Pohick Creek forms in the vicinity of Burke and flows southeast past the western edge of Fort Belvoir to empty into the tidal Pohick Bay, which itself empties, along with Accotink Bay, into Gunston Cove, an embayment of the tidal Potomac River. Pohick Creek is a popular stream for whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling, providing Class II and III rapids along a 5.5-mile (8.9 km) stretch between Hooes Road (Virginia Secondary Route 636) and the Richmond Highway (U.S. Route 1) at Lorton.
Several tributaries of the Pohick Creek are impounded by dams constructed under the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act to prevent soil erosion and flooding. Originally eight dams were planned, but from 1970 to 1985, only six were actually built.
Lake Braddock (Pohick #7) was the first dam built in 1970, and impounds the Pohick Creek in Burke.
Huntsman Lake (Pohick #8) was built in 1973, and impounds the Middle Run in Springfield.
Lake Royal (Pohick #4) was completed in 1977, and impounds the Rabbit Branch in Burke above its confluence with the Sideburn Branch, where it forms Pohick Creek.
Lake Barton (Pohick #2) completed in 1978, impounds a tributary of the Sideburn Branch in Burke.
Woodglen Lake (Pohick #3), which impounds the Sideburn Branch in Fairfax, was completed in 1981.
Lake Mercer (Pohick #1) became in 1985 the final dam completed, impounding the South Run in Springfield.
Pohick Creek drains 32.21 square miles (83.4 km2) of area, receives about 43.5 in/year of precipitation, has a topographic wetness index of 409.88 and is about 31.0% forested.[4]
[edit]Course of Pohick Creek (Potomac River tributary)Watershed of Pohick Creek (Potomac River tributary) Converted Liberty ship Sturgis with MH-1A nuclear power reactor, in Gunston Cove, 1967.
