Flood Action Alexandria is funded primarily by the City's Stormwater Utility Fee. The City also seeks to support the program via federal and state funding opportunities such as grants and other types of funding. Projects supported by federal funds are indicated on this webpage.

The City of Alexandria administers a Stormwater Utility Fee which serves as a dedicated funding source for existing stormwater management services and new capital projects to both reduce sediment and nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorous) pollution into our local waterways, the Potomac River, and the Chesapeake Bay and flood mitigation efforts.

The Stormwater Utility Fee has increased to accelerate capital stormwater projects and maintenance to mitigate flooding impacts from more intense climate change-induced rainfall events. 

Visit the City's American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 webpage for more information.

STORMWATER STATE-OF-GOOD-REPAIR AND RESILIENCY

• Hooff's Run Culvert: One-time state of good repair and structural resiliency improvements to the Hooffs Run Culvert, including additional heavy cleaning. Needed capital facility maintenance to the Hooffs Run culvert (as identified in city inspection reports) include a one-time need of $1.5 million, plus $400,000 for additional recently-diagnosed capital maintenance needs. More information on the Hooff's Run inspection and cleaning is available on the City's Flooding & Drainage webpage.
• Culvert between Timber Branch Parkway and E. Maple Street: Heavy cleaning of the culvert is also proposed for the section between Timber Branch Parkway and East Maple Street (estimate of $1.2 million), to be preceded by robotic inspection for $110,000. Future heavy cleaning of the entire culvert (on a five-year interval) is programmed in the City’s 10-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP). Post inspection and 10% contingency account for the remaining funding need.

FLASH FLOODING SPOT IMPROVEMENTS

The City has identified several spot improvement projects to be accelerated using ARPA funding first tranche funding of $1,900,000. This work will mitigate flooding for the affected residential properties and include continued community engagement during the design and construction process. See the project descriptions below and visit the City's Project Dashboard or the Master Schedule for additional information.

• Hume Avenue Bypass:  will provide flooding mitigation for the residential homes fronting Hume Avenue.  The main work is to install an alternate stormwater pipe along Hume Avenue to ‘bypass’ the existing pipe in the backyards of the townhomes on the south side of Hume.  There will also be additional inlets included on Dewitt, regrading of Hume Avenue, and raising of the curb on both sides of Hume Avenue.
• Mount Vernon Cul-de-sac Drainage Work:  will provide flooding mitigation for odd numbered townhomes 19-33 Mount Vernon Avenue.  The work will include alley grading, drainage improvements, sanitary backflow installation in the collection system, and storage.

The Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund (CFPF) was established to provide support for regions and localities across Virginia to reduce the impacts of flooding.

To date, the City has received $5.88 million in grant funds from CFPF for five projects listed below.

MOUNT VERNON DUAL CORRUGATED METAL PIPE CULVERT REPLACEMENT AND OPTIMIZATION

• CFPF Round 3 Grant Amount = $1,250,000
• City Matching Funds = $1,250,000 
• Total Project Amount = $2,500,000 

The project will replace existing, deteriorating, undersized dual corrugated metal pipe (CMP) leading from a Mount Vernon Avenue, under the Potomac West Apartments, and leading to the outfall east of Edison Street with a larger dual CMP to convey large flows of water. This work will include the relocation of the existing sanitary sewer line and replacement and upsizing four inlets on Edison Street.

INLET CAPACITY AND NEW INLET PROGRAM

• CFPF Round 3 Grant Amount = $764,000
• City Matching Funds = $764,000 
• Total Project Amount = $1,528,000 

The Inlet Program will improve drainage through increased stormwater inlet capacity by enlarging exiting inlets and building new inlets leading to pipes with adequate conveyance capacity. This approach allows for greater surface runoff to enter the pipe system and mitigate flooding.

Waterfront Implementation Project  

• CFPF Round 2 Grant Amount = $3,241,200 
• City Matching Funds = $2,160,800 
• Total Project Amount = $5,402,000 

The project will support the development of the Waterfront Implementation project from 15% design, Design-Build procurement, and 30 % design documentation. The framework for the Waterfront Implementation Project can be traced to an initial Flood Assessment Report from October 2007. The multi-year project incorporates natural, blue-green and hard infrastructure to stabilize the shorelines, maintain a resilient floodplain and create a recreational area.

Arlandria Flood Mitigation – Edison Street and Dale Street Capacity Project Phase I 

• CFPF Round 2 Grant Amount = $516,000 
• City Matching Funds = $517,000 
• Total Project Amount = $1,033,000 

The project will support the implementation of an early phase of the identified capacity project that includes five project components across the area of Edison Street, Dale Street, and West Reed Avenue and Mount Vernon Avenue. Specifically, Phase I will help mitigate flooding by conveying surface runoff from larger storms by installing a new channel to enhance overland relief, upsizing an existing pipe to increase conveyance capacity, and adding a check valve in the storm sewer to help prevent stormwater backflow from a pipe. Phase I also will create a new surface water channel to better convey stormwater runoff near the east end of Dale Street and add a new storm sewer pipe and inlets along West Reed Avenue. The project proposed for this grant has been scoped to provide accelerated flooding mitigation as an early phase of the larger Edison Street and Dale Street capacity project that is the fourth prioritized project in the approved capital improvement plan, scheduled to be funded for construction in 2026. 

Resilient Stormwater Capacity and Green Streets Project 

• CFPF Round 1 Grant Amount = $115,200 
• City Matching Funds = $76,800 
• Total Project Amount = $192,000 

The project will fund a study and recommend two projects to implement green infrastructure in Four Mile Run Watershed in conjunction with two large storm sewer capacity projects planned for the Four Mile Run watershed.