Taylor Run sees daylight at the concrete culvert east of Chinquapin Rec Center along Rte. 7 in Alexandria. Photo by Tree Steward trainee Victor Lopez

Tree Steward Bill Gillespie describes how citizens sampled water in Taylor Run to demonstrate that City of Alexandria staff, using data collected in Pennsylvania, had overestimated by five times the amount of phosphorus in Taylor Run. Photo by Tree Steward Jo Allen

Tree Steward Russ Bailey explains Alexandria’s — now halted — plan to bulldoze trees and other native plants and creatures to widen Taylor Run to slow its flow during storms. Photo by Tree Steward Jo Allen

Stormwater from nearby neighborhood roofs, streets, sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots all feed into Taylor Run, raising the water level many feet within 10 minutes of the onset of rain, according to Tree Steward Russ Bailey. Ten minutes after rain stops, the creek’s water level returns to normal. Photo by Tree Steward Jo Allen