Tunkhannock Township, Monroe County, Pennsylvania

Coordinates: 40°59′59″N 75°30′04″W / 40.99972°N 75.50111°W / 40.99972; -75.50111
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Not to be confused with Tunkhannock Township, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania.
Tunkhannock Township
Township
Fields and woods in the township
Fields and woods in the township
570
Websitelongpondpa.com

Tunkhannock Township is a township in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 7,037 at the 2020 census.[2][3] Tunkhannock Township comprises the communities of Blakeslee and Long Pond. The most noteworthy feature of this township is the Tunkhannock creek, which forms "Long Pond", and is designated by the PA DEP as an Exceptional Value Waters (EV).[4] The Bethlehem Authority,[5] Nature Conservancy,[6] Wildlands Conservancy [7] County of Monroe Open Space Program, and PA Department of Forest and Waters[8] have protected thousands of acres. Tunkhannock Township, PA is home to many species of globally rare, threatened, and endangered plants and animals and has been described as one of the last "great places".[9][10][11]

In Long Pond, Pennsylvania National Diversity Inventory found 35 rare, threatened or endangered species or ecological communities. The butterfly community and collection of rare plants found in Long Pond "likely represent the best assemblage of rare and unusual species of any site or habitat in Pennsylvania." Making Long Pond one of the most unique natural areas in the Northeast US.[10]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 38.9 square miles (100.9 km2), of which 38.6 square miles (100.1 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.8 km2) (0.80%) is water.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
20004,983—
20106,78936.2%
20207,0373.7%
2021 (est.)7,041[2]0.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[12]

At the 2000

Latino
of any race were 9.47% of the population.

There were 1,661 households, of which 41.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.9% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.7% were non-families. 15.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00 and the average family size was 3.35.

31.5% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.1 males.

The

poverty line
, including 18.6% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.

Climate

According to the

nor’easters
from December through March.

Climate data for Tunkhannock Twp, Elevation 1,874 ft (571 m), 1981-2010 normals, extremes 1981-2018
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 61.9
(16.6) 		71.9
(22.2) 		80.7
(27.1) 		86.9
(30.5) 		89.0
(31.7) 		88.9
(31.6) 		94.1
(34.5) 		91.9
(33.3) 		89.6
(32.0) 		82.2
(27.9) 		74.0
(23.3) 		66.0
(18.9) 		94.1
(34.5)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 30.9
(−0.6) 		34.3
(1.3) 		42.6
(5.9) 		55.3
(12.9) 		66.3
(19.1) 		73.9
(23.3) 		78.3
(25.7) 		76.4
(24.7) 		69.6
(20.9) 		57.8
(14.3) 		47.1
(8.4) 		35.2
(1.8) 		55.7
(13.2)
Daily mean °F (°C) 22.9
(−5.1) 		25.7
(−3.5) 		33.3
(0.7) 		44.8
(7.1) 		55.5
(13.1) 		63.6
(17.6) 		68.2
(20.1) 		66.7
(19.3) 		59.9
(15.5) 		48.4
(9.1) 		38.8
(3.8) 		27.6
(−2.4) 		46.4
(8.0)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 15.0
(−9.4) 		17.1
(−8.3) 		23.9
(−4.5) 		34.3
(1.3) 		44.6
(7.0) 		53.3
(11.8) 		58.0
(14.4) 		57.0
(13.9) 		50.1
(10.1) 		39.0
(3.9) 		30.5
(−0.8) 		20.1
(−6.6) 		37.0
(2.8)
Record low °F (°C) −22.7
(−30.4) 		−12.5
(−24.7) 		−5.4
(−20.8) 		11.0
(−11.7) 		27.5
(−2.5) 		33.5
(0.8) 		38.7
(3.7) 		35.1
(1.7) 		28.7
(−1.8) 		18.0
(−7.8) 		0.3
(−17.6) 		−13.6
(−25.3) 		−22.7
(−30.4)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 4.33
(110) 		3.62
(92) 		4.56
(116) 		4.86
(123) 		4.63
(118) 		4.90
(124) 		5.12
(130) 		4.66
(118) 		5.21
(132) 		5.68
(144) 		5.12
(130) 		5.04
(128) 		57.73
(1,466)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 19.7
(50) 		14.1
(36) 		14.6
(37) 		3.5
(8.9) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.1
(0.25) 		3.7
(9.4) 		11.8
(30) 		67.5
(171)
Average
relative humidity
(%) 		72.6 67.7 63.6 59.9 62.3 71.5 70.9 73.9 73.5 70.4 70.4 74.0 69.2
Average dew point °F (°C) 15.4
(−9.2) 		16.5
(−8.6) 		22.3
(−5.4) 		31.7
(−0.2) 		42.8
(6.0) 		54.2
(12.3) 		58.4
(14.7) 		58.1
(14.5) 		51.4
(10.8) 		39.2
(4.0) 		30.0
(−1.1) 		20.4
(−6.4) 		36.8
(2.7)
Source: PRISM[15]

Transportation

I-80 westbound in Tunkhannock Township

As of 2020, there were 52.66 miles (84.75 km) of public roads in Tunkhannock Township, of which 25.23 miles (40.60 km) were maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and 27.43 miles (44.14 km) were maintained by the township.[16]

Interstate 80 is the most prominent highway traversing Tunkhannock Township. It follows an east-west alignment across the northern portion of the township, including part of the interchange with Interstate 380, but the nearest interchanges with local roads are in neighboring townships. Pennsylvania Route 115 is the main numbered highway providing direct local access to the township. It follows a southeast-northwest alignment across southern and western parts of the township. Pennsylvania Route 903 begins at PA 115 in the western corner of the township and heads soutwestward out of the township.

Ecology

According to the

plant hardiness zone is 5b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of −10.3 °F (−23.5 °C).[14]

The climate of Long Pond PA is variable, and ecosystems vary considerably. Ecosystems range from glacial till barrens habitat, known for frost pockets and globally rare flowering species and associated insects. Mixed hardwood deciduous forests and vast peat bog swamps. Frost pockets can occur in this region in typically frost free months of June, July, and August.

The Nature Conservancy and Bethlehem Municipal Water Authority have preserved large tracts of habitat for globally rare species in this and neighboring townships.

References

  1. ^ "2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d Bureau, US Census. "City and Town Population Totals: 2020—2021". Census.gov. US Census Bureau. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
  3. ^ "Search Results". The United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  4. ^ "Water Quality Standards Review Stream Redesignation Evaluation Report" (PDF). dep.state.pa.us.
  5. ^ Authority, Bethlehem. "Bethlehem Authority". Bethlehem Authority.
  6. ^ "Long Pond Preserve and Hauser Nature Center".
  7. ^ "Maple Tract Preserve".
  8. ^ "Dixon Miller Recreation Area". trails.dcnr.pa.gov. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  9. ^ "PENNSYLVANIA IMPORTANT MAMMAL AREA #38 Long Pond Preserve" (PDF).
  10. ^ a b "THE RARE AND THE DIVERSE THRIVE AT POND PRESERVE THE NEW POCONOS". July 5, 1988.
  11. JSTOR 2996782
    .
  12. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  13. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  14. ^ a b "USDA Interactive Plant Hardiness Map". United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  15. ^ "PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University". Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  16. ^ "Tunkhannock Township map" (PDF). PennDOT. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
  17. ^ "U.S. Potential Natural Vegetation, Original Kuchler Types, v2.0 (Spatially Adjusted to Correct Geometric Distortions)". Retrieved September 6, 2019.
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