The Kiskiminetas River (commonly referred to as the Kiski by locals) is a tributary of the Allegheny River, approximately long, in Western Pennsylvania in the United States. 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 northeast of Pittsburgh.
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 the river's upper reaches and tributaries, prompting ongoing efforts by federal, state, and private agencies to improve it. The Kittanning Path, a major trail in the region used by Native Americans and early European colonizers, crossed the river at a ford near present-day Leechburg.
Political subdivisions The course of the Kiskiminetas River traverses the following political subdivisions, listed in the order encountered while traveling downstream.
Saltsburg Loyalhanna Township, Westmoreland County Conemaugh Township, Indiana County Kiskiminetas Township, Armstrong County Avonmore, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania 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 Sulfur Run Blacklegs Creek Big Run Marshall Run Harpers Run Nesbit Run Hooper Run Whisky Run Loyalhanna Creek Conemaugh River
Tributaries of Kiskiminetas River Name Number Bank Mouth Political subdivision Source Political subdivision Kiskiminetas River 0 Left (elev. ) Allegheny Township, Westmoreland County Saltsburg Conemaugh River 1 Right (elev. ) Saltsburg Johnstown Loyalhanna Creek 2 Left (elev. ) Loyalhanna Township, Westmoreland County Donegal Township, Westmoreland County Blacklegs Creek 3 Right (elev. ) Conemaugh Township, Indiana County Armstrong Township, Indiana County Sulphur Run 4 Right (elev. ) Conemaugh Township, Indiana County Kiskiminetas Township, Armstrong County Long Run 5 Right (elev. ) Kiskiminetas Township, Armstrong County South Bend Township, Armstrong County Wolford Run 6 Left (elev. ) Bell Township, Westmoreland County Loyalhanna Township, Westmoreland County Flat Run 7 Right (elev. ) Kiskiminetas Township, Armstrong County Kiskiminetas Township, Armstrong County Roaring Run 8 Right (elev. ) Kiskiminetas Township, Armstrong County Kiskiminetas Township, Armstrong County Rattling Run 8.1 Right (elev. ) Kiskiminetas Township, Armstrong County Kiskiminetas Township, Armstrong County Beaver Run 9 Left (elev. ) Bell Township, Westmoreland County Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County Pine Run 10 Left (elev. ) Allegheny Township, Westmoreland County Washington Township, Westmoreland County Carnahan Run 11 Right (elev. ) Parks Township, Armstrong County Kiskiminetas Township, Armstrong County Guffy Run 12 Right (elev. ) Parks Township, Armstrong County Bethel Township, Armstrong County Brady Run 13 Right (elev. ) Leechburg Gilpin Township, Armstrong County Penn Run 14 Left (elev. ) West Leechburg Allegheny Township, Westmoreland County Elder Run 15 Right (elev. ) Gilpin Township, Armstrong County Gilpin Township, Armstrong County
Blacklegs Creek Tributaries of Blacklegs Creek Name Number Bank Mouth Political subdivision Source Political subdivision Blacklegs Creek 0 Right (elev. ) Conemaugh Township, Indiana County Armstrong Township, Indiana County Green Valley Lake 1 Left (elev. ) Young Township, Indiana County Whisky Run 2 Right (elev. ) Young Township, Indiana County South Bend Township, Armstrong County Hooper Run 3 Left (elev. ) Young Township, Indiana County Young Township, Indiana County Nesbit Run 4 Right (elev. ) Young Township, Indiana County Young Township, Indiana County Harpers Run 5 Right (elev. ) Young Township, Indiana County South Bend Township, Armstrong County Marshall Run 6 Left (elev. ) Conemaugh Township, Indiana County Young Township, Indiana County Big Run 7 Right (elev. ) Conemaugh Township, Indiana County South Bend Township, Armstrong County
Etymology
There is no definite interpretation of the origin of the name. It may come from the Native American phrase Kithanne, meaning "Place of the largest stream." According to regional historians, the name has 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
External links
U.S. Geological Survey: PA stream gaging stations Kiskiminetas meaning