User:Ruhrfisch/Frog
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- Thanks for you input. Perhaps it is an older (archaic?) usage, but people can settle on various bodies of water (in the sense that they settle on the banks of the creek, river, bay, etc.). Meginness (written in 1892 and one reference for the Farley story) uses "settled on White Deer Creek" and a search on Google with "settled on" in quotes and "creek" found many instances of this usage. The same is true for a "mill on a creek" (and one could argue that a water powered mill is at least partly in / on the water itself). See also the title of George Eliot's novel The Mill on the Floss (where the Floss is a fictional river). However, since it can be confusing, I will change it to "settled on the banks of White Deer Hole Creek". I prefer to
[edit] Watershed
The White Deer Hole Creek watershed is in Clinton (0.08%), Lycoming (4.40%), and Union (3.67%) Counties, with the percentage it accounts for of each county by area given in parentheses. It lies between the West Branch Susquehanna River (and its minor tributaries) to the north and east, and the White Deer Creek watershed to the south.
The White Deer Hole Creek watershed has a total population of 2,672 (as of 2000).[1] In the 1970s, Amish began moving to the valley from Lancaster County, settling near Elimsport. In 1995 there were over 200 Amish in more than twenty families (for comparison, Washington Township had a total population of 1,613 in 2000).[2] Elimsport has Amish businesses, including a harness shop, machine repair shop, and food store, while a new Amish one-room school was built in Washington Township in 1997.[3][4]
The total area of the watershed is 67 square miles (174 km²). Of that area, 48 square miles (124 km²) are forested and 19 square miles (49 km²) are given to agricultural uses. By area, 1.1% of the watershed lies in Clinton Count.y (in Crawford and Greene Townships), 81.6% lies in Lycoming County (in Brady, Clinton, Limestone, and Washington Townships), and 17.3% lies in Union County (in Gregg, Lewis, West Buffalo, and White Deer Townships).[1]
Spring Creek is the major tributary of White Deer Hole Creek, draining an area of 21.1 square miles (54.6 km²) and accounting for 31% of the total White Deer Hole Creek watershed. No other tributaries are named and only the area of the tributary in Beartrap Hollow is known, with 0.42 square miles (1.09 km² or less than 1% of the total).[5]
[edit] Water quality and pollution
The clear-cutting of forests in the early 20th century adversely affected the ecology of the Larrys Creek watershed and its water quality.[6] Agricultural runoff is another potential source of pollution. As of 2001, however, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has designated the White Deer Hole Creek Watershed a high quality watershed.[7]
The mean annual precipitation for White Deer Hole Creek is 40 to 42 inches (1016 to 1067 mm).[8] Pennsylvania receives the most acid rain of any state in the United States. Because White Deer Hole Creek is in a sandstone, limestone, and shale mountain region, it has a relatively low capacity to neutralize added acid. This makes it is especially vulnerable to increased acidification from acid rain, which poses a threat to the long term health of the plants and animals in the creek.[9]
[edit] Recreation
Canoeing: Edward Gertler writes that White Deer Hole Creek "offers a good springtime beginner cruise through a pretty, agricultural valley" with "many satisfying views" and "good current and many easy riffles". Canoeing and kayaking on the creek are possible when the water is high enough (in Spring and after hard rain), with 10.6 miles (17.1 km) of Class 1 whitewater from Back Road east to U.S. Route 15 (at the mouth). It is also possible to start further upstream, at the Gap Road bridge, for 2.0 miles (3.2 km) of Class 2 whitewater, but strainers are more of a problem here.[10]
Trout fishing and hunting: White Deer Hole Creek has very high water quality and is designated by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission as a "Class A Wild Trout Waters" stream for about half of its length, from the source downstream to the Township Road 384 (Gap Road) bridge. The unnamed tributary in the Fourth Gap of South White Deer Ridge is also designated as "Class A Wild Trout Waters", from its source to mouth. According to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Class A Wild Trout Waters are "streams which support a population of naturally produced trout of sufficient size and abundance to support a long-term and rewarding sport fishery".[11] The rest of White Deer Hole Creek downstream from the bridge, as well as Spring Creek, have been designated as approved trout waters by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. This means the waters will be stocked with trout and may be fished during trout season.[12]
Hunting, trapping, and fishing are possible with proper licenses in Tiadaghton State Forest, as well as the 3018 acres (12.21 km²) in State Game Lands No. 252.[13] As well as these public opportunities, there are private hunting and fishing clubs and cabins along White Deer Hole Creek and its tributaries. Popular game species include Black Bear, White-tailed Deer, Ruffed Grouse, and Wild Turkey.[14]
Trails and camping: Part of the 261 mile (420 km) Pennsylvania Mid State Trail runs along a section of White Deer Hole Creek from west of the Fourth Gap in South White Deer Ridge to beyond the source.[14] There are other hiking trails in the watershed, six of which are incorporated into the 120 mile (193 km) "Central Mountains Shared Use Trails System" in Tiadaghton and Bald Eagle State Forests in Union, Lycoming, and Clinton Counties. Trails incorporated in the White Deer Hole Creek include Third Gap, Metzger, Mud Hole, Pennsylvania Mid State, Sawalt, and Mountain Gap trails. The Mid State Trail is marked with orange blazes, while the Central Mountains Trail has red blazes.
Roads and trails in the Tiadaghton State Forest are also open for horseback riding and mountain biking (although the Mid State Trail is solely for hiking).[15] In winter, trails may be used for cross-country skiing and there are dedicated cross-country and snowmobile trails in Tiadaghton State Forest.
Primitive camping is possible in most areas of the state forest, although certain areas require a permit. For cooking and warmth, small campfires are permitted, except from March 1 to May 25 and October 1 to December 1, or by order of the district forester. When fires are not allowed, self-contained stoves are.[14]
