White Deer Creek

White Deer Creek
White Deer Creek looking upstream near Old Furnace
Native name	Woap'-achtu-hanne
Etymology	translation of its native name, meaning "white-deer stream"
Basin features
Main source	valley to the north of Hall Mountain in Miles Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania 1,872 ft (571 m)
River mouth	West Branch Susquehanna River in West Buffalo Township, Union County, Pennsylvania near White Deer 446 ft (136 m)
Progression	West Branch Susquehanna River → Susquehanna River → Chesapeake Bay
Tributaries	Left: Cowbell Hollow, Sand Spring Run, Mile Run, Lick Run Right: Tunis Run
Physical characteristics
Length	28 mi (45 km)
Discharge	Average rate: 73.06 cu ft/s (2.069 m3/s) (near White Deer, water years 1969–1973)

White Deer Creek is a tributary of the West Branch Susquehanna River in Centre County and Union County, in Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is approximately 28 miles (45 km) long and flows through Miles Township in Centre County and Hartley Township, Lewis Township, West Buffalo Township, and White Deer Township in Union County. The watershed of the creek has an area of 45.1 square miles (117 km²). Parts of the creek are designated as impaired. The creek's discharge near White Deer can be as low as 3 cubic feet per second (0.085 m³/s) or as high as 169 cubic feet per second (4.8 m³/s).

White Deer Creek is a freestone stream in mountainous terrain. It is relatively small and flows through a valley that is narrow, but can be up to 1,000 feet (300 m) wide. The creek flows alongside Interstate 80 for much of its length. A significant part of the land in the creek's watershed is forested, with large areas being owned by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry. The watershed of the creek is designated as a High-Quality Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery. It has both brook trout and brown trout and is stocked with trout.

White Deer Creek's name comes from the word Woap'-achtu-hanne, meaning "white-deer stream". The creek appeared on maps as early as 1759. A number of mills were constructed on it in the 18th and 19th centuries. Major historic industries in the watershed included lumbering and agriculture. A number of bridges have been constructed across the creek. Much of the length of White Deer Creek is in Bald Eagle State Forest; the creek also passes through McCalls Dam State Park. Other recreational opportunities include angling and canoeing.