Swamp Accotink, Bogue Accotink, Marsh Accotink and even "the bog that was formerly known as Lake Accotink." In 20 years or so, these all might have been appropriate names for Lake Accotink if the silt continued to pour in, but a solution is at hand.
Jim McGlone, assistant manager at the park, is on the dredging committee. Recent plans on dredging and piping silt to a nearby construction site have given the lake new hope. Plans are being finalized, and work will possibly start this winter.
Talks have been going on with Shirley Contracting and Virginia Concrete over on Edsall Road, where the silt will be piped. They have a pit that will hold an estimated 225,000 cubic yards. The pipeline will be constructed along the railroad tracks, under Backlick Road and under I-495.
"That was a stroke of fortune. That will extend the life of the lake 22 years" before another dredging, McGlone said.
Since 1986, the lake has taken in 17,500 cubic yards per year, McGlone said.
"It's still coming and will continue to come," he said.
Fairfax County Park Authority representative Judy Pederson is aware of the dredging and the plan to pipe the silt off instead of trucking it, so it would impact the surrounding houses less. The project is estimated at $5.6 million, which was part of a 1998 bond.
"It's certainly going to help it now. I don't think anyone thinks it will solve it," Pederson said.
In addition, a sediment forebay is being looked at to catch sediments coming down the creek. The sediments sit in the basins and dry and will be trucked off later. That is an estimated 10,000 cubic yards a year.
"It's a lot cheaper to move dry," McGlone said.
Park manager Tawny Hammond is fighting the battle of the silt, too.
"You got to keep up with it. It's [the lake] half the size it was in '68," she said.
DON AND KITTY LOU SMITH have lived on Accotink Creek, which feeds into the lake, for 25 years. To them, it's part of living in the central Springfield area. They took time out from their walk, on the trail around the lake.
"I think the park system is extremely important. It's the only lake in Springfield, it's definitely worth being concerned about," she said.
Don remembers last time it was dredged, about 10 years ago. He's skeptical about the dredging procedure that was used.
"Last time they dredged it, they made a mess of it. It fills right back up," he said.
Jennifer Mullen grew up in Springfield and has since moved to Loudoun because of the development around her old stomping grounds.
"The county better keep something green. I'd feel badly if it was gone," she said.
Summer employee Holly Christein, a Robinson graduate and now a Virginia Tech college student, sees the day-to-day activity at the lake.
"The pedal boats get stuck. Sometimes people get out and push it themselves," she said.
Christein sees all the wildlife thriving at the lake.
"There's a nice amount of wildlife here," she said.
Les Gregory was at Accotink with his son Tye. He wasn't aware of the silt problem but thought it was a good item to include on the budget.
"It's the only lake in Springfield. This is probably as good as anything [budgetary]," he said.