McLeod Creek
View of McLeod Creek, looking south over Swaner Preserve from Highland Drive, Snyderville, Utah in October 2023
McLeod Creek is located in Utah
McLeod Creek
Location of mouth
Location
CountryUnited States
StateUtah
RegionSummit County, Utah
Physical characteristics
SourceEastern slope of the Wasatch Range
  location1.3 miles (2.1 km) southwest of Park City, Utah
  coordinates40°37′44″N 111°31′00″W / 40.62889°N 111.51667°W / 40.62889; -111.51667[1]
  elevation8,224 ft (2,507 m)
MouthConfluence with Kimball Creek, the beginning of East Canyon Creek
  location
1.4 miles (2.3 km) east of Kimball Junction, Utah
  coordinates
40°43′26″N 111°31′07″W / 40.72389°N 111.51861°W / 40.72389; -111.51861[2]
  elevation
6,300 ft (1,900 m)
Length9.0 mi (14.5 km)
USGS Map of Kimball Creek and McLeod Creek confluence, the sources of East Canyon Creek

McLeod Creek is a 9.0-mile-long (14.5 km)[2] northwards-flowing stream that begins 1.3 miles (2.1 km) southwest of Park City, Utah on the east side of the summit of the Wasatch Range. It is one of the upper reaches of the East Canyon Creek watershed in Summit County, Utah, which flows to the Weber River ad ultimately the Great Salt Lake.

History

McLeod Creek is probably named for long-time Park City miner and prospector John McLeod, who resided in "The Park" for about 30 years and passed away at age 67 in 1911.[3][4]

Watershed and course

McLeod Creek begins on the slopes of the Park City Mountain Resort between Crescent Ridge[5] and Treasure Hill[6] and flows northeast through Park City, Utah. It is joined by a tributary from Thaynes Canyon[7] in the city then proceeds north where it passes Quarry Mountain.[8] From Park City north through the Snyderville Basin[9] there is a low topographic divide with McLeod Creek to the west and Silver Creek to the east.[10] Silver Creek turns east to join the upper Weber River at Wanship, Utah, while McLeod Creek continues north through the South Snyderville Basin east of Snyderville, Utah, and then through Parleys Park[11] towards Interstate 80. Shortly after crossing north beneath I80, it is joined on the right by a smaller stream named Kimball Creek,[12] and this confluence forms the source of East Canyon Creek, a tributary of the Weber River, and ultimately, the Great Salt Lake.[13] Note the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) likely needs to be corrected to be consistent with the U.S. Geological Survey report and map.

Ecology and conservation

From the mid-1800s through the 1970s, the McLeod Creek and nearby Silver Creek watersheds about Park City were mined extensively for silver and lead. Tailing wastes from these mines continue to pollute Silver Creek, and to a less extent, McLeod and Kimball Creeks. However, lead and zinc concentrations in McLeod Creek may still pose a risk to aquatic life.[10]

As McLeod Creek passes between Iron Mountain[14] and Quarry Mountain near the White Barn at McPolin Farmstead, it crosses Highway 224. There have been many deer, elk, and moose collisions at this location, highlighting its importance as a critical wildlife corridor. The organization Save People Save Wildlife has argued for better fencing and a crossing structure to protect both vehicle passengers and wildlife at this location.[15]

Bonneville cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii utah) is a Utah Sensitive subspecies of cutthroat trout and was the native trout species in the East Canyon Creek watershed, however it is thought to be extirpated due to decreased flows, increased nutrient input, degradation to water and habitat quality, and depredation by non-native introduced brown trout (Salmo trutta) and possibly by hybridization with non-native introduced rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).[16]

See also

References

  1. "McLeod Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. 1 2 U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map Archived 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine, accessed August 3, 2023
  3. "John McLeod Death Notice". Park City, Utah: The Park Record. March 18, 1911. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  4. "Old Prospector Dies". The Salt Lake Tribune. Salt Lake City, Utah. Mar 17, 1911. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  5. "Crescent Ridge". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  6. "Treasure Hill". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  7. "Thaynes Canyon". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  8. "Quarry Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  9. "South Snyderville Basin". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  10. 1 2 Elise M. P. Giddings; Michelle I. Hornberger; Heidi K. Hadley (2001). Trace-metal Concentrations in Sediment and Water and Health of Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Communities of Streams Near Park City, Summit County, Utah (Report). U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey. p. 22. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  11. "Parleys Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  12. "Kimball Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  13. C.D. Wilkowske (2005). Seepage Study of McLeod Creek and East Canyon Creek near Park City, Summit County, Utah, 2004, Scientific Report Report 2005-5164 (PDF) (Report). Reston, Virginia: U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  14. "Iron Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  15. Shelby Lofton (October 4, 2023). "Park City wildlife advocacy group asks UDOT to take action after two moose die in a single day". KSLTV.com. Park City, Utah. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  16. Carl Adams; Linda Burfitt; Kari Chalker; Catherine Chatfield; John Christensen; Doug Davidson; Erica Gaddis; J. Hope Hornbeck; Greg Larson; Kari Lundeen; Audrey McCulley; Jerry Miller; Megan Nelson; David Reinhart; Laura Burch Vernon (May 1, 2020). East Canyon Reservoir and East Canyon Creek Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) (Report). Salt Lake City, Utah: Utah Division of Water Quality. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
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