Painter Run begins in a small pond in a shallow valley in Davidson Township. It flows southeast for a few tenths of a mile and receives an unnamed tributary from the. It then turns east for several tenths of a mile and its valley becomes deeper and narrower. The stream gradually turns south and receives an unnamed tributary from the. After several tenths of a miles, it receives another unnamed tributary from the right. The stream then turns southeast for some distance and its valley continues to become deeper. It then receives another unnamed tributary from the left and turns southeast for approximately a mile, flowing alongside State Route 2003. It then gradually turns south-southeast and receives its only named tributary, Oxhorn Run, from the right. Several tenths of a mile further downstream, it reaches its confluence with West BranchFishing Creek. Painter Run joins West Branch Fishing Creek upstream of its mouth.
Tributaries
Painter Run has one named tributary, which is known as Oxhorn Run. It also has one unnamed tributary. Oxhorn Run joins Painter Run upstream of its mouth. The watershed of Oxhorn Run has an area of. The unnamed tributary joins Painter Run upstream of its mouth.
Hydrology
Between June 2010 and April 2011, the water temperature of Painter Run was measured four times. On June 18, the temperature was and on November 13, it was. On April 9, 2011, the temperature was and on January 4, 2011, it was. The specific conductance of the stream's waters was 37, 21, 15, and 20 micro-siemens per centimeter, respectively. Between June 2010 and April 2011, the pH of Painter Run was measured four times. The lowest pH was 5.99 on January 4, 2011 and the highest pH was 6.88 on June 18, 2010. The pH of the stream was 6.598 on November 13, 2010 and 6.20 on April 9, 2011. Painter Run is designated by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for use for aquatic life. It attains the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's standards. However, its tributary Oxhorn Run does not meet the standards and is considered by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to be impaired.
Geography and geology
The elevation near the mouth of Painter Run is above sea level. The elevation of the stream's source is between above sea level. Painter Run is in a narrow valley between two mountains. There is also a ridge to the north of the stream. Another ridge lies between the stream and West Branch Fishing Creek. Sandstone of the Pocono Formation occurs near the headwaters of Painter Run. In most of the stream's valley, alluvium, alluvial terrace, alluvial fan, and a glacial till known as the Wisconsinan Till can be found. The Wisconsinan Bouldery Till occurs on the eastern side of the stream's valley in its lower reaches. Bedrockconsisting ofsandstone and shale can also be found in the vicinity of the stream. During the Wisconsinan Glaciation, tongues of ice flowed northwest up Painter Run.
Painter Run was entered into the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. Its identifier in the Geographic Names Information System is 1183207. In 1864, it was alleged that an organization known as the Fishing Creek Confederacy constructed a fort in the upper reaches of the Fishing Creek watershed. The supposed remains of the fort are in the vicinity of Painter Run. Approximately a thousand soldiers searched the watersheds of East Branch Fishing Creek and West Branch Fishing Creek for deserters and any sign of a fort. However, they were unable to find any evidence of a fort and returned to Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. A steel stringer/multi-beam or girder bridge was constructed over Painter Run in 1930. It is long and carries State Route 2003. Another bridge of the same type was built over the stream west of Elk Grove in 1957. This bridge is long and carries State Route 2003. The latter bridge was listed as structurally deficient by 2012. In June 2012, there were plans to repair it in early July 2012.
