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Department Resources

DPWES Releases Annual Floodplain Management Plan

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~Annual progress report details flood remediation efforts~

stormwater floodplain management planFAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. - With weather related flooding being the most common and costly natural disaster across the United States, Fairfax County is continuing efforts to mitigate flooding problems for residents. Floodplains are areas adjacent to stream channels that provide natural storage areas for excess water to accumulate and overflow when heavy storms occur.

Fairfax County’s latest activities are detailed in this year’s Floodplain Management Plan (FMP), recently released by the DPWES Stormwater Management Program. The FMP, which is part of the Northern Virginia Hazard Mitigation Plan, provides an annual update on the implementation of flood mitigation actions and is one of the required activities for the County’s participation in FEMA’s Community Rating System (CRS).

The latest Flood Management Plan comprises 30 actions the county is implementing to mitigate flooding, including, but not limited to:

  • Develop an outreach program aimed at assisting private dam owners with proper operation and maintenance.
  • Continue to employ a broad range of warning systems throughout the County.
  • Identify funding opportunities to replace vulnerable or undersized culvert stream crossings with bridges or larger culverts to reduce flood hazards.
  • Collaborate with FEMA to develop risk maps for the Cameron Run watershed and the Belle View communities.
  • Continue development of a comprehensive River Flood Response System for New Alexandria/Belle View and Huntington in partnership with the National Weather Service (NWS) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
  • Coordinate and support the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in the identification and resolution of road flooding and drainage issues related to VDOT roadways.
  • Continue to implement flood mitigation projects for communities in Fairfax County that are exposed to severe flooding risk.

The County also has adopted the Resilient Fairfax: Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan to make the County stronger and more adaptable as we experience climate changes and shifts in climate hazards. While it targets most weather and climate related hazards, such as flooding, extreme heat and severe storms, it also is designed to educate and provide strategies and considerations related to mitigating the potential impacts of climatological changes.

For more information visit Flood Information.

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