodies of water. Hydrometric measurements of water surface elevation and/or volumetric discharge are generally taken and observations of biota may also be...
1.4 miles (2.3 km) upstream from the creek's mouth, the annual mean flow of the creek between 1937 and 1951 was 220 cubic feet per second (6 m³/s). The highest recorded flow during the period was 12,100 cu ft/s (343 m³/s) on June 25, 1950. The lowest recorded flow was 0.1 cu ft/s (0 m³/s) on several days in September 1939.