Alexandria’s Stormwater Utility and Flood Mitigation Advisory Committee is calling for significant changes to the city’s approach to flood mitigation, suggesting the original 10-year timeline is insufficient to address worsening climate impacts.
In its annual report to City Council delivered April 22, the committee, which John Hill chairs, recommends transforming the Flood Action Program from a fixed-term initiative into an ongoing portfolio of projects without an end date.
“Climate change will not stop in ten years – it is unreasonable to think of Alexandria’s Flood Action Program as having an end-date,” the report states.
The committee acknowledges considerable progress in addressing flooding issues since the program launched in 2021, particularly with smaller “spot improvement” projects. Of the 27 spot improvements initially identified, 17 have been completed, and 10 are under design or construction.
However, the report highlights challenges with larger capacity-building projects that are proving more complex and costly than initially anticipated.
The Commonwealth/Ashby/Glebe project, which addresses one of Alexandria’s most flood-prone areas, has seen its estimated cost increase by $16 million to $64 million as design work nears completion. Construction has not yet begun.
Meanwhile, engineers continue to struggle with finding a viable solution for the Hooff’s Run Culvert Bypass, another priority project in a severely impacted area.
“Building the big projects – like Commonwealth/Ashby/Glebe and Hooff’s Run Bypass – will take longer and cost more than planned,” the committee states in its report.
When launched, the Flood Action Program envisioned completing seven large capacity-building projects by 2033, with five more in active construction by then. The committee now believes this timeline was “perhaps too optimistic.”
Despite these challenges, the committee confirms that Alexandria’s investments are directed at the most urgent flooding problems, particularly in the Four Mile Run (East) and Hooff’s Run watersheds identified in the 2016 CASSCA study.
The proposed budget for fiscal year 2026 and the 10-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) maintain the city’s commitment to the originally proposed $260 million investment in stormwater infrastructure.
However, the committee notes that over $107 million in previously allocated funds remain unexpended or uncommitted as of December 2024, reflecting the slower-than-expected pace of project implementation.
Beyond extending the program’s timeline, the committee recommends expanding incentives for private property owners in flood-prone areas who may not see relief for years.
“Home and business owners in Alexandria’s most flood-prone areas need more incentives to invest in flood improvement measures for their properties,” the report states.
Current floodproofing grants provide no more than $5,000, while stormwater fee credits offer about $300 annually. The committee notes some residents have testified to spending more than $50,000 to floodproof their homes.
With over $2 million in unexpended funds in the floodproofing grant program, the committee suggests targeting these resources to the most severely impacted areas and exploring property tax relief similar to Alexandria’s existing Solar Equipment Tax Exemption program.
“Grants and tax relief create a ‘multiplier effect’ that encourages private investment in flood mitigation that is several times greater than direct public expenditure,” the report explains.
The committee also recommends looking beyond the 2016 CASSCA study to identify future projects, noting that the study focused solely on sewer pipe diameters rather than actual flooding patterns.
Potentially overlooked areas include the Braddock Metro Station vicinity and the Combined Sewer Area. The committee also emphasizes the importance of monitoring how completed projects affect drainage patterns to avoid unintended consequences in nearby areas.
The Stormwater Utility and Flood Mitigation Advisory Committee was established by City Ordinance 5509 to review program funding recommendations and serve as a liaison between city staff and the community regarding the Flood Action Alexandria Program.
The committee’s annual report was developed with input from concerned residents, presentations by city staff, and analysis of the proposed FY 2026 budget and ten-year Capital Improvement Program.
