Cautious Optimism On Flood Mitigation Work: Alexandria Advisory Group

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The advisory group was created in 2021 as the city stepped up flood mitigation planning amid significant flash flooding from severe rainstorms. From 2018 to 2021, the city had six severe rainfalls that produced stormwater well above what the drainage system could handle.

The current infrastructure is designed for a 10-year storm (predicted to only happen once every 10 years). But with climate change factoring in, these storms happen almost every year — or more. For example, the July 8, 2019, storm was considered a 60-year storm, and the Aug. 15, 2021 storm was a 300-year storm.

Since then, more money from the city’s stormwater utility fee is being directed to stormwater capacity projects. The city’s stormwater utility fee was created in 2018, with a large share going toward state and federal Chesapeake Bay water quality mandates.

But as the city experienced more flash flooding because of the insufficient stormwater capacity, fee increases have been approved in recent budgets to accelerate flood mitigation projects in the city’s 10-year capital budget.

How the City Is Doing on Flood Mitigation

The city has 12 large stormwater capacity projects and 49 spot improvement projects that focus on the most urgent areas, according to the advisory group’s report. However, the group said no large capacity projects address the chronic flooding problem at Braddock Road and West Street during severe rain events.

Katie Waynick, an advisory group member who has brought attention to flooding through the Drain ALX Twitter account, said maintenance improvements have made an impact.

“We’ve seen incredible headway made in areas of maintenance (cleaning of the Hooff’s Run culvert and the drain inspections/cleanings), as well as in an increase in spot improvement projects meant to help get water into the system (and out of streets) faster,” Waynick told Patch. “It’s been noted by many residents that these efforts have made a difference during our more routine rain events.”

However, Waynick said fears remain about when the next big rainstorm hits Alexandria.

“Even once these large projects are completed, the truth is that it is next to impossible to plan for, and mitigate against, 3 to 5 inches of rain in under an hour, like what we saw in storms from 2019-2021,” said Waynick.

On funding, the group said the $364 million for flood mitigation in the city’s 10-year Capital Improvement Program provides accurate estimates to address the urgent flooding needs. But the group said none of the projects have detailed designs yet, so the city should plan for potential cost changes in the future.

Even as the group believes the city is providing adequate money to address flooding problems, the fact remains that the large capacity projects are still years away from construction. Waynick said city officials have acknowledged large capacity projects will take years to build, leaving residents vulnerable to flooding in the meantime.

According to the group, construction on the Commonwealth Avenue, Glebe Road and Ashby Street project won’t begin until 2026, based on the city’s current schedule. According to the group, the area around Commonwealth Avenue, Glebe Road has been one of the top sources of resident flooding complaints. The design phase for the stormwater infrastructure is expected to take up to two years.

Other potential timelines for construction include the Nethergate sewer improvement in fiscal year 2025, Hooff’s Run Culvert in fiscal year 2027, Pitt and Gibbon Streets project in fiscal year 2028 and eight other projects in 2030 or after. However, the group noted the city received grant funding to accelerate parts of the Edison Street project before its planned fiscal year 2026 funding.

Looking Forward on Flood Mitigation

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The group highlighted the need for progress on flood mitigation to generate public support for the city’s efforts.

“To maintain public support for Alexandria’s stormwater program, residents need to see the constructive activity that their stormwater fee is financing, the group stated in the report. “Ultimately, they expect to see a reduction in the flooding that damages their neighborhoods. Waiting for years to see construction — and perhaps decades to see a solution — will weaken public support for the stormwater program.”

The group suggests the city take another look at its flood mitigation grant program, which partially reimburses residents and businesses that make flood mitigation improvements on their properties.

“One major area of improvement found during the program’s pilot phase is how to make this program equitable for residences living in multi-family properties,” Waynick said. “City staff have done some work on potential formulas for what this looks like, and the Advisory Group flagged this area in the report as needing additional discussion.”

Waynick is “cautiously optimistic” about the city’s flood mitigation efforts since the advisory group was formed. She said the addition of Dr. Daniel Medina to lead the Flood Action Alexandria program has brought knowledge and experience to the city, as well as “empathy and compassion” in flooding discussions between the city and residents. She also believes the flooding mitigation gained traction because residents continue to speak up.

“There are very few “quick solutions” in this area but given the funding and movement we’ve seen in the last three years related to stormwater, I’m hopeful for what the future holds,” Waynick said.

She believes City Council should extend the advisory group at least for the duration of the current capital plan with the planned flood mitigation projects.

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