Lake Braddock facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Braddock |
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Lake Braddock in winter
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 Lake Braddock
Location in Virginia
Lake Braddock
Location in the United States
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| Location | Fairfax County, Virginia |
| Coordinates | 38°48′00″N 77°16′29″W / 38.800113°N 77.274706°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Pohick Creek |
| Primary outflows | Pohick Creek |
| Basin countries | United States |
Lake Braddock is a man-made lake, also called a reservoir, located in the community of Burke in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. This lake was created by building a dam across a small stream. This stream is a "tributary," meaning it flows into Pohick Creek. Pohick Creek then flows into the larger Potomac River.
Creating Lake Braddock
In 1969, important groups in Fairfax County decided to build a dam. These groups included the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and the Northern Virginia Soil District. They signed agreements to start the project.
The dam was built on a small stream that feeds into Pohick Creek. The main goal of this dam was to help control soil erosion and prevent floods. It was planned as the first of eight similar dams in the Pohick Creek area.
The cost of building this dam was shared. The U.S. Department of Agriculture paid some of the money. A company called Yeonas Development Corporation also contributed. This company planned to build a large neighborhood with about 1,000 homes nearby.
The final cost for the dam that created the 19-acre lake was split. The U.S. Government paid about $93,000. Yeonas Development Corporation paid about $104,000.
Why Public Access Matters
After Lake Braddock was built, some people were upset. The lake was paid for partly with public money, but it did not have any public areas for recreation. This means people couldn't easily visit or use the lake for fun activities.
This disagreement led to a change in a law. The law was called the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act of 1954. In 1972, it was updated to require public access. This change meant that any similar projects built in the future using public money would need to allow public access.
