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Holmes Run facts for kids

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Holmes Run
In the foreground is a rocky shallow stream that forks into two a short ways off from the photographer. There is an island in the right fork so that it joins the left fork in two places. Beyond the banks, a grove of deciduous trees rise into blue skies.
The confluence of Holmes Run (right) and Backlick Run (left) into Cameron Run (foreground) at Ben Brenman Park, Alexandria, Virginia, 1 October 2017
Country United States
State Virginia
Physical characteristics
River mouth Cameron Run
38°48′27″N 77°06′40″W / 38.8076°N 77.1112°W / 38.8076; -77.1112
Length 10.5 miles (16.9 km)
Basin features
GNIS feature ID 1478779

Holmes Run is a stream located in Northern Virginia. It flows through Fairfax County and the City of Alexandria. This stream is part of the larger Cameron Run Watershed. It is a small stream that eventually flows into the Potomac River.

The stream starts near where two major highways, I-495 and I-66, meet. From there, it travels southeast for about 10.5 miles (17 kilometers). Holmes Run then joins with another stream called Backlick Run. Together, they form Cameron Run. Cameron Run later turns into Hunting Creek before emptying into the Potomac River. This happens just south of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.

History of Lake Barcroft

Barcroft-Dam-Fairfax-County-Virginia-22-Oct-2017
The masonry dam across Holmes Run that creates Barcroft Lake, Fairfax County, Virginia, 22 October 2017

In the early 1900s, the Alexandria Water Company built a dam on Holmes Run. This happened between 1913 and 1915. The dam created a lake called Lake Barcroft. The main purpose of this lake was to store drinking water for the city of Alexandria.

After World War II, the population of Alexandria grew a lot. The city needed more water than Lake Barcroft could provide. So, in 1949, Alexandria stopped using Lake Barcroft for drinking water. Instead, they started getting their water from the Occoquan Reservoir.

The Stream's Path and Surroundings

Holmes Run source 2021
Looking towards the source of Holmes Run in Dunn Loring, Virginia

Holmes Run flows through a busy urban area. In some places, the stream has been "channelized." This means its path has been made straighter and more like a canal. This helps control water flow in developed areas.

However, many parts of Holmes Run have also been turned into "urban greenspace." These are natural areas within the city. One example is the Holmes Run Trail. This trail offers a place for people to walk, bike, and enjoy nature.

Above Lake Barcroft, Holmes Run forms a natural boundary. It marks the edge between the communities of West Falls Church and Annandale.

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