Watershed Profile: West Branch Octoraro Creek Near White Rock, PA

Provisional Data Graph Results Zoom to Map
 Data Sources Readme
Watershed Overview
West Branch Octoraro Creek drains portions of southern Lancaster County before joining the East Branch Octoraro Creek in the Octoraro Lake. The monitoring station is location upstream of the lake near the town of White Rock, PA.
Drainage Characteristics
  • Drainage Area (square miles): 39.53
  • Total Stream Length (miles): 62.8
  • Average Annual Flow at Station (NHD) (cfs): 60.5
  • Population (2020): 6,515
Stream Classifications (Pennsylvania)
Designation Miles
High-Quality Cold Water Fisheries 62.81
Total 62.81
  • Land Use
  • Description Percentage
    Water 0.03
    Developed Open Space 6.24
    Low Urban 2.32
    Medium Urban 0.98
    High Urban 0.16
    Barren 0.03
    Deciduous Forest 14.13
    Coniferous Forest 0.12
    Mixed Forest 2.79
    Shrub Scrub 0.55
    Grassland Herbaceous 0.12
    Pasture/Hay 20.29
    Cropland 51.24
    Wetlands 1.01
Underlying Geology
Rock Type Percentage
Limestone 6.33
Other 86.43
Quartzite 7.24
Map
Recent Results
Sample Time 4/25/2024 6:00:00 PM
Temperature  (C) 15.97
Specific Conductivity  (mS/cm) 0.234
PH 9.99
Turbidity  (NTU+) 2.73
Dissolved Oxygen  (mg/L) 12.64
Dissolved Oxygen (last month of readings)
pH (last month of readings)
Specific Conductivity (last month of readings)
Temperature (last month of readings)
Turbidity (last month of readings)
Natural Gas
  • Natural Gas Pads 0
  • Natural Gas Water Withdrawals 0
Public Water Supply Withdrawals
  • Groundwater 20
  • Surface Water 1
NPDES Discharges
Description Count
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation 5
Mining/Quarry 0
Stormwater 3
Wastewater Treatment Plant/Sewage Treatment Plant 1
Other 1
Stream Impairments
Source Category Miles
Agriculture Aquatic Life 59.80
Agriculture Potable Water Supply 11.40