Flag Run Walk
15 February 2008: Walked upstream from the mouth of Flag Run to its last upstream outlet in North Springfield.
The mouth of Flag Run joins Lake Accotink beside the Lake Accotink Park marina. There is slack water about 100 yards upstream. Buffer is excellent in the park above the marina. There are some invasive alien species present, including multiflora rose, Japanese honeysuckle, English ivy, and garlic mustard. Trash is prevalent here and all along Flag Run.
Nearing Queensberry Ave, this part of the park becomes a corridor along the banks of Flag Run. This corridor of parkland continues all the way to the source of the stream. Buffer is still good, but the single-family houses are near on both sides. There are well-used informal footpaths along the banks here contributing to erosion.
Above Queensberry Ave, as far as I-495, Flag Run is flanked on the west by Ravensworth Industrial Park and on the east by single-family houses. The industrial park is separated from park property by a wooden fence, which helps prevent dumping and wind-blown trash. Invasive alien privet is common here. Buffer is still fair, but one house has mowed to the bank, perhaps encroaching on park property.
Above I-495, park property and buffer briefly widen considerably along the west side, then narrow again. There is much invasive alien English ivy, pachysandra, and bamboo here. English ivy forms extensive carpets in some areas.
The last upstream outlet of Flag Run is a storm drain just below Juliet St.
Erosion is prevalent all along Flag Run, similar to most parts of the Accotink Creek watershed.
The amount of trash along this small stream in a mostly residential area is surprising. Some trash must wash of I-495, but trash is about as bad upstream from I-495 as it is downstream.
