Flood
Protection Information
Gloucester County with the Chesapeake Bay to the
east, the York River to the south, and the
Piankatank River to the north has many coastal
floodplains. In addition, the North, Severn,
and Ware Rivers located within the county, along
with numerous creeks, streams, and wetlands provide
numerous floodplains.
Floods and flash floods occur from excessive
rainfall, intense thunderstorms and tropical storms
and hurricanes. Coastal flooding occurs when strong
onshore winds push water from an ocean bay or inlet
onto land. This can take the form of storm surges
associated with tropical storms, hurricanes or
nor’easters. A storm surge is a rapid rise in the
level of water that moves onto land as the storm
makes landfall. As the hurricane approaches the
coast, its winds drive the water towards the shore
and the rising sea floor blocks the building water’s
escape. It comes to shore as a storm surge
that can last for several hours. During high
tide the storm surge will be even deeper and more
extensive.
Storms in recent years have caused flooding damage
in Gloucester County. Hurricane Floyd in September
1999 which had rainfall in some areas from 12 to 18
inches during the storm. September 2003
Hurricane Isabel created a tidal surge of 6.4 feet
at Gloucester Point and wind gusts up to 85 miles
per hour throughout Gloucester County. The
remnants of Tropical Storm Ernesto generated strong
winds, heavy rainfall and storm surge.
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Natural
and Beneficial Functions
The Floodplain in Gloucester County contains
valuable natural resources including wetlands,
beaches, forests, rivers, streams and the plant and
animal communities that inhabit them.
Highlighting the county are vast salt marshes and
expansive rivers and creeks. These natural resources
are unique to the Chesapeake Bay Region and are
important to Gloucester County’s environment and
economic welfare. These resources are part of the
Resource Protection Area (RPA) which includes tidal
and non-tidal wetlands, tidal shores and the 100’
buffer adjacent and landward of these areas.
The RPA has sensitive features that filter sediments
and pollutants and prevent erosion.
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, Wetlands Protection, and Floodplain
Management.
For more information on Gloucester County’s
environmental programs visit our
website.
Visit the
FEMA website
for more information on Protecting Floodplain
Resources.
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Developing in
Floodplain
Always check with the Gloucester County Codes
Compliance office before you build on, clear, grade
or fill your property. Permits may be required
for these activities.
If you see building, clearing, grading or filling on
a property without a permit posted please call the
Codes Compliance office at (804) 693-1217.
For building permit information see the
Gloucester County Codes Compliance
website.
For information on construction in the flood zone
you can view
Technical Bulletins
at the FEMA website.
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Substantial Improvement/damage requirements
If your home/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
1 foot above base flood elevation (BFE).
Substantial improvement/damage means any repair,
reconstruction, improvement or damage of any origin
to the structure, the cost of which equals or
exceeds fifty (50) percent of the market value of
the structure either (a) before the improvement or
repair is started, or (b) if the structure has been
damaged and is being restored, before the damage
occurred.
Any questions you have about Substantial Improvement
or Substantial damage should be directed to the
Building Division of Codes Compliance at (804)
693-2744.
Information on Increased Cost of Compliance:
www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=1477
www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=3010
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Flood Protection Assistance and Flood Zone
Determination
The Office of Codes Compliance 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.
Federal Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs)
are also available in the office for your individual
use or at the FEMA web link above.
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Flood Insurance
Gloucester County is a participant in the
National Flood Insurance Program, which makes it
possible for property owners to obtain federally
backed flood insurance. 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.)
Standard homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover
losses due to floods. We urge persons who live
or own property in flood hazard areas to purchase
flood insurance to protect themselves from losses
due to flooding. This insurance is required
if purchasing a home through a federally backed
mortgage.
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. Don't wait until it's too
late. A flood insurance policy takes thirty (30)
days from application to effective date of coverage
.Flood Insurance Rate Maps are available at the
Gloucester County Office of Codes Compliance and the
Gloucester County Library. To determine if your
property is located in a designated coastal barrier
area or floodplain, you may contact the office of
Codes Compliance at (804) 693-2744.
To find out more on flood insurance, estimate your
premium and find an agent:
www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/
or call 1-888-435-6637
For more information for homeowners and renters on
flood insurance:
www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/floodins/infocon.shtm
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Flood Protective
Measures
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.
Emergency Flood Proofing Measures
Emergency flood proofing measures are generally less
expensive, though they require substantial advance
warning and do not satisfy the minimum requirements
for watertight flood proofing as set forth by the
National Flood Insurance Program ( NFIP). Some such
temporary 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.
-
Constructing a single wall by stacking small
beams or planks on top of each
-
Consider the need for backup systems
-
Portable pumps to remove flood water
-
Alternate power sources such as generators or
gasoline powered pumps.
-
Battery-powered emergency lighting
-
Participate in community flood control projects
Family
Disaster Supply Kit
It is wise to keep a family disaster supply kit with
seven days worth of supplies on hand that include
items such as a portable radio with fresh batteries,
flashlights, canned goods and non-perishable foods,
containers for drinking water, materials for
protecting windows and doors, and in case of
evacuation a full tank of gasoline.
Family Disaster Plan
Develop a family disaster plan to decide where to go
if at home, school, work, outdoors, or in a car if a
flood warning is issued. Update these plans every
year and as schools, employment or residences
change.
Learn More
To learn more about what you can do to protect your
property from flooding, visit the Gloucester Public
Library and read more about it.
For more information on flood proofing you may want
to look at the following materials that the FEMA
library offers:
 Protecting
Building Utilities from Flood Damage
www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=1750
For additional information on preparedness, please
see our
Emergency Services website
Follow this link for information on
the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
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Flood Safety
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 won’t
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.
Shut off all utilities,
including electricity, water services and gas to
your home.
The following websites on flood safety may be
helpful:
www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=1506
www.srh.noaa.gov/tadd/index.htm
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Gloucester’s Flood Warning Procedure
The Gloucester County Emergency Operations Plan (
EOP ) was
developed to prepare the county for a variety of
disasters, including flooding. If a flood
should occur, warning and emergency communications
will be directed and controlled from the
Communications Center located in the Sheriff’s
Department (804) 693 3890. This facility is
operated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The telecommunicator on duty will notify key
personnel, chiefs, and department heads as required.
The
center operates the VCIN & NCIC Teletype, which is
responsible for receiving primary warning messages
from the Virginia State Police.
The County Public Information Officer (PIO) will
maintain up-to-date telephone communication with all
local news organizations and will remain accessible
by telephone throughout the duration of the
emergency situation. Flood, hurricane, and tropical
storm warnings should be provided 24 hours in
advance of the storm event. Should evacuation action
be necessary the Reverse 911 system will be
activated.
Radio Stations:
WXGM (AM 1420 or FM 99.1), WKEZ (FM 94), WQSF (FM
96), & 2WD (FM 102), NOAA (National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration) Weather Radio.
Television Stations:
WTKR – Channel 3, WVEC – Channel 13, & WAVY –
Channel 10
Newspapers:
The Daily Press, The Gazette-Journal, & The Glo-Quips
Reverse 911 System:
The reverse 911
system allows the County to contact citizens via
phone in a short amount of time to let them know
what they need to do to be safe in the event of an
emergency.
Should an evacuation become necessary, warnings and
evacuation instructions will be put out through
radio and television stations mentioned above.
The Sheriff’s Department, assisted by the fire
departments, may use mobile loudspeakers to ensure
that residents in the threatened areas receive
evacuation warnings. In a major disaster,
public schools will be designated as primary
Evacuation Assembly Centers.
Evacuation information can be found on
VDOT’s website.
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Drainage
System Maintenance
As a resident of Gloucester County you may already
have a BMP (Best Management Practice). 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 swales. Larger projects may
include wet ponds and extended detention ponds. With
the adoption of the Chesapeake Bay Act, installation
of a BMP required a maintenance agreement to be
recorded in the County Clerks office,(804) 693 2502.
In addition Gloucester County Code, Section 9-36
prohibits the placement of any refuse or containers
over or in storm drains or storm drain inlets.
Violations may be reported to the Gloucester County
Codes Compliance Office at (804) 693 1217.
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.
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.
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Elevation
Certificates
The new elevation certificate forms (FEMA form
81-31) are in effect and must be in use as of April
1, 2010. These new certificate forms may be
found at the
FEMA website.
Existing/completed elevation certificates are on
file in the Gloucester County Office of Codes
Compliance and are available for review during
normal business hours (Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. -
4:30 p.m.) by appointment or you may call (804)
693-2744.
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