Pine Creek is considered by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to be impaired by abandoned mine drainage and resource extraction.
The creek heads west-southwest into a valley, entering Hegins Township, where it passes through Dell Lake.
It passes by the community of Valley View and receives the tributary Rausch Creek and continues west, entering Hubley Township.
[2] Pine Creek is considered by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to be impaired by abandoned mine drainage and resource extraction.
[3] South of the community of Fountain, the daily load of aluminum in the waters of Pine Creek is 29.86 pounds (13.54 kg).
At the Pennsylvania Route 25 bridge near the community of Spring Glen, the daily load is 269.67 pounds (122.32 kg).
[3] South of the community of Fountain, the daily load of manganese in the waters of Pine Creek is 0.77 pounds (0.35 kg).
At the Pennsylvania Route 25 bridge near the community of Spring Glen, the daily load is 75.73 pounds (34.35 kg).
[3] South of the community of Fountain, the daily load of iron in the waters of Pine Creek is 4.26 pounds (1.93 kg).
At the Pennsylvania Route 25 bridge near the community of Spring Glen, the daily load is 110.90 pounds (50.30 kg).
[3] South of the community of Fountain, the daily load of acidity in the waters of Pine Creek is 272.61 pounds (123.65 kg).
At the Pennsylvania Route 25 bridge near the community of Spring Glen, the daily load is 5,085.31 pounds (2,306.66 kg).
[5] The watershed of Pine Creek is within the Anthracite Uplands section of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians physiological province.
The Lykens Valley coal seam, which is part of the Pottsville Formation, is found in the watershed's southeastern portion.
[2] The watershed is on the United States Geological Survey 7.5 minute quadrangles of Klingerstown, Lykens, Minersville, Tower City, Tremont, and Valley View.
[5] The communities in the watershed of Pine Creek include Valley View, Hegins, Klingerstown, and Sacramento.
Edward Gertler describes the creek as a "diminutive novice run" in his book Keystone Canoeing.