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TextHuntington Levee
This is a complicated project that will require review by local, state and federal agencies, and will take up to seven years to design and build the levee.
Voters approved a $30 million stormwater bond in November 2012 to fund the construction of the levee and pumping station.
Project Need
The Huntington community floods due to tidal surges from the Potomac River and flash flooding from the Cameron Run Watershed. The community was built prior to enactment of the current floodplain regulations.
Since 2002, three floods have damaged vehicles and other property in this neighborhood. There are 180 homes in the FEMA-designated floodplain that are at risk in the future.
At Fairfax County’s request, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers studied the best ways to protect Huntington from future floods. The study examined a number of options, including dredging Cameron Run, buying the flood-prone properties and flood proofing individual homes. The study found that a levee and a pumping station are the most cost effective ways to protect Huntington.
While the levee can prevent flooding of houses from the types of storms that have happened in the past, it is not designed to offer protection from flooding that is caused by storms that are greater than a 100-year event (a storm that may occur once every 100 years).
Project Description
A levee is an earthen embankment that runs parallel to the course of a river. The purpose of a constructed levee is to minimize flooding.
Based on the US Army Corps of Engineers (CORPS) initial concept project details include:
The red line in the image shows approximately where the levee will be constructed along Cameron Run. (Image: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)
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Levee
- 70 feet wide at the base
- 10 feet wide at the top
- 10 -15 feet high (actual measurements will be determined during the design of the project)
- 2,800 feet long (beginning west of Fenwick Drive and running eastward to the Riverside apartments)
- Pumping station facility
While the levee can help mitigate flooding of houses from the types of storms that have happened in the past, it is not designed to offer protection from flooding that is caused by storms that are greater than a 100-year event (a storm that has a one percent chance of occurring in any given year).
Project Complexities
The levee is a complex project that likely will require:
- Permits from local, state and federal agencies
- Environmental and other reviews by state and federal agencies
- Construction in a wetlands, which is regulated by state and federal agencies
- Acquisition of land and easements
Project Timeline
Based on the initial concept provided by the CORPS, the project is anticipated to take three to five years to design, with an additional two years for construction.
The county has advertised for consultant services and is proceeding on the following schedule:
- November/December 2012: Advertised for design consultant services
- January/February 2013: Interview and select design consultant
- Spring 2013: Finalize design contract
- Summer 2013: Consultant contract award; proceed with design and construction document preparation
The project schedule will be developed in partnership with the selected consultant in Spring/Summer 2013 and details will be provided as they are available.
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