White Oak Run (Lackawanna River tributary) facts for kids

White Oak Run is a small stream, also known as White Oak Run No. 1. It flows into the Lackawanna River in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. A stream that flows into a larger river is called a tributary. White Oak Run is about 3.4 miles (5.5 km) long. It travels through Jefferson Township and Archbald.

The area of land that drains water into White Oak Run is called its watershed. This watershed covers about 5.11 square miles (13.2 km²). While some parts of the stream near towns have litter or dirty water from rain, its middle and upper parts are mostly clean and untouched. The stream is important because it is a home for fish that like cold water and fish that travel to different places to lay eggs. Many parts of the stream also have a healthy area of plants along its banks, called a riparian buffer. These plants include hemlock trees and rhododendrons.

Where Does White Oak Run Flow?

White Oak Run starts high up on a mountain in Jefferson Township. It flows generally southwest, then turns west. As it continues, it enters the town of Archbald. The stream then flows into a narrow valley as it comes down the mountain.

After a short distance, it flows west-northwest and meets Indian Cave Creek. This is the only other stream that officially flows into White Oak Run. After this, White Oak Run flows west, passing through the White Oak Reservoir. It also goes under US Route 6. Finally, it reaches the bottom of the mountain and joins the Lackawanna River. White Oak Run meets the Lackawanna River about 22.42 miles (36.08 km) before the Lackawanna River reaches its own end.

Meet Indian Cave Creek: White Oak Run's Main Tributary

White Oak Run has one officially named tributary: Indian Cave Creek. Indian Cave Creek joins White Oak Run about 1.27 miles (2.04 km) upstream from where White Oak Run meets the Lackawanna River. The land area that drains into Indian Cave Creek is about 1.59 square miles (4.1 km²). White Oak Run also has several smaller streams that flow into it, but they don't have official names.

Water Quality and Flow

Some small amounts of iron from old mines can get into White Oak Run. However, this only affects small areas. Near the end of the stream, you might see litter like urban trash or construction debris in the water. Also, sometimes dirty water from sewers and stormwater (rainwater runoff) flows into the stream close to its mouth.

Long ago, in the early 1900s, White Oak Run was clear. But then, water from a waste pile owned by the Archbald Coal Company made the stream black further downstream. The stream stayed black all the way to its mouth, and it had coal waste on its banks and in its streambed.

The amount of water flowing in White Oak Run can change a lot. For example, there's a 10 percent chance each year that the water flow near the Lackawanna River will reach 644 cubic feet (18.2 m³) per second. There's a 1 percent chance it could reach 1,308 cubic feet (37.0 m³) per second.

Land and Rocks Around the Stream

The land around the mouth of White Oak Run is about 892 feet (272 m) above sea level. Where the stream starts, its elevation is much higher, between 2,180 and 2,200 feet (660 and 670 m) above sea level.

There's a special land feature called the White Oak Ravines in the area where White Oak Run flows. The very beginning of the stream is in the Moosic Mountains.

The lower parts of White Oak Run have been changed by towns and old mining activities. But the middle and upper parts of the stream are mostly natural. People who study rivers have called the upper parts "pristine," meaning very clean and untouched. The part of the stream after Indian Cave Creek joins it is described as "very scenic."

As White Oak Run gets closer to the Robert Casey Highway, you start to see signs of past mining. Piles of leftover rock from mining have changed the stream's path, and small amounts of water from old mines flow into it. In its last 0.8 miles (1.3 km), the stream flows through a steep valley with rocky ledges. You can also see some coal seams (layers of coal) in the rocks. The bottom of the stream here is made of solid rock, large boulders, and rock ledges.

The last 600 feet (180 m) of White Oak Run has been changed by people. It flows through a channel with concrete and rock walls.

White Oak Run's Watershed

The total area of land that drains into White Oak Run is about 5.11 square miles (13.2 km²). The mouth of the stream is on a map called the Olyphant United States Geological Survey quadrangle. However, its source is on a different map called the Lake Ariel quadrangle.

White Oak Run is a second-order stream, which means it's a medium-sized stream formed by smaller streams joining together. It's one of the larger streams that flows into the Lackawanna River. Some Pennsylvania State Game Lands (areas for hunting and outdoor activities) are located in the upper parts of the watershed. There's also a dam on White Oak Run called the White Oak Dam. The Archbald Borough Building is located near where the stream meets the Lackawanna River.

Sometimes, White Oak Run can cause flooding in the town of Archbald. People who live along the stream have had their basements flood because of it.

History of White Oak Run

White Oak Run was officially added to the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. This system keeps track of names for places in the United States.

In the past, a coal processing plant called the Archbald Coal Company Breaker was in the area of White Oak Run. Also, several mine openings were built along the stream by the Evans and Owens brothers. A concrete bridge that carries Goers Hill Road over White Oak Run was built in 1908. This bridge is 27.9 feet (8.5 m) long and is located in Archbald.

In the early 2000s, a plan for the Lackawanna River watershed suggested that the area around White Oak Run should be kept natural for conservation. The plan also recommended that the towns of Archbald and Jefferson Township protect the stream in their local plans. White Oak Run is considered a "Special Place" by the Lackawanna River Conservation Association. It's also on a list of streams that need help to be restored, put together by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

On July 18, 2011, a company called White Stone Quarry, LLC received permission to let stormwater flow into White Oak Run.

Life in and Around the Stream

White Oak Run is a special place for fish. It's known as a Coldwater Fishery, meaning it's home to fish that need cool water to live. It's also a Migratory Fishery, which means fish travel through it to other places, often to lay their eggs.

In its upper parts, White Oak Run has a strong cover of native forest and smaller plants growing underneath the trees. Downstream from where Indian Cave Creek joins, the stream has a healthy riparian buffer (the area of plants along the stream banks). This buffer includes hemlock trees and rhododendron bushes. Even in its lower parts, the stream has a good riparian buffer, with some old, large trees growing right in the stream channel.