The Black Creek watershed is in the southwestern end of the Northern Anthracite field in Luzerne County, northeastern Pennsylvania. The study of the watershed described in this report is designated as Project No. 2 in the Joint Federal-State Acid Mine Drainage Pollution Control Demonstration Program. The area studied encompasses the West End mine of the Blue Coal Company.
Bedrock in the watershed, from oldest to youngest, consists of the Mauch Chunk Formation of Mississippian and, in part, of Pennsylvanian age; the Pottsville Formation of Pennsylvanian age; and the Llewellyn Formation of Pennsylvanian age. The anthracite beds are in the Llewellyn Formation.