Flooding is the most common and costly natural disaster in the U.S. In fact, 90% of all presidentially declared natural disasters involve flooding. Flood insurance can be the difference between recovery and financial devastation and only 3% of Virginia residents have a policy. Where it rains, it can flood, so no home is completely safe from potential flooding. Unfortunately, many property owners do not find out until it's too late that their regular homeowners insurance policies do not cover flooding.

The goal during Flood Awareness Week is to educate residents about flood risks, promote flood insurance, provide information on flood remediation and promote safety measures during floods. This week-long initiative focuses on information about resources and guidance to help residents, businesses, and local organizations understand the dangers of flooding in the region and how to take proactive measures to protect themselves and their property.

A new residential program in Fairfax County, the Flood Mitigation Assistance Program (FMAP), has provided reimbursement funding to approximately 25 residents to help safeguard their properties from flood damage since its inception in July 2024. The program reimburses 50% of eligible floodproofing project costs—up to $5,000 per property.

FMAP is funded by Fairfax County and administered by the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District (NVSWCD). It is designed to help homeowners, HOAs, condo associations, and places of worship implement flood mitigation projects. Renters may also apply with the property owner’s permission. Projects completed on or after July 1, 2024, may be eligible for reimbursement, including:

• Battery backups for sump pumps
• Flood barriers and flood vents
• French drains and surface regrading
• Waterproofing sealants and utility flood covers
• Portable submersible pumps and other floodproofing measures

How to Apply

To apply, residents must complete an eligible project, retain documentation and receipts, and apply through NVSWCD. If permits are required, they must be submitted before reimbursement.

For more information on FMAP eligibility, approved projects, and the application process, visit: FMAP

Residents can also contact NVSWCD at: ConservationDistrict@fairfaxcounty.gov or call 703-324-1460

Virginia Flood Awareness Week encourages Virginians to learn about their flood risk and protect the life they’ve built with flood insurance. To learn more about flood insurance, the mitigation discount tool and the Virginia Flood Risk Information Tool (VFRIS) visit:

• National Flood Insurance Program
• Flood Insurance Mitigation Discount Tool
• Virginia Flood Risk Information System (VFRIS)

Fairfax County has implemented the Resilient Fairfax Plan to boost our resilience through climate-ready communities, resilient infrastructure and buildings, adaptive environments, and integrated action planning. For key metrics on how the climate is changing locally, check out the Resilience Metrics Dashboard. For a map of projected coastal flooding and other hazard layers, please see the Resilient Fairfax Interactive Map Viewer. For more resources and detailed technical reports, please see the Resilient Fairfax webpage. For all of the County’s climate plans, including emissions reduction plans, please see Climate Plans, Policies, and Initiatives.

For more information on flood preparedness, floodplains, special flood hazard areas and other information, visit Flood Information.