Pohick Creek
Encyclopedia
Pohick Creek is a 14 miles (22.5 km) tributary
stream
of the Potomac River
in Fairfax County
in the U.S. state
of Virginia
. It takes its name from the Pohick Native American
tribe
once prevalent in the area.
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 miles (8.9 km) stretch between Hooes Road (Virginia Secondary Route 636) and the Richmond Highway
(U.S. Route 1
) at Lorton
.
by the United States Geological Survey
.
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
stream
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
of the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
in Fairfax County
Fairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County is a county in Virginia, in the United States. Per the 2010 Census, the population of the county is 1,081,726, making it the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with 13.5% of Virginia's population...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. It takes its name from the Pohick Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
tribe
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
once prevalent in the area.
Pohick Creek forms in the vicinity of Burke
Burke, Virginia
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 57,737 people, 19,215 households, and 15,756 families residing in the community. Burke is the largest community in Virginia recognized by the Census Bureau, other than counties and incorporated cities . The population density was 5,008.0 people per...
and flows southeast past the western edge of Fort Belvoir
Fort Belvoir
Fort Belvoir is a United States Army installation and a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. Originally, it was the site of the Belvoir plantation. Today, Fort Belvoir is home to a number of important United States military organizations...
to empty into the tidal Pohick Bay, which itself empties, along with Accotink Bay, into Gunston Cove
Gunston Cove
Gunston Cove is an inlet of the Potomac River, at the confluence of Accotink Creek and Pohick Creek in Northern Virginia. The Cove forms the northern boundary of Mason Neck, once home to the revolutionary hero George Mason and now site of several regional parks and the Mason Neck National Wildlife...
, an embayment of the tidal Potomac River. Pohick Creek is a popular stream for whitewater kayaking
Whitewater kayaking
Whitewater kayaking is the sport of paddling a kayak on a moving body of water, typically a whitewater river. Whitewater kayaking can range from simple, carefree gently moving water, to demanding, dangerous whitewater. River rapids are graded like ski runs according to the difficulty, danger or...
, rafting, and paddling, providing Class II and III rapids along a 5.5 miles (8.9 km) stretch between Hooes Road (Virginia Secondary Route 636) and the Richmond Highway
Jefferson Davis Highway
The Jefferson Davis Memorial Highway was a planned transcontinental highway in the United States in the 1910s and 1920s that began in Washington, D.C. and extended south and west to San Diego, California; it was named for Jefferson Davis, who, in addition to being the first and only President of...
(U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south U.S. Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs 2,377 miles from Fort Kent, Maine at the Canadian border south to Key West, Florida. U.S. 1 generally parallels Interstate 95, though it is significantly farther west between...
) at Lorton
Lorton, Virginia
Lorton is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The population is 27,709 as of the 2008 census estimate.-History:...
.
Variant names
The following variant names have been listed on the Geographic Names Information SystemGeographic Names Information System
The Geographic Names Information System is a database that contains name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features located throughout the United States of America and its territories. It is a type of gazetteer...
by the United States Geological Survey
United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...
.
- North West Branch
- Poehick Creeke
- Poheick Creek
- West Branch
See also
- Accotink Bay Wildlife RefugeAccotink Bay Wildlife RefugeAccotink Bay Wildlife Refuge is a nature preserve on the grounds of Fort Belvoir in Fairfax County, Virginia, USA. Several other parks, including Mason Neck Park, Pohick Bay Regional Park, and the Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge are located nearby....
- List of rivers of Virginia
- Pohick ChurchPohick ChurchPohick Church is an Episcopal church in the community of Pohick near Lorton in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States.-History:Originally founded around 1695 as Occoquan Church, in the Anglican Truro Parish of Virginia, it was later renamed Pohick Church in 1732 after relocating near Pohick Creek,...
- Pohick, VirginiaPohick, VirginiaPohick is an unincorporated community in Fairfax County, Virginia, USA. Pohick is centered between the intersections of Rolling and Telegraph Roads with Richmond Highway . It is adjacent to the communities of Lorton and Newington. Pohick takes its name from Pohick Church which in turn is named for...