[1] The river flows through Susquehanna, Lackawanna, and Luzerne Counties in Pennsylvania.
By watershed area, the five largest tributaries are Spring Brook, Roaring Brook, the East Branch Lackawanna River, Leggetts Creek, and the West Branch Lackawanna River.
However, two tributaries (Eddy Creek and part of Stafford Meadow Brook) are designated as Warmwater Fisheries instead.
[4] At least five tributaries, including Red Spring Run; Meadow Brook; Eddy Creek; Callender Gap Creek; and Coal Brook, have had reaches partially or totally destroyed by mining or by post-mining development.
[4] The watersheds of at least 16 tributaries of the Lackawanna River contain waterfalls or morphologic sites such as water gaps and escarpments.