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Patoka River – Robb Creek

Did The Patoka River Once Empty Into The White River Through Robb Creek?

I’m sure you know of my interest in the Patoka River and it’s history. I have been curious about the topography of the Patoka River valley why it is so nearly flat and how it was formed.

We have to look at the “Ice Age” or glaciation of the Midwest to get some idea of why the Patoka River area looks this way’

Some people will probably disagree with this scenario, but difference of opinion isn’t always a bad thing. It seems that 16,000 years ago was the time when glaciers moved south to greatest extent in the Midwest during the most recent Ice Age (most scientist believe there have been multiple Ice Ages). During the most recent Ice Age the glaciers did not get as far south as southwestern Indiana, however we were very much affected by the water from melting ice and accompanying soil it carried.

The Patoka River was probably formed by the water from the melting glacier ice. The amount of water and soil deposits coming into the Patoka River varied depending on the rate of melting of the ice. There were lakes formed water was impounded in many areas. I’m sure you have heard some farm ground referred to as old lake bottom ground.

This brings me to the theory that geologists have about the Patoka River changing it’s course several thousand years ago. If water was impounded in the Patoka River valley by the hills and rock formations in Severns Bridge area and just down stream, you can possibly imagine that the water took a course somewhat like the present Trippet Ditch or Pond Run as it’s more commonly known. There are several rock formations that the Patoka has cut through in the Severns Bridge area.

If you look at a map of this area you can visualize water flowing up the Pond Run Ditch and as you follow the Pond Run Ditch when it gets to about the Steelman Chapel Road or Fisher Hill area it could easily connect with Robb Creek and proceed to the White River at Hazleton. (I have a topographic map of this area and it is easy to follow this waterway).

Geologist and my Uncle Chester have a theory that a large break in the impounded water or a large amount of water from far upstream caused a large surge of water that broke through rock formations near Severns Bridge area and the Patoka River took it’s present route to the Wabash River. This surge of water was so strong that in some areas it washed out deep enough to remove the coal in that channel (core tests reveal that the veins of coal are missing replaced by sediment). The Pond Run Ditch then began run backward into the Patoka River, but remember it was a series of ponds and swamps until the Trippet Ditch was dredged.

One other change in the Patoka River was in the area near East Mt.Carmel, when the railroad was crossing the Wabash River the railroad straightened the Patoka River to avoid having to build an additional bridge. Most likely the Patoka River originally followed what is now called Coon Creek.

I’m sure there will be some with further information and maybe some opinions.