Department of Conservation and Recreation
Conserve. Protect. Enjoy.
Department of Conservation and Recreation
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) requires communities to meet specific criteria outlined in Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter 1, Subchapter B. Key sections in a local floodplain management ordinance include Definitions (Section 59.1), Floodplain Management Criteria for Flood-prone Areas (Section 60.3), and Variances and Exceptions (Section 60.6).
Community participation in the NFIP is voluntary, but upon joining, communities must adopt an ordinance meeting NFIP standards. In exchange, residents gain access to federal flood insurance and certain disaster aid. The NFIP aims to save lives, protect property, and promote comprehensive floodplain management, not to prohibit all development.
Floodplain regulations aim to safeguard life, health, and property, minimize flood control costs, rescue efforts, business interruptions, and damage to public facilities. NFIP mandates legally enforceable, uniformly applied local ordinances, and those ordinances must be updated with NFIP guidance changes or Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) updates. Local ordinances align with mapped flood zones, accessible through tools such as the Virginia Flood Risk Information System.
On April 12, 2023, Gov. Youngkin signed into law, § 10.1-603 for State agency compliance. This law requires all agencies and departments of the Commonwealth to comply with the Virginia Floodplain Management Standards or the local floodplain management regulations when undertaking development activities in a floodplain.
Virginia Floodplain Management Standards (draft)
*Feedback has ended. Draft version of VA Floodplain Management Standards are with the Secretary of Natural Resources for final approval*
Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code
The Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC) contains the building regulations that must be complied with when constructing a new building, structure, or an addition to an existing building. They must also be used when maintaining or repairing an existing building or renovating or changing the use of a building or structure. The USBC is comprised of three parts: Virginia Construction Code, Virginia Existing Building Code and Virginia Maintenance Code.
Access Virginia’s building codes here: Virginia Building Codes
DCR offers communities a model floodplain ordinance as a foundation which incorporates minimum NFIP requirements and suggests higher standards. Communities have the flexibility to adopt additional standards or draft their own ordinance. DCR assists in drafting and updating floodplain ordinances, with a mandatory review of adopted or amended ordinances before submission to FEMA.
Those with questions about the ordinance should contact the Virginia Floodplain Management Program.
Substantial Damage and Substantial Improvement are key concepts in floodplain management, designed to mitigate the impact of floods on communities and infrastructure.
These concepts play a crucial role in promoting resilient and sustainable development in flood-prone areas. By enforcing measures related to substantial damage and substantial improvement, communities can reduce the vulnerability of structures to flood hazards, minimize economic losses, and enhance overall safety for residents. Compliance with these regulations is often a prerequisite for participating in the NFIP, which provides flood insurance to property owners and encourages the adoption of effective floodplain management practices.
SDE Worksheet (Non-residential)
Crisis Track
Crisis Track is an application designed to help communities conduct damage assessments for faster, more efficient recovery management. It allows users to gather data, view maps of damaged areas, save photographs electronically, generate damage assessment reports, and streamline documentation.
Crisis Track licenses are available for free for all Virginia communities through VDEM.
Contact Floodplain Management at FloodplainMgmt@dcr.virginia.gov
