WHEREAS, May 18, 2023, marks the 50th anniversary of when the Fairfax County Circuit Court ratified the creation of the Lake Barcroft Watershed Improvement District as a state agency dedicated to enhancing water quality and preserving the environmental integrity of the Lake Barcroft watershed; and

WHEREAS, Lake Barcroft was originally developed as a drinking water reservoir for the City of Alexandria but was later repurposed when the city began to draw water from an alternate source; a residential neighborhood began to grow in the area in the 1950s, and members of that community purchased the lake, dam, and nearby common grounds in 1970; and

WHEREAS, the Lake Barcroft Watershed Improvement District traces its roots to 1972 and the aftermath of Hurricane Agnes, when a group of local residents formed an ad hoc committee to secure funding for repairs to an earthen dam at the west end of Lake Barcroft, which had been washed out in the storm; and

WHEREAS, Stuart Finley, a member of the board of the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District, researched an obscure statute on watershed improvement districts and proposed establishing such a district to levy taxes and issue bonds to support lake repairs and enhancements; and

WHEREAS, in early 1973, the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District created the Lake Barcroft Watershed Improvement District, which received overwhelming support in two local referendums and, having met all legal requirements, was certified by the Fairfax County Circuit Court as a new state agency in good constitutional order on May 18 of that year; and

WHEREAS, thanks to the incredible success of this community-led effort, the Lake Barcroft Watershed Improvement District began selling bonds that June, and new taxes were implemented on July 1, 1973; by November, the storm damage had been fully repaired allowing for partial refilling of the lake; and

WHEREAS, after repairs were completed, the Lake Barcroft Watershed Improvement District refocused its mission on the continual enhancement and preservation of Lake Barcroft; the agency currently monitors the water quality and depths of the lake, monitors discharges from the dam, and advocates for the environmental integrity of the local watershed; and

WHEREAS, the Lake Barcroft Watershed Improvement District coordinates the removal of trash, debris, and fallen trees and dredges the lake to remove thousands of cubic yards of sediment each year; the agency has also led projects to restore and enhance the dam, ensuring high operational functionality and safety; and

WHEREAS, over the course of its history, the Lake Barcroft Watershed Improvement District has become a model for other community-based watershed agencies and provided technical and financial expertise to similar entities throughout the Commonwealth, the United States, and the world; and

WHEREAS, the Lake Barcroft Watershed Improvement District has fulfilled its mission through the hard work and dedication of its staff members, consultants, contractors, and volunteers, as well as the leadership and guidance of its Board of Trustees, which is made up of three Lake Barcroft residents; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the Lake Barcroft Watershed Improvement District hereby be commended on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of its official constitution as a state agency; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Lake Barcroft Watershed Improvement District as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for the agency's decades of work to enhance the environmental health of the Lake Barcroft watershed and contributions to generations of local residents.