South Branch Leach Creek

South Branch Leach Creek is a tributary of Leach Creek in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is approximately 0.8 mi long and flows through Scranton. The watershed of the creek has an area of 0.463 sqmi. A substantial portion of the watershed is situated within coal measures. The creek also experiences seepage into mine workings via both surface seepage and streambed seepage.

Course
South Branch Leach Creek begins on the slopes of West Mountain, on or near the border between Scranton and Ransom Township. It flows down the mountain in an east-southeast direction for a short distance before crossing Interstate 476 and continuing east-southeast. For the next several tenths of a mile, it continues flowing down the mountain until it reaches its confluence with Leach Creek near Terrace Lane and Pennsylvania Route 307.

South Branch Leach Creek enters Leach Creek on the latter creek's right.

Hydrology, geography, and geology
The elevation near the mouth of South Branch Leach Creek is 1066 ft above sea level. The elevation of the creek's source is between 1780 and 1800 ft above sea level.

Coal is located within the watershed of South Branch Leach Creek. According to the mid-20th-century report Surface-Water Seepage into Anthracite Mines in the Lackawanna Basin, Northern Field: Anthracite Region of Pennsylvania, the estimated rate of surface seepage into mine workings at the creek is 4.22 gal per minute per 1 in of rainfall. The report estimated the rate of streambed seepage into mine workings to be 2.57 gal per minute per 1 in of rainfall.

Watershed
The watershed of South Branch Leach Creek has an area of 0.463 sqmi. The creek is entirely within the United States Geological Survey quadrangle of Scranton.

A total of 0.345 sqmi of the watershed of South Branch Leach Creek is situated within coal measures, which are common in a band running from west-central Lackawanna County to northeast Lackawanna County. A mid-20th-century report listed the creek as being part of the North 3 Watershed, along with several other creeks.

Interstate 476 crosses Leach Creek in its upper reaches.

South Branch Leach Creek is a Trout Stocked Fishery for its entire length.

History
South Branch Leach Creek was entered into the Geographic Names Information System on January 1, 1990. Its identifier in the Geographic Names Information System is 1202409. The creek was added due to its presence in Patton's Philadelphia and Suburbs Street and Road Map, which was published in 1984.

A mid-20th-century report found the length of the streambed of South Branch Leach Creek within coal measures to be 6000 ft.