Lake Braddock

Lake Braddock is a small man-made lake in Burke created by impounding the Pohick Creek.

History

The lake was originally created in 1969 as part of a scheme by the Yeonas Development Corporation to enhance the value of their planned Lake Braddock development. Yeonas planned to contribute slightly more than half of the cost of the construction of the dam, $69,569, with the other $68,931 coming from the Soil Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.[1]

However, the actual cost of construction resulted in Yeonas contributing $104,000 and the government $93,000.[2]

The creation of the lake also encountered some controversy, as the lake was not open to the public and appeared to exist solely to line the pockets of Yeonas by increasing the value of the homes they built along its shores.[2]

Incidents

On January 29, 1973, 6-year-old Courtney C. Cross drowned in the lake when he fell off the boat dock after throwing a rock at a duck.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Pact Signed for Pohick Watershed Dam." The Washington Post, Times Herald (1959-1973): 6. May 16 1969. ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Washington Post (1877-1995). Web. 7 Sep. 2012.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "U.S. Funded Lakes Closed to Public, Hill Report Says." The Washington Post, Times Herald (1959-1973): 2. Oct 26 1971. ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Washington Post (1877-1995). Web. 7 Sep. 2012.
  3. ↑ "Burke Boy Drowned in Fairfax Lake." The Washington Post, Times Herald (1959-1973): 1. Jan 30 1973. ProQuest. Web. 30 Aug. 2014.