Lake Accotink is a recreational asset in Springfield.
In the last few years, Lake Accotink has attracted much attention with locals and scientists who are looking for solutions for the future of this community attraction that has fallen victim to sediments and budget restraints. Now the United States Geological Survey is looking at the lake and measuring the rate of sediments piling up to forecast the next phase for Lake Accotink.
Once they get the sediment numbers upstream and downstream from the lake, the county can come up with a plan “that will inform future management strategies for Lake Accotink,” the county said.
In 2023, Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services staff recommended that Lake Accotink not be dredged due to significant community and environmental impacts and excessive cost. Following this recommendation, a task force was established to ensure that all possible options have been considered to preserve Lake Accotink in the most sustainable, equitable, and cost-effective manner possible, the county said. After receiving the task force’s findings last winter, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors directed DPWES to conduct a sedimentation rate study along with a feasibility study for preserving a smaller lake in the 20 to 40 acres range. The Lake is about 55 acres.
On July 16, the Board of Supervisors provided authorization for Fairfax County to enter into the Joint Funding Agreement with the USGS to study the lake so they can come up with some management strategies for Lake Accotink. The sediment monitoring study will focus on two elements: a lake sedimentation study and a stream study.
As noted at the Board’s Jan. 23 meeting, “We do not know with certainty how much sediment is entering Lake Accotink, how much sediment is settling in Lake Accotink, and how much sediment is flowing downstream from Lake Accotink. That information is necessary to inform future dredging and maintenance dredging intervals, our understanding of the Lake’s evolution over time, and sediment impacts on downstream areas,” the county said.
According to the county, these two studies are designed in tandem to specifically reduce this uncertainty and to better characterize sediment transport dynamics in the upper Accotink Creek watershed — with specific emphasis on the Lake — providing sound scientific basis for informing future implementation scenarios.
On the Fairfax County Park Authority website, there is a section under "Lake Accotink" called "Options to Consider Other Than Full Traditional Dredging." A final Report, dated Nov. 25, 2023 lists two lake size scenarios and has the cost of dredging the 22-acre lake at $23,781,626 while the 41-acre scenario is $33,875,689.
FLAP Gets Grant from Starbucks Foundation
The Friends of Lake Accotink Park (FLAP) was selected to receive a $1,000 grant as part of The Starbucks Foundation’s Neighborhood Grants program. This grant award is the result of a Starbucks partner (employee) nomination. This is the third Neighborhood Grant awarded to FLAP over the last four years.
The Friends of Lake Accotink Park is an all-volunteer community-based organization with the mission to protect, restore and preserve the natural, historical and cultural resources of the park, promote educational and recreational opportunities and promote community use and stewardship of the park. All FLAP funds go directly to supporting projects, initiatives and programs to benefit the park.
“Whether it’s organizing and conducting cleanups, maintaining the 11 dog waste stations throughout the park, tending the pollinator garden or helping plan large community events and activities, this is absolutely a labor of love for our volunteers,” said FLAP President Mary Keeser. “From the woods to the waterfront, it’s a privilege to work in partnership with the Park Authority in bringing the community together to enjoy the wonderful experiences and opportunities available at Lake Accotink Park.”