FLOOD MANAGEMENT
Current News
The 2024 Flood Awareness Guide was mailed to all residents the first week in March 2024 to mark the beginning of Flood Awareness Week. Inside this guide, residents can find information about their flood hazard risks, flood insurance, how to stay safe during a hurricane, and much more.
Know Your Risk
Gloucester County has many insurable causes of flooding including:
Coastal flooding (hurricanes, nor’easters)
Rain-driven (riverine, sheet flow, pooling/ponding)
Dam failure inundation (Beaverdam high hazard dam, privately-owned low hazard dams)
Water main failure (public utility system, private water supply systems)
FEMA’s Mapping Service Center (MSC) is the official flood information source for insurance rating purposes. To determine your risk of being flooded by a 100-year event, visit the Mapping Service Center and enter your address. Generally the blue shaded areas (Zones A, AE, AO and VE) of the map will indicate the 100-year flood zone.
Flooding often occurs outside of the 100-year flood zone and for this reason we encourage residents and business owners to take steps to determine addition risk. For example, the hurricane surge map below indicates flooding in many regions of Gloucester that is not in a 100-year flood zone.
If public water service is available to you or is present in your area, you may also be at risk to flooding due to a water main failure. This type of flooding is insurable if two or more structures are flooded.
The County has detailed its approach to managing these flood plains in the Coastal Floodplain Management Plan (PDF).
Insure Your Property
Contact your insurance agent or call toll-free 800-427-4661 to determine your cost of insurance. If your property is outside of the 100-year flood zone then you will likely qualify for a Preferred Risk Policy (PRP) which offers affordable rates.
Drainage System Maintenance
As a resident of Gloucester County you may already have a BMP (Best Management Practice) regarding water drainage. These are structural or vegetation devices designed to reduce sediment and pollutant loads contained in storm water runoff.
These may include dry wells, infiltration trenches, vegetative filter strips and grass swells. Larger projects may include wet ponds and extended detention ponds.
Reporting a Concern
Many of the roads in Gloucester County are state roads and the roads and the ditches associated with them are state maintained. If you find obstructions impeding the functions of these ditches please contact VDOT in Saluda at 804-758-2321.
Privately Owned Roads
The remainder of the roads in the County are privately owned and maintained. With the hurricane season approaching residents living on private roads may want to check ditches and remove any debris or obstructions.
The proper maintenance and removal of debris from road ditches will assure floodwater drainage. This is especially true in a tidal community. If the flood and storm waters are restricted from draining the situation can be dramatically impacted with the occurrence of the next high tide.
Restrictions
Please note that placing refuse, refuse receptacles or containers in or over storm drains would be viewed as a violation of the Gloucester County Code Sec 9-36. Violations should be reported to the Gloucester County Environmental Programs office at 804-693-1217.
Flood Hazard Map
Flood hazard areas identified on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) are identified as a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). SFHA are defined as the area that will be inundated by the flood event having a 1% chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. The 1% annual chance flood is also referred to as the base flood or 100-year flood.
Hazard Areas
Flood hazard areas and their definitions are:
AE Zone: (rising water flood zone, wave height less than 3 feet) Areas subject to inundation by the 1% annual chance flood event determined by detailed methods. Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) are shown. Mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements and floodplain management standards apply.
AO Zone: Area of shallow flooding with a 1% or greater annual chance of flooding to an average depth of 1 to 3 feet where a clearly defined channel does not exist, where the path of flooding is unpredictable, where velocity flow may be evident. Such flooding is characterized by ponding or sheet flow.
A Zone: (rising water flood zone) Areas subject to inundation by the 1% annual chance flood event generally determined using approximate methodologies. Because detailed hydraulic analyses have not been performed, no Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) or flood depths are shown. Mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements and floodplain management standards apply.
Coastal A Zone: This new flood transition zone lies between the VE (wave height greater than 3 feet) and AE (wave height less than 3 feet) flood zones has been added to the new FIRMs. This transition zone is designated on the FIRMs by a line identified as a Limit of Moderate Wave Action (LiMWA) (wave heights between 1.5 and 3 feet).
VE Zone: (wave action flood zone, wave height greater than 3 feet) Areas subject to inundation by the 1% annual chance flood event with additional hazards due to storm-induced velocity wave action. Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) derived from detailed hydraulic analyses are shown. Mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements and floodplain management standards apply.
X - 500-year flood Zone: Moderate flood hazard areas, labeled Zone X (shaded) are also shown on the FIRM, and are the areas between the limits of the base flood and the 0.2% annual chance (or 500-year) flood.
X - Outside 500-year flood Zone: Areas of minimal flood hazard, which are the areas outside the SFHA and have higher than a 0.2% annual chance flood, are labeled Zone X (unshaded)
Flood Insurance
National Flood Insurance Program
Gloucester County is a participant in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and is rated a Class 5 community by the FEMA Community Rating System (CRS), which allows property owners to obtain federally backed flood insurance at a 25% premium discount.
This insurance is available to any owner of insurable property in this county (with exception of those properties located in FEMA designated coastal barrier areas). Flood insurance policies are available from local insurance companies.
The actual cost may vary depending on the degree of flood hazard and the amount of coverage desired. Residents who live or own property in flood hazard areas are urged to purchase flood insurance to protect themselves from losses due to flooding.
Fast Facts
Fast Facts on the National Flood Insurance Program:
Coverage for contents is not automatically included with building coverage. Ask your insurance agent about contents coverage.
Standard home owners insurance policies do not cover losses due to floods.
There is a 30 day waiting period before coverage goes into effect.
This insurance is required if purchasing a home through a federally backed mortgage.
Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM)
The Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) are available to view at the Gloucester County Building Inspection office. Staff there is available to help you determine if your property is located in a designated coastal barrier area or floodplain. You may contact them at 804-693-2744 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. View Gloucester County’s FIRM panels online here.
Flood Information Portal
The Flood Information Portal also allows you to enter your physical address to determine your proximity to any Special Flood Hazard Area / Flood Zone.
New Flood Transition
The Gloucester County FIRMs include a new flood transition Coastal A Zone that lies between the VE (wave height greater than 3 feet) and AE (wave height less than 3 feet) flood zones. This transition zone is designated on the FIRMs by a line identified as a “Limit of Moderate Wave Action" (LiMWA).
Flood Protection Assistance & Zone Determination
Assistance
The Office of Building Inspection provides flood protection assistance to citizens. This assistance provides information on how to: select a qualified contractor and what recourse individuals have if dissatisfied with a contractor’s performance; conduct site visits to review flooding, drainage, and sewer problems; and provide one-on-one advice to property owner on flood proofing and retrofitting techniques.
Flood Insurance Rate Maps
Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) are available for use at the Gloucester County Office of Building Inspection. The Building Inspection office can assist you in locating your property on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) to determine if your property is located in the Special Flood Hazard Area, which flood zone the property is in and its base flood elevation. You may contact them at 804-693-2744. FIRMs can also be viewed on the FEMA Map Service Center website.
Requesting a Copy
Copies of Elevation Certificates for some properties in the floodplain are available at the Gloucester County Building Inspection office for review during normal business hours by appointment. Please contact them at 804-693-2744.
Flood Safety
Taking Action
Several actions can be taken by floodplain residents to reduce the potential of injury due to flooding:
Do not walk through flowing water. Currents can be deceptive and can knock you off your feet. If you must walk through standing water carry a stick or pole with you to test ground where you are walking.
Do not drive through flooded areas. If you come to a flooded road TURN AROUND, you will not know the depth of the water or the condition of the road under the water. Many deaths occur when automobiles are swept downstream.
Evacuate the flood hazard area in times of impending flood or when advised to. Do not delay in evacuating once you get word to leave. Take your most reliable vehicle and stick to designated evacuation routes.
Shut off all utilities, including electricity, water services and gas to your home.
Flood Warning Procedure
Stay Informed
The Gloucester County Emergency Operations Plan was developed to prepare the county for a variety of disasters, including flooding. If a flood should occur, warning and emergency communications will be coordinated through Emergency Management and the Gloucester County Sheriff’s Office.
Emergency Operations Center
When activated during a storm event the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) will be staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. During a disaster the emergency phone help line may be activated through the Emergency Operations Center, at which time the number will be published through the media and on the County’s website.
National Weather Service
Watches and warnings will be issued by the National Weather Service as applicable and should protective actions, such as sheltering in place and/or evacuation action be necessary, the County will make notifications using all available resources including the Bee Alert system.
Point of Contact
The Gloucester County Sheriff’s office is the point of contact for receipt of all warnings and notification of actual or impending floods. The dispatcher on duty will notify key Gloucester County staff and the appropriate department heads as required. The Emergency Management department and/or Community Engagement & Public Information offices will contact the following local radio and television stations and newspapers to notify residents of a potential flood danger.
Radio Stations:
WKEZ (FM 94)
WWDE “2WD” (FM 102)
WXGM (AM 1420 / FM 99.1)
Television Stations:
Newspapers:
Local Tides & Water Levels
NOAA Tide Gauges
The links below will provide access to real-time and historical data for NOAA's tide gauges near Gloucester. Typically these tide gauges will range between 0 to 3 feet for day-to-day tidal fluctuations. Major storm events will drive the water levels above 3 feet. Explore NOAA's Tides and Currents website to learn more about tide gauges and the immense amount of data collected for public use.
Yorktown USCG Training Center, VA
Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, VA
Flooding
While precipitation can significantly contribute to flooding in the area, tide levels greatly contribute to flooding in coastal counties such as Gloucester, pushing more water into the area and preventing rain water from draining away.
Tracking Water Levels
Water levels and flood conditions can be tracked via several relevant tide gages and resources. Tracking water levels can not only provide historical benchmarks of flood events, but also help predict rising water levels during flood events as well.
Storm Flooding
In recent years, Gloucester County has been affected by storm events that have caused significant flooding:
Hurricane Isabel in 2003 created a tidal surge of 6.4 feet at Gloucester Point.
Tropical Storm Ernesto in 2006 brought 5 to 8 inches of rainfall and tides 4 to 5 feet above normal.
Hurricane Irene in 2011 caused flooding in parts of Gloucester County.
In addition to these local resources, records from the nearby Sewell's Point station extend back to 1927, capturing historical events, such as the 1933 Chesapeake-Potomac Hurricane and Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962 with high tides 5 to 6 feet and 4 to 5 feet above average, respectively.
Natural & Beneficial Functions
Floodplain
The floodplain in Gloucester County contains valuable natural resources along its rich shorelines such as the Jenkins Neck, Robins Neck and Guinea areas in the form of:
Beaches
Forests
Marshes
Rivers
Streams
Natural Resources
These natural resources are unique to the Chesapeake Bay Region and are important to Gloucester County’s environment and economic welfare. These environments offer a variety of values and functions, including improved water quality through sediment trapping/filtering and flood buffering by absorbing flood waters and slowly releasing them.
Programs
Through a volunteer FEMA grant program, Gloucester County has acquired more than 89 acres of property that will remain undeveloped in perpetuity. Such undeveloped property will provide additional benefit to the County floodplain.
To help preserve and protect these valuable resource areas, Gloucester County has adopted the following programs which are administered locally:
Chesapeake Bay Preservation
Erosion and Sediment Control
Floodplain Management Plan
Hazard Mitigation Open Space Plan
Wetlands Protection
These programs and their administration have a direct effect on water quality (WQ) in the community.
NOAA Weather Radio
A NOAA All-Hazards Weather Radio (NWR) can be purchased with a battery backup and warning alarm tone. This can be used to listen for flood watches and warnings. See the NOAA website for more information. NWR is available for the hearing impaired that incorporates a flashing light to help alert residents.
Evacuation Notification
Should an evacuation become necessary, appropriate information and instructions will be provided to the local media outlets detailed under the Flood Warning Procedure.
The Gloucester County Sheriff’s office, assisted by the Gloucester Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department and/or the Abingdon Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department may use public address systems on emergency apparatus to ensure residents in the threatened areas receive the appropriate information regarding the protective action recommendation.
In a major disaster, public schools may be designated as primary Evacuation Assembly Centers/Shelters.
Protective Measures
Flood-Proofing
If your property is located in a flood zone there are various actions that should be taken to flood-proof your existing home and other structures.
Electrical panel boxes, furnaces, water heaters, and washers/dryers should be elevated or relocated to a location less likely to be flooded. Basement floor drains and interior and exterior backwater valves can be installed and interior floodwalls can be placed around utilities.
Retrofitting
There are ways to permanently retrofit a building. Retrofitting means making changes to an existing building to protect it from flooding. Six ways are discussed in FEMA publication 312, Homeowner’s guide to Retrofitting.
Ways to Retrofit
The six ways to retrofit are:
Demolition - demolish home and rebuild meeting flood requirements or moving elsewhere.
Dry flood proofing - sealing your house to prevent flood waters from entering.
Elevation - raising your house so the lowest floor is 3 feet above flood level.
Levee and floodwall - construct barriers to prevent flood from entering.
Relocation - moving your house to higher ground.
Wet flood proofing - to make uninhabited parts of your home resistant to flood damage.
Emergency Flood Proofing Measures
Emergency flood proofing measures are generally less expensive than those listed above. However, they require substantial warning. They do not satisfy the minimum requirements set forth by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and are temporary in nature.
Helpful Information
Some emergency flood proofing measures include:
Building walls with sandbags.
Constructing a double row of walls with boards and posts to create a “crib.” Then filling the crib with soil.
Substantial Improvement
Requirements for Improvements
If your home or dwelling is located within a flood zone and you plan to substantially improve your dwelling with additions, renovations, and/or repairs from damage, you will be required to elevate the dwelling to meet the requirements for new construction.
The Gloucester County Floodplain Management Ordinance requires the dwelling floor be elevated to 3 feet above base flood elevation (BFE).
Substantial Improvements
Substantial improvement/damage means any repair, reconstruction, improvement or damage of any origin to the structure, the cost of which equals or exceeds 50% of the market value of the structure either:
Before the improvement or repair is started.
or
If the structure has been damaged and is being restored before the damage occurred.
Additional Information
Any questions you have about substantial improvement or substantial damage should be directed to the Building Inspection office at 804-693-2744.
Community Rating System (CRS)
Gloucester County participates in the National Flood Insurance Program's Community Ratings System. The CRS program provides insurance discounts to the policy holders for participating communities.
Through the County's efforts, the CRS program provides a 25% discount to NFIP policies. The County aims to increase this discount higher in coming years.
Outreach Programs
Advertising and outreach is an important part of CRS and provides substantial credit. The County encourages citizens to determine their risk of flooding through a variety of possible sources (such as calling the Building Inspection office at 804-693-2744) and then reach out to their insurance providers to consider enrollment in a flood policy. Below are some important subjects covered as part of our outreach program:
Determine your flood zone by calling 804-693-2744.
Insure your livelihood! Call your insurance agent for a quick flood insurance quote.
Turn around. Don’t drown!
Keep your insurance documents and other personal information in a watertight container.
Obtain building permits before you build. Call 804-693-2744.
Keep your ditches and stormwater features clean for free-flowing rainwater and receding storm surges.
Floodwaters do not care where FEMA draws a line. Low cost policies are available for homes outside of the 1% floodplain.
Know your evacuation zone! Go to vaemergency.gov to determine your evacuation zone.
Gloucester has many endangered plants and animals that depend on the flood zone. Preserve the floodplain’s natural features and keep our bay clean to protect our remaining native species.
Spread the word to your family and neighbors. We should all protect our community from physical and financial devastation by insuring our risks.
Higher Standards
The County requires a number of higher standards. These are standards that typically provide greater resiliency than FEMA's national standards. For example, the County requires that new homes are built higher than the base flood (formerly known as 100-year storm).
Floodplain Planning
The County receives additional CRS credit for maintaining a floodplain management plan and program for public information. Both of these are updated every five years and progress is reported to the Board of Supervisors annually.