Little Falls Branch (Potomac River tributary) facts for kids
Little Falls Branch is a small stream, about 3.8 miles (6.1 km) long. It is located in Montgomery County, Maryland. In the 1800s, people also called it Powder Mill Branch.
This stream flows through parts of Bethesda, Somerset, Friendship Heights, and Washington, D.C.. It goes under the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (C&O Canal). Finally, it empties into the Potomac River at Little Falls rapids. These rapids mark where the tidal part of the Potomac begins.
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Where Does Little Falls Branch Flow?
The stream starts on the grounds of the Chevy Chase Country Club. It flows through the town of Chevy Chase. Then it goes into the Somerset neighborhood. Here, it passes through Vinton Park and Willard Avenue Park.
After going under the Little Falls Parkway, it meets another stream called Willett Branch. The combined stream then flows through the Little Falls Stream Valley Park. It continues to Brookmont, passes the C&O Canal, and finally enters the Potomac River.
History of Little Falls Branch
In the mid-1800s, Little Falls Branch was an important water source. It provided water for Washington, D.C.. The Dalecarlia Reservoir was built near the stream, on the border between D.C. and Maryland.
A dam was built on Little Falls Branch. Water from the stream was sent into the reservoir starting in 1859. By 1864, the Washington Aqueduct was finished. This brought water from the Potomac River, which became the city's main water source.
However, the water from Little Falls Branch was often muddy. So, a special pipe was built. This pipe channeled the cleaner aqueduct water to another city reservoir, the Georgetown Reservoir. In 1895, construction was completed to fully stop the stream from flowing into the Dalecarlia Reservoir.
In the 1920s, Montgomery County bought land along the stream valley. Their plan was to build a parkway. The Little Falls Parkway was built from Glenbrook Road to Massachusetts Avenue. But plans to extend it further south were stopped in 1970. This southern part then became the Little Falls Stream Valley Park.
In 1980, a sewer line was built through the Park. A bike trail was added on top of it. Today, the 3.5-mile (5.6 km) Little Falls hiker-biker trail is partly on the Little Falls Parkway. It runs between Massachusetts Avenue and Dorset Avenue. North of Dorset, it follows Willett Branch to Hillandale Road and then to Norwood Drive. In Little Falls Stream Valley, this trail runs next to the Capital Crescent Trail.
Current State of the Stream
Today, Little Falls Branch flows through a very urbanized area. This means there are many buildings and roads around it. Parts of the stream have been changed by construction. Some sections now flow through underground pipes or culverts. Other parts are open concrete channels.
The stream runs near the Dalecarlia drinking water treatment plant in Washington. Sometimes, the plant has overflow discharges that go into the stream.
A study by the county government found that the water quality of the stream is poor. This is mainly due to water pollution from urban runoff. Urban runoff is rainwater that flows over streets and picks up pollutants. The changes to the stream's path, like channelization, also affect its health.
To help the stream, the county and the Town of Somerset have started several stream restoration projects. These projects aim to improve the stream's health and water quality.
Smaller Streams Joining Little Falls Branch
Several smaller streams, called tributaries, flow into Little Falls Branch:
- Dalecarlia Tributary
- Little Falls Mall Tributary
- Spring Valley Tributary
- Willett Branch
