Flooding is one of Fairfax County’s most common hazards. Be prepared for flooding no matter where you live, but particularly if you are in a low-lying area, near a body of water, or in other areas known to flood in previous storms. The first step is understanding your flood risk.
A floodplain is the flat area next to the main stream channel. When stream banks overflow during or after a storm, the floodplain provides natural storage for the excess water.
To help customers develop quality construction plans for county review, Fairfax County provides the Flood Risk Awareness Tool GIS application. The Flood Risk Awareness Tool allows customers and the public to access centralized floodplain data and related information through one application. Understanding the complexities of Fairfax’s floodplain data is key when considering potential construction in these areas.
To learn more about the development of this flood risk evaluation tool, please view the Analyzing Flood Risk StoryMap or read the accompanying technical paper.
