Sandy Creek is a tributary of the Tuscarawas River

Tuscarawas River

The Tuscarawas River is a principal tributary of the Muskingum River, 129.9 miles long, in northeastern Ohio in the United States...

, 41.3 miles (66.5 km) long, in northeastern Ohio

Ohio

Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...

 in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. Via the Tuscarawas, Muskingum

Muskingum River

The Muskingum River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 111 miles long, in southeastern Ohio in the United States. An important commercial route in the 19th century, it flows generally southward through the eastern hill country of Ohio...

 and Ohio

Ohio River

The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...

 Rivers, it is part of the watershed

Drainage basin

A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...

 of the Mississippi River

Mississippi River

The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...

, draining an area of 503 square miles (1,303 km²).

Sandy Creek rises in Hanover Township

Hanover Township, Columbiana County, Ohio

Hanover Township is one of the eighteen townships of Columbiana County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 3,749 people in the township, 3,362 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...

, approximately two miles (3 km) northeast of Hanoverton

Hanoverton, Ohio

Hanoverton is a village in Hanover Township, Columbiana County, Ohio, United States. The population was 387 at the 2000 census.Hanoverton is home to the historic Spread Eagle Tavern, an inn/restaurant which has been visited by Abraham Lincoln, Dan Quayle, Dick Cheney, and most recently John McCain,...

 in western Columbiana County

Columbiana County, Ohio

Columbiana County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of 2010, the population was 107,841. It is named for Christopher Columbus and the county seat is Lisbon....

 and flows generally west-southwestwardly through northwestern Carroll County

Carroll County, Ohio

Carroll County is a county located in the state of Ohio. As of 2010, the population was 28,836, no change from 2000. Its county seat is Carrollton. It is named for Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence....

, southeastern Stark County

Stark County, Ohio

Stark County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 375,586. It is included in the Canton-Massillon, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area....

 and northeastern Tuscarawas County

Tuscarawas County, Ohio

Tuscarawas County is a county located in the eastern part of the state of Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 92,582. Its county seat is New Philadelphia...

, past the communities of Kensington

Kensington, Ohio

Kensington is an unincorporated community in southwestern Hanover Township, Columbiana County, Ohio, United States. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 44427. It lies along U.S. Route 30 at its intersection with State Routes 9 and 644.-References:...

, Minerva

Minerva, Ohio

Minerva is a village in Carroll, Columbiana, and Stark counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 3,934 at the 2000 census.The Carroll and Stark County portions of Minerva are part of the Canton–Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Columbiana County portion is part...

, Malvern

Malvern, Ohio

Malvern is a village in Carroll County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,218 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Canton–Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Malvern is located at , along Sandy Creek....

, Waynesburg

Waynesburg, Ohio

Waynesburg is a village in Stark County, Ohio, United States. The population was 923 at the 2010 census, a decrease from 1,003 in 2000. It is part of the Canton–Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...

 and Magnolia

Magnolia, Ohio

Magnolia is a village in Carroll and Stark Counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 931 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Canton–Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...

. It joins the Tuscarawas River from the east in Bethlehem Township

Bethlehem Township, Stark County, Ohio

Bethlehem Township is one of the seventeen townships of Stark County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 5,650 people in the township, 4,210 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...

 in Stark County, approximately one mile (2 km) northeast of Bolivar

Bolivar, Ohio

Bolivar is a village in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, United States. The population was 894 at the 2000 census. Bolivar is also home to Fort Laurens, the only American Revolutionary War-era fort in what is now Ohio.-History:...

. At Minerva, it collects the Still Fork

Still Fork

Still Fork is a tributary of the Sandy Creek, long, in eastern Ohio in the United States. Via the Sandy Creek, Tuscarawas, Muskingum and Ohio Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of in Carroll County, Ohio. The source is at and the mouth is at ., with...

. At Waynesburg it collects a short stream known as Little Sandy Creek. In Sandyville

Sandyville, Ohio

Sandyville is an unincorporated community in northern Sandy Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio, United States. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 44671...

, Tuscarawas County it collects Nimishillen Creek

Nimishillen Creek

Nimishillen Creek is a tributary of Sandy Creek, 24.5 miles long, in northeastern Ohio in the United States. Via Sandy Creek and the Tuscarawas, Muskingum and Ohio Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of 187 square miles , including the city of...

, which drains the city of Canton

Canton, Ohio

Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...

.

A dry dam

Dry dam

A dry dam is a dam constructed for the purpose of flood control. Dry dams typically contain no gates or turbines, and are intended to allow the channel to flow freely during normal conditions...

, Bolivar Dam, constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, spans the creek near its mouth.

Flow rate

At the United States Geological Survey

United States Geological Survey

The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...

's stream gauge

Stream gauge

A stream gauge, stream gage or gauging station is a location used by hydrologists or environmental scientists to monitor and test terrestrial bodies of water. Hydrometric measurements of water surface elevation and/or volumetric discharge are generally taken and observations of biota may also be...

 in Waynesburg, the annual mean flow of the river between 1939 and 2005 was 278 ft³/s (8 m³/s). The highest recorded flow during the period was 15,000 ft³/s (425 m³/s) on January 22, 1959. The lowest recorded flow was 6.9 ft³/s (0 m³/s) on an unspecified date.

Variant names

According to the Geographic Names Information System

Geographic Names Information System

The Geographic Names Information System is a database that contains name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features located throughout the United States of America and its territories. It is a type of gazetteer...

, Sandy Creek has also been known historically as:

• Big Sandy Creek
• Big Sandy River
• Elks Eye Creek
• Lamanshicolas Creek
• Lamenshikola Creek