flooding | ALXnow

New plan unveiled after National Park Service sinks pump station at Waterfront Park

Published March 25, 2026 at 2:45PM

Flooding on lower King Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Council directed staff on Tuesday to pursue a new preferred option to combat flooding along the Alexandria waterfront — one that does not involve a pump station.

City staff presented the council with a number of options in the wake of the National Park Service’s denial last month of the city’s plan to build a pump station at Waterfront Park. The city’s preferred option, Option 3, is an enhanced gravity storm sewer system, with “automated back flow prevention devices.” Option 3 also means that infrastructure improvements to Point Lumley Park and the bulkhead would be deferred.

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DEVELOPING: National Park Service denies approval of pump station at Waterfront Park

By James Cullum

Published February 25, 2026 at 2:10PM

Rendering of the pump station at Waterfront Park in Old Town at night, seen here looking east down Prince Street (via City of Alexandria)

The National Park Service has denied approval to build a pump station at Waterfront Park, the City of Alexandria has confirmed today (Wednesday).

The Alexandria Times was the first outlet to confirm the news. NPS sent the city a letter on Feb. 20 “indicating a reversal of their previous position on the City’s Deed Modification request for the Waterfront Flood Mitigation Pump Station,” according to the city website.

Around Town

Crooked Beat Records will close Saturday as owner hopes to find new Del Ray spot

By James Cullum

Published January 26, 2026 at 10:30AM

Flooding at Crooked Beat Records at 2417 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray (via Crooked Beats/Facebook)

After experiencing catastrophic flooding earlier this month, Crooked Beat Records will close its doors for good this Saturday.

The local vinyl haven plans to open for its last days at 2417 Mount Vernon Avenue on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Owner Bill Daly said the building’s management wants to do additional repair work, which would require him and his staff to remove all of Crooked Beat’s inventory and then move it back in.

Around Town

Flooded Del Ray record store raises over $5K in one day for recovery efforts

By Katie Taranto

Published January 14, 2026 at 9:15AM

Flooding at Crooked Beat Records (via Crooked Beat Records/Facebook)

Over $5,000 has been fundraised for Crooked Beat Records less than a day after the flooded Del Ray business published fundraisers on social media to support its restoration.

A GoFundMe and merchandise fundraiser have quickly garnered more than $5,300 for the vinyl shop, after a burst pipe incident flooded it with several inches of water over the weekend. As of yesterday (Tuesday), water had continued to enter the shop but crews were working to address damage, according to a Facebook video by owner Bill Daly.

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City hosting design meeting for Potomac West storm sewer improvement project

By James Cullum

Published January 13, 2026 at 10:30AM

The Clifford, Fulton and Manning Storm Sewer Project in Potomac West (via City of Alexandria)

Alexandria will host a design update meeting for a storm sewer improvement project in Potomac West on Wednesday night.

The Clifford, Fulton and Manning Storm Sewer Project has been in the planning and design stages for nearly three years, with construction anticipated to start this May. The city will present final proposed drainage improvements and potential construction impacts at the meeting, which will be held from 7-8 p.m. at Mount Vernon Recreation Center (2701 Commonwealth Avenue). Attendees can also watch it on Zoom.

Around Town

Del Ray record store considers relocation after shutting down amid ‘catastrophic flooding’

By James Cullum

Published January 12, 2026 at 1:45PM

Flooding at Crooked Beat Records at 2417 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray (via Crooked Beats/Facebook)

Following significant flooding after a water leak this past weekend, a vinyl record store in Del Ray has closed for the foreseeable future and is considering a move.

Crooked Beat Records owner Bill Daly told ALXnow today (Monday) that a pipe on the roof of the building burst, flooding the basement record shop at 2417 Mount Vernon Avenue with several inches of water and ruining merchandise.

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Gravestone relocations planned at Douglass Memorial Cemetery ahead of stormwater project

By Katie Taranto

Published December 18, 2025 at 12:30PM

Douglass Memorial Cemetery following flood damages in 2021 (photo courtesy Michael Johnson)

About 250 gravestones at Douglass Memorial Cemetery will be temporarily relocated as a new stormwater improvement project gets underway next month.

Anticipated to begin Jan. 20, the project aims to replace hundreds of feet of aging stormwater pipes and regrade the historic Black cemetery’s drainage systems at 1421 Wilkes Street. Construction will prompt the temporary removal of about 250 gravestones, and will affect traffic along Wilkes Street, City Archaeologist Eleanor Breen told ALXnow.

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Alexandria opens applications for stormwater fee credit program

By Katie Taranto

Published December 1, 2025 at 1:45PM

Flooding in Old Town Alexandria (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

Applications for Alexandria’s Stormwater Utility (SWU) Fee Credit Program opened today (Monday).

Property owners can apply for credits electronically or with hard copies through Feb. 15, 2026, and may be eligible for up to a 50% reduction on SWU fees “by installing eligible practices,” according to a city announcement.

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New city assessment deems West End watersheds ‘vulnerable’ to flooding

By Katie Taranto

Published November 12, 2025 at 11:45AM

Holmes Run (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

A new flooding assessment and map have identified watersheds in the West End as some of Alexandria’s most vulnerable flood zones.

Areas considered most at-risk of flooding include the Potomac waterfront, Four Mile Run and Hooffs Run — as well as new additions like Holmes Run, Cameron Run and Backlick Run, according to a map shared by Flood Resilience Plan (FRP) project leaders at a meeting Monday night.

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Alexandria hosting community meeting on Flood Resilience Plan

By James Cullum

Published October 22, 2025 at 5:45AM

Flooding in Old Town on May 9, 2022, staff photo by James Cullum

Alexandria will host a community meeting next month on the development of the city’s Flood Resilience Plan.

The city will host the meeting from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Nov. 10 (Monday), at Patrick Henry Recreation Center (4653 Taney Avenue), and online via Zoom. In the meeting, the city will discuss findings from a recent survey on flooding impacts throughout Alexandria, draft flood model results, and a community vulnerability analysis.

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Alexandria hosting design meeting on Valley Drive Storm Drain Improvement Project

By James Cullum

Published October 10, 2025 at 5:30PM

Large concrete pipes will be installed in low-lying areas of Alexandria's North Ridge neighborhood to prevent flooding (via City of Alexandria)

Alexandria will host a community meeting next week on stormwater improvements for low-lying areas of Valley Drive, Crestwood Drive, Summit Avenue, and Dogwood Drive in the city’s North Ridge neighborhood.

The $3.8 million Valley Drive Storm Drain Improvement Project is funded through the city’s Stormwater Utility Fee, and the project will require installing large concrete pipes at the bottom of trenches, which will be backfilled and paved over, according to the city. The city will conduct a project design meeting on Oct. 15 (Wednesday) at 7 p.m. at Mount Vernon Recreation Center (2701 Commonwealth Avenue).