The stream is impacted by various types of debris, localized iron hydroxide deposits, stormwater, and combined sewer overflows.

After a short distance, the stream west-northwest for several tenths of a mile before receiving Indian Cave Creek, its only named tributary, from the right.

The stream then flows west for several tenths of a mile, passing through the White Oak Reservoir and crossing US Route 6.

Several tenths of a mile downstream of US Route 6, it arrives at the bottom of the mountain and reaches its confluence with the Lackawanna River.

[2] White Oak Run joins the Lackawanna River 22.42 miles (36.08 km) upriver of its mouth.

[2] Indian Cave Creek joins White Oak Run 1.27 miles (2.04 km) upstream of its mouth.

However, flow from a slush bank owned by the Archbald Coal Company turned the stream black below the confluence.

[5] The peak annual discharge of White Oak Run upstream of its confluence with the Lackawanna River has a 10 percent chance of reaching 644 cubic feet (18.2 m3) per second.

[4] White Oak Run begins to experience disturbances from past mining activity a short distance upstream of the Robert Casey Highway.

A concrete slab bridge carrying Goers Hill Road over White Oak Run was built in 1908.

Two reaches of the stream are on the List of Special Places and Natural Areas of the Lackawanna River Conservation Association.

The stream is on the Watershed Restoration Priority List (for the Lackawanna River basin) of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation.

[11] In its upper reaches, White Oak Run has a stable cover consisting of native forest and understory plants.

Downstream of the tributary Indian Cave Creek, the stream has a riparian buffer consisting of hemlock and rhododendron.