Public Works and Environmental Services

CONTACT INFORMATION: Our administrative offices are open 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Mon - Fri
703-324-5500 TTY 711
12000 Government Center Parkway
Suite 449, Fairfax, Va 22035
Shannon Curtis
Chief, Watershed Assessment Branch

Stream Physical Assessment Program

Please note, there was an error in the postcards that were sent out indicating that the monitoring will occur in 2019. The monitoring will occur in February 2024. Please contact us if you have any questions.


Taking samples in the streamThere are over 1,600 miles of streams and associated channels in Fairfax County and more than 1.1 million people. To support our large population, we have lots of infrastructure such as roads, houses, malls, libraries, and schools. As we develop our land, many of our streams have eroded or over-widened when too much stormwater runoff is sent to our streams quickly instead of soaking into the ground. As streams shift, our stormwater infrastructure (pipes that carry runoff from houses, shopping centers, and roads to our streams) may be damaged and need repair.

In order to assess the current condition of our streams and our stormwater infrastructure, staff from the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services perform visual stream physical assessments annually in the winter and early spring seasons. Only a portion of the county will be assessed per year. Please see the Stream Physical Assessment Map for the area of the county that has been assessed.

Results from the assessment will be used to:

  • identify candidate streams for restoration opportunities,
  • identify areas of stable stream for protection,
  • identify adjacent infrastructure needing maintenance,
  • identify small watersheds where stormwater infrastructure improvements/retrofits or other management actions could improve stream health, and
  • identify areas needing additional monitoring.

If you have concerns about erosion or flooding on your property, please report any flooding or erosion concerns using the Contact Maintenance and Stormwater Management form.

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