Tinker Creek begins in an unnamed lake near Lackawanna Mountain in Clifford Township. It flows south-southwest for a few tenths of a mile before turning west and entering a wetland. Here, the creek turns north for several tenths of a mile before receiving an unnamed tributary from the right and turning west-northwest. After a few tenths of a mile, it receives an unnamed tributary from the left and turns north-northwest for several tenths of a mile before heading in a westerly direction for more than a mile. The creek then turns northwest, and after a short distance, reaches its confluence with East Branch Tunkhannock Creek.[1]
Tinker Creek is approximately 4.3 miles (6.9 km) long.[1] The creek joins East Branch Tunkhannock Creek 11.80 miles (18.99 km) upstream of its mouth.[2]
Hydrology
Tinker Creek is not designated as an impaired waterbody.[3] The alkalinity concentration of the creek is 28 milligrams per liter (0.028 oz/cu ft).[4]
Geography and geology
The elevation near the mouth of Tinker Creek is 1,194 feet (364 m) above sea level.[5] The elevation near the creek's source is 1,899 feet (579 m) above sea level.[1]
The surficial geology along Tinker Creek in its lower reaches mainly includes a till known as Wisconsnain Till. Further upstream, the surficial geology along the creek consists mostly of alluvium, though there are various patches of Wisconsinnan Till, Wisconsinan Ice-Contact Stratified Drift, wetlands, lakes, and bedrock consisting of sandstone and shale. In the upper reaches, the surficial geology is mostly Wisconsinan Till, with some alluvium and wetland.[6]
Tinker Creek has been described as a small creek.[7]
Watershed
The watershed of Tinker Creek has an area of 5.02 square miles (13.0 km2).[2] The mouth of the creek is in the United States Geological Survey quadrangle of Clifford. However, its source is in the quadrangle of Forest City.[5] The creek's mouth is located within 1 mile (1.6 km) of Elkdale.[2]
In around 1800, David Burns settled near Tinker Creek on a road leading to Belmont. In about 1802, three brothers named Abner, Daniel, and Lemuel Norton settled near a road crossing the creek.[7]
A steel stringer/multi-beam or girder bridge carrying State Route 2012 over Tinker Creek was built in Clifford Township in 1941 and is 37.1 feet (11.3 m) long.[9] In 2013, this bridge was slated to be given a weight restriction of 25 tons (or 34 tons for combination loads).[10]
