Projects
Flood modeling in City of Fairfax
Screenshot of Fairfax County’s Flood Risk Awareness Tool.
The Challenge
Flooding and extreme precipitation are increasing in frequency and intensity, causing devastating impacts on the Commonwealth’s communities, infrastructure, and economy. The intensifying rainfall is posing a particular threat to many of Virginia’s urban regions as the stress on aging stormwater infrastructure leads to inland flood events and subsequently endangers livelihoods and costs millions.
The Project
VCC researchers and students will provide the City of Fairfax with a preliminary overland flood model using the most recent Fairfax LiDAR data under various model scenarios to understand local flooding patterns. This project will update the City of Fairfax's maps from the former Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) model to provide more accurate flood modeling and better inform the city's strategic planning for flood resilience.
Who’s Involved?
This work is led by VCC flood experts Celso Ferreira and P. J. Ruess in close collaboration with staff at the City of Fairfax, Virginia.
