Department of Conservation and Recreation
Conserve. Protect. Enjoy.
Department of Conservation and Recreation
Nearly six million people, or 70% of the state’s population, call coastal Virginia home.[1] Our coastal regions are thriving economic hubs, hold unique cultural resources, and offer unparalleled natural beauty, which collectively shape diverse landscapes and communities.
However, coastal Virginia faces growing threats. As sea levels rise and severe weather intensifies, climate change is threatening our cherished coastal regions’ economic, cultural, and environmental resources. And while flooding affects many Virginians, it does not do so equally. Each community faces varying levels of flood exposure, vulnerability to harm or damage, and associated risks. Some communities are well-resourced to focus on the challenges ahead, but others lack capacity or allocated funds to address growing flood risks.
With so much at stake, we cannot afford a hands-off approach. The Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan (CRMP) charts a comprehensive path toward long-term resilience to protect people, homes, businesses, infrastructure, and ecosystems from the impacts of coastal flooding.
The development of the Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan is the responsibility of the Commonwealth’s Chief Resilience Officer, with the assistance of the Special Assistant to the Governor for Coastal Adaptation and Protection (established by 2.2-435.11 of the Code of Virginia), in consultation with stakeholders. Stakeholders include but are not limited to: local governments, state agencies, regional Planning District Commissions, the Secure and Resilient Commonwealth Panel, federal partners, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, partner universities in the Virginia Sea Grant Program and the Commonwealth Center for Recurrent Flooding. The Coastal Resilience Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) is comprised of representatives from many of these entities and assists with developing, updating, and implementing the plan.
[1]U.S. Census Bureau. (2020). Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties in Virginia: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2019 (Release Date: March 2020) [CO-EST2019-ANNRES-51]. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division.
The impacts of flooding are widespread, affecting many sectors, organizations and individuals. In the decades to come, impacts are expected to significantly increase due to sea level rise and changing precipitation patterns. Addressing these challenges is a responsibility shared across levels of government, as well as with the private sector, communities and individuals. The Coastal Resilience Master Plan provides the Commonwealth with a unified baseline understanding of flood exposure and impacts through the end of the century in coastal Virginia. It also compiles information about existing and planned efforts to address these impacts across the entire region. The plan provides a comprehensive picture of challenges, opportunities and gaps in building a resilient future for our coastal region.
The plan was originally established by Executive Order 24 which provided a pathway to increase resilience to sea-level rise and natural hazards in the Commonwealth. It has since been established in the Code of Virginia § 10.1-658. The plan identifies sources of flooding that are unique to the coastal region, including tidal flooding, coastal storm surge flooding and sea-level rise.
Through a separate process, DCR will develop a Virginia Flood Protection Master Plan. This plan will identify and address all major sources of flooding across the Commonwealth.
The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is responsible for developing the Master Plan. However, many other state agencies – including the Department of Emergency Management (VDEM), Department of Transportation (VDOT), Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) – support DCR to develop the plan.
Explore coastal flood hazard data and maps for existing sea level and future sea level rise scenarios at 2040, 2060 and 2080 in detail in the Coastal Resilience Web Explorer. More information on the Virginia Flood Risk Management Standards can be found on the Floodplain Management page.
The Master Plan utilizes the 2017 NOAA Intermediate-High sea level rise scenario to align with EO24 and the Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Planning Framework. Additional information on how this scenario is applied can be found in Appendix C. Coastal Flood Hazard Modeling Technical Documentation. For a comparison of other sea level rise viewing tools, please see the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission comparison chart of SLR tools developed by federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, and universities that explore the impacts of sea level rise locally and nationally.
Phase One of the plan does not address rainfall impacts. Phase Two of the Master Plan will include rainfall-driven, riverine, and compound flooding in the technical study’s coastal hazard and impact assessment.
The User Portal for the Coastal Resilience Web Explorer allows registered users to directly add and edit projects and initiatives for consideration in the plan. To get started, complete the access form and email it to resilience.explorer@dcr.virginia.gov. Learn more about the user portal and submission deadlines.
Several state agencies provide or facilitate access to funding and financing for projects that address flooding. See the Funding and Opportunities section of the Web Explorer for a list of available funding opportunities. DCR has two funding programs to support flood resilience projects and initiatives, the Community Flood Preparedness Fund (CFPF) and the Resilient Virginia Revolving Loan Fund (RVRF).
Inclusion in the master plan is not a guarantee that a project or initiative will be funded. Separate application processes exist for the various funding sources offered by the state to address flood resilience.
DCR is committed to providing access to information and opportunity for participation in the full cycle of decision-making during plan development. The Community Outreach and Engagement Plan (COEP) provides a guiding framework for stakeholder engagement in the development of all DCR’s flood resilience master plans. Learn more about the COEP.
In addition, DCR develops an outreach and engagement strategy for each plan. Visit the Coastal Resilience Master Plan, Phase II webpage to learn more about these outreach and engagement activities. You can also sign up for our newsletter to receive updates on the plan to your email inbox.
