Editing Conemaugh River

{{Short description|River in Pennsylvania, United States}}
{{other uses|Conemaugh (disambiguation)}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{more citations needed|date=May 2014}}
{{Infobox river
| name              = Conemaugh River
| image             = USACE Conemaugh River Lake Dam 2.jpg
| image_size        =
| image_alt         =
| image_caption     = [[Conemaugh Dam|Conemaugh River Lake Dam]] at low water
| map               =
| map_size          =
| map_alt           =
| map_caption       =
| source1_location  = 
| source1_coordinates= {{coord|40.3317406|-78.9250255|region:US}}
| mouth_location    = 
| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|40.4856220|-79.4539299|region:US|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = [[United States]]
| progression       =
| length            =
| source1_elevation =
| mouth_elevation   = {{convert|827|ft|m|abbr=on}}
| discharge1_location=[[Tunnelton, Pennsylvania|Tunnelton]]
| discharge1_avg    ={{convert|2431|cuft/s|m3/s|abbr=on}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://waterdata.usgs.gov/pa/nwis/annual/?format=sites_selection_links&search_site_no=03044000&agency_cd=USGS&amp;referred_module=sw|title = USGS Surface Water data for Pennsylvania: USGS Surface-Water Annual Statistics}}</ref>
| basin_size        =
| river_system      = [[Allegheny River]]
| tributaries_left  =
| tributaries_right =
}}

The '''Conemaugh River''' is a {{convert|70|mi|adj=on}} [[tributary]] of the [[Kiskiminetas River]] in [[Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania|Westmoreland]], [[Indiana County, Pennsylvania|Indiana]], and [[Cambria County, Pennsylvania|Cambria]] counties in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Pennsylvania]].<ref name="GNIS1">{{Cite gnis|id=1172300|name=Conemaugh River|accessdate=2011-04-27}}</ref>  The name means 'Otter Creek', originating from the [[Unami-Lenape language]] word ''kwənəmuxkw'' 'otter'.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bHNeAAAAIBAJ&pg=907%2C1096985 | title=Happenings in Pennsylvania | work=Observer-Reporter | date=Jul 9, 1970 | accessdate=23 May 2015 | author=Linder, Lee | pages=B3}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Storey|first=Henry Wilson|title=History of Cambria County, Pennsylvania|volume=1|year=1907|publisher=Lewis|location=New York|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rEwVAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA63|accessdate=June 10, 2016|page=63}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=kwënëmuxkw|url=http://www.talk-lenape.org/detail.php?id=3366|work=Lenape Talking Dictionary|accessdate=June 10, 2016|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160201235623/http://www.talk-lenape.org/detail.php?id=3366|archivedate=February 1, 2016}}</ref>

== Course ==
[[File:USACE Conemaugh River Lake Dam.jpg|thumb|Conemaugh River Lake Dam near Saltsburg, Pennsylvania]]
The Conemaugh River is formed at [[Johnstown, Pennsylvania|Johnstown]] (site of the [[Johnstown Flood]]) in southwestern [[Cambria County, Pennsylvania|Cambria County]] by the confluence of the [[Little Conemaugh River|Little Conemaugh]] and [[Stonycreek River|Stonycreek]] rivers. It flows generally west–northwest, in a winding course through the mountains along the northern edge of [[Laurel Hill (Pennsylvania)|Laurel Hill]] and [[Chestnut Ridge, Bedford County|Chestnut Ridge]]. Northwest of [[Blairsville, Pennsylvania|Blairsville]] it is joined by [[Blacklick Creek (Pennsylvania)|Blacklick Creek]]. At [[Saltsburg, Pennsylvania|Saltsburg]] it is joined from the south by [[Loyalhanna Creek]] to form the Kiskiminetas River. Along much of its lower course, the Conemaugh forms part of the boundary between [[Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania|Westmoreland]] and [[Indiana County, Pennsylvania|Indiana]] counties.

== Watershed ==
[[File:Conemaugh River bridges.jpg|thumb|Historic bridges downstream of Conemaugh River Lake Dam: 1864 railroad bridge pier, 1907 arch bridge, and 1952 railroad bridge]]
The Kiskiminetas-Conemaugh river basin flows through scenic mountainous country that forms the heart of the historic [[coal]]-producing areas of western Pennsylvania. Before the Dam was constructed, the town of [[Livermore, Pennsylvania|Livermore]] served the area between Blairsville and Saltsburg as an important stop along the former canal, as well as the railroad. The watershed is considered among the most degraded in the state, largely from abandoned mine drainages. The recovery of the river has been an important ongoing [[ecology|ecological]] management project of state and private agencies.

== Communities ==

Source:<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 4, 2024 |title=Kiski-Conemaugh River Water Trail |url=https://www.pfbc.pa.gov/ |access-date=March 4, 2024 |website=Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission}}</ref>

*[[Blairsville, Pennsylvania|Blairsville]]
*[[Bolivar, Pennsylvania|Bolivar]]
*[[Johnstown, Pennsylvania|Johnstown]]
*[[New Florence, Pennsylvania|New Florence]]
*[[Robinson, Indiana County, Pennsylvania|Robinson]]
*[[Saltsburg, Pennsylvania|Saltsburg]]
*[[Seward, Pennsylvania|Seward]]

==See also==
*[[List of rivers of Pennsylvania]]
*[[List of tributaries of the Allegheny River]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{Kml}}
*[http://waterdata.usgs.gov/pa/nwis/current/?type=flow U.S. Geological Survey: PA stream gaging stations]
*[http://www.keefeg.com/conemaughdam/ Conemaugh Dam pictures]
*{{usurped|1=[https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20110202081850/http://www.scrip.pa-conservation.org/ SCRIP-river improvement project]}}
*[http://www.conemaughvalleyconservancy.org/ Conemaugh Valley Conservancy]

{{Johnstown, Pennsylvania}}
{{Pittsburgh Metro Area}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Rivers of Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Tributaries of the Kiskiminetas River]]
[[Category:Rivers of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Rivers of Cambria County, Pennsylvania]]