This spring, Arlington County began buying up properties in the Waverly Hills area to combat flooding.
Already, despite some concerns about how the program would work, three residents have agreed to sell their homes. The county will tear them down and replant the land so water has a place to flow during large rain storms.
All seven Arlington County Board candidates — six of whom are vying for the support of the local Democratic party this primary — say the county needs to change its land-use policies and get more people on board with adding stormwater infrastructure in their backyards, in order to make neighborhoods more resilient to a predicted increase in flooding.
“The July 2018 and 2019 floods in particular really drove this home for us — we had some real life-safety issues pertaining to flooding,” Susan Cunningham said in a forum hosted by nonprofit advocacy group EcoAction Arlington last week.
“[It] highlighted that, not only because of climate change but really because of lack of long-range planning, we have very outdated stormwater management systems that we don’t have a budget to improve,” she continued. “We do have a lot of catch up to do.”
Since the floods, Arlington County has taken steps to manage stormwater beyond buying homes for flood relief.
Starting next year, Arlington will fund its stormwater management plan with a stormwater utility fee. The county will charge property owners a rate based on how much of their property is covered in hard surfaces, like roofs and driveways. (Currently, it is funded by a tax based on property assessments.)
Other changes include new regulations requiring single-family home construction projects to retain more water and some $90 million in bond referenda from 2020 and 2022 for stormwater projects.
Developers of single-family homes report higher construction costs due to retention regulations. Bonds and the new stormwater utility fee, meanwhile, could spell higher taxes for residents.
So, in this race, some candidates say the county should examine how its own policies encourage flooding before requiring more of residents.
Cunningham and Natalie Roy, both of whom have opposed the recently adopted Missing Middle zoning changes, that starts with reducing the allowable buildable area that homes can occupy on a lot.
“This is something that we should’ve done 10 years ago and definitely something we should have done before approving the misguided [Missing Middle] plan,” Roy said.
Perennial independent candidate Audrey Clement said she would call for the repeal of Missing Middle, linking the new policy to tree loss and thus, increased flooding.
She said she would also end a practice among developers to subdivide lots to circumvent state environmental ordinances preventing construction near protected land along Arlington streams called “resource protection areas,” or RPAs.
“It was by this sleight of hand that the county permitted a tear-down McMansion in a North Arlington RPA in 2018 but also the destruction of a 100-foot state champion redwood on the same lot,” she said.
Arlington County is poised to purchase two additional homes for stormwater management in the Waverly Hills neighborhood.
The pair of homes are a few doors down from the first home it purchased last month on 18th Street N.
The county will pay $1 million for the home at 4423 18th Street N. and $1.3 million for the other at 4433 18th Street N., per county reports prepared for each sale contract. The Arlington County Board is set to review these contracts during its meeting on Saturday.
The two will be torn down for $350,000 apiece and the land will be replanted to create green spaces that will act as overland relief — essentially a safe pathway for water to flow during large flooding events, such as the floods of July 2019. Such flooding events have particularly impacted the Spout Run watershed, where the county is targeting its land acquisition efforts.
Neither home has a historic designation nor architectural significance but staff from the county’s Historic Preservation Program recommend that viable parts of the home be salvaged and photos taken of the interior and exterior for the program’s archives.
Sales are expected to be settled in about five months and the residents will have two months beyond that to move out.
Arlington County previously told residents of the Waverly Hills and Cherrydale neighborhoods it is considering several stormwater management strategies but voluntary property acquisition will be “necessary” for reducing flood risk.
At the time, it said it would first focus its efforts on the Waverly Hills neighborhood and touted benefits of selling to the county such as lower closing costs and peace of mind.
(Updated at 9:50 a.m.) Upgraded tennis facilities and greater flood prevention are two focal points in proposed upgrades to the upper area of Bluemont Park.
Last month, Arlington County released new designs revealing its plans for the public park, informed by public engagement over the last three years.
It is soliciting feedback on the newest draft through next Thursday, April 20. Respondents are asked how satisfied they are with the concept, on a scale of 1 to 10, and to share any additional feedback.
The upper section of Bluemont Park is set to get new tennis courts and other amenities for players and spectators, as well as a building with restrooms, picnic furnishings, a resurfaced parking lot and more native shrubs and trees.
“Our project team focused on three key areas: improved recreational amenities, improved access and safety for vehicles and pedestrians, as well as, of course, protecting and enhancing natural resources,” said Adam Segel-Moss, a communications specialist with the parks department, in a video explaining the project.
The number of tennis courts will stay the same, at nine, but they will be spread farther apart and raised about a foot so they do not flood. There will be shaded areas for players and coaches, a stand-alone brick practice wall and more places for spectators.
Three courts intended for special events will be wider than the others, with two dedicated shade areas and fencing separating them from other courts.
Several residents in previous public engagement sessions requested less paved area and more trees to mitigate flooding that has impacted the area, such as the flash flooding in July 2019.
In response, a county presentation highlights an overall decrease in paved surfaces of about 12% and a net increase of 91 trees. A new “reforestation area” between the courts and Four Mile Run, where native shrubs and trees will be planted, will see a 52% decrease in paved surface.
To decrease runoff from the parking lot, the county is also exploring the use of planting beds for pavement runoff and permeable paving, says Segel-Moss. Site-wide, plans call for more stormwater management and drainage, something that the “reforestation area” will naturally help with.
“Reforestation will assist with filtering pollutants and reduce volume of stormwater runoff and prevent erosion and perform other important biological and ecological functions such as carbon sequestration,” Segel-Moss said.
Other upgrades include moving the parking lot entrance farther south on N. Manchester Street to improve safety and circulation. The current entrance is close to the intersection of N. Manchester Street and Wilson Blvd, causing a “pinch point,” according to the plans.
While the number of parking spaces will remain the same, at 68, the spaces will be repainted at a 90-degree angle, which Segel-Moss said is “much more efficient” than the current angling of the spaces.
The reforestation area, meanwhile, will also get new picnic tables and seating areas “to ensure this amenity can be enjoyed by every park visitor whether they play tennis or not,” he said.
The design process is set to wrap up at the end of 2023 with construction beginning in the later half of 2024 and wrapping up a little more than a year after that, per a project webpage.
Some have supported multi-use courts permitting play of the increasingly popular — and contentious — sport of pickleball. While the county is preparing to stripe more tennis courts for this sport, Bluemont Park is not in the running.
County staff told the Bluemont Civic Association last fall that the courts “are meant to be Arlington’s premier tennis facility,” but they would talk to Bluemont residents about possibly adding pickleball uses at the Bon Air Park tennis court across the street, per a civic association newsletter.
(Updated at 1 p.m. on 03/21/23) Arlington County is looking to buy its first home for flood prevention.
The county has entered an agreement to buy the home at 4437 18th Street N. in the Waverly Hills neighborhood for $969,200, according to a staff report to the Arlington County Board.
The Board is set to review and approve the agreement during its meeting on Saturday.
The single-family home and detached garage is located in the Spout Run watershed, which has been hit hard by recent flooding events, such as the floods seen in July 2019. It will be torn down and the property will be replanted to serve as “overland relief,” at a cost of around $350,000.
Overland relief is a safe flowpath for flood waters to the nearest stream or storm drain during a large storm event. (An earlier version of this story incorrectly explained overland relief.)
Arlington County is looking to step up its mitigation efforts in response to severe weather events. While the 2019 flood has been described as a “100-year flood” — or a flood that has a 1% chance of happening each year — some research suggests these may occur more frequently due to rising sea levels and more frequent and severe storms, which are linked to climate change.
As part of this effort, last year county staff sent letters of interest to 38 properties in parts of the Waverly Hills and Cherrydale neighborhoods where overland relief is “an essential element” to manage extreme flooding, the report says. Funding for this voluntary property acquisition program was included in the adopted one-year 2022 capital improvement plan.
“The County will pursue acquisitions of properties whose owners are willing to sell to the County, and whose properties would allow for greater access to existing stormwater infrastructure for potential future upgrades, provide overland relief during periods of intense rainfall,and other future engineering solutions,” it says.
“Several” owners have indicated interest in selling to the county, the report added.
ARLnow last reported that there is some interest among residents in selling, while a number of others say that uprooting their families would come at too high a cost.
We were also told several had unanswered questions about the process and how these properties will be managed. One concern is that a piecemeal acquisition process would result in a “checkerboard” of homes and blighted-looking properties.
That “checkerboard” could result in “community fragmentation, difficulty with providing municipal services, and inability to restore full floodplain functionality,” and is one reason local governments may have a hard time getting enough community support for buyouts, according to a Congressional Research Service report.
Other reasons include the potential impacts on property values and housing stock and fears of displacement, it says.
Still, people are more likely to be interested in selling after a major flooding event.
“Buyouts are often a politically unpopular option unless there is a particularly catastrophic event that changes people’s willingness to move and creates unified state and local support for relocation,” the report noted.
Other research shows that property buyouts are one of the most effective tools at the disposal of local governments to combat frequent flooding.
“At their best, they provide a permanent solution,” according to Pew Research. “Effective buyouts prevent future damage, make people safer, and ideally protect entire neighborhoods or communities. Moreover, once bought-out properties become natural open space, they can provide an added benefit of absorbing additional stormwater, further reducing flooding and helping to conserve habitats.”
Arlington County is looking to buy homes within the Spout Run watershed for flood mitigation.
Since last fall, the county has notified some three dozen property owners in the Cherrydale and Waverly Hills civic associations by letter of its interest in buying their properties for stormwater management. The letters targeted areas that were hit hard by recent flooding events, like the floods seen in July 2019.
Should they agree to sell, the county would tear down the homes, remove infrastructure such as driveways, and then regrade and replant the land to minimize erosion. Properties would be preserved for open space.
“Phased property acquisition is a necessary component of a resilient stormwater improvement program to provide overland relief and reduce flood risk to the community,” Dept. of Environmental Services spokeswoman Katie O’Brien said. “Voluntary property acquisitions will be targeted to areas in the five critical watersheds at higher risk of flooding due to existing topography.”
The county’s first priority is to create “overland relief,” or a safe path for stormwater to flow during large rain events, per presentation materials on the county’s website. It contends that there is not enough public space to provide those paths or make infrastructure upgrades, and, crucially, that existing stormwater systems were built assuming sufficient overland relief to handle anything stronger than a 10-year storm (which has a 10% chance of happening annually).
“There is not sufficient available space within existing rights-of-way to maintain the infrastructure, make resilient system upgrades, or to provide overland relief,” the presentation says. “There is no long-term solution to reduce flood risk in Spout Run without adding overland relief.”
The solution is a long time in coming for some in the Waverly Hills Civic Association, which — along with the Cherrydale Citizens Association — has met with Arlington County about stormwater management solutions since 2018.
WHCA President Paul Holland says he has heard several residents express frustrations related “to the extended timeline to identify a solution” to the flooding that occured in recent years.
“For the Waverly Hills Civic Association, stormwater issues are our top priority. Our neighbors were dramatically impacted by major flooding events in 2018 and 2019,” he said.
Both Holland and Cherrydale Citizens Association President Jim Todd said several questions remain unanswered, however.
“There was a lot of concern that the county was really, really vague and didn’t seem to know or be willing to share what they intend to do with any of the properties they intend to acquire,” Todd said, adding that he heard from constituents who felt they didn’t get much clarity after calling the county’s real estate office.
Although WHCA members worked with the county to develop an FAQ page addressing many of the questions, they too have outstanding concerns.
“Our primary concern is that the acquired lots will be well designed and taken care of by the County to become usable park land and/or attractive open space as neighborhood amenities,” said Holland.
Todd, however, said he is unsure how the county will be able to create any meaningful overland relief if only a smattering of people sell.
A 40-year-old Arlington man is in jail after police say he fired a gun in an apartment and caused extensive flooding.
The incident happened Tuesday afternoon at the recently-built Cortland Rosslyn apartment building, at 1788 N. Pierce Street. Initial reports suggest that a large police response was sent to the building after a man who was set to be evicted was believed to be armed and causing damage inside his apartment.
The man eventually surrendered to officers and was taken into custody without further incident. Damage from gunfire and from flooding was found inside, police said, though it’s unclear whether the gunfire caused the flooding.
Arlington County police released the following statement in response to an inquiry from ARLnow.
WEAPONS VIOLATION, 2022-11150151, 1700 block of N. Pierce Street. At approximately 1:51 p.m. on November 15, police were dispatched to the report of a man screaming inside a residential building. As officers were responding, the Emergency Communications Center received an additional call for service regarding shots heard at the same location. Arriving officers made contact with the suspect, gave him commands which he complied with and took him into custody in the hallway without incident. The investigation indicates the suspect allegedly discharged a firearm inside the residence, causing damage. A search of the residence revealed additional property damage and flooding inside the unit which impacted other residential units in the building. A firearm was recovered on scene. Officers canvassed the building and no injuries were reported. [The suspect], 40, of Arlington, VA was arrested and charged with Reckless Handling of a Firearm, Destruction of Property and Discharging a Weapon within an Occupied Dwelling. He was held without bond.
In an email to residents last night, shared with ARLnow by a tipster, apartment management noted that there will be additional security at building entrances “for the time being.”
Dear Residents,
As you may be aware that there was a significant local authority presence in our community earlier this afternoon. We know that any authority presence can be alarming, and we wanted to let you know that today’s activity was in response to an isolated issue regarding a resident against whom we took legal action due to various lease violations, including antisocial behavior and discharging a firearm. We are extremely grateful no one was injured, and the person was arrested without further incident.
Out of an abundance of caution, we will have security present at all entrances to the community for the time being. If you forget your fob, you will not be allowed in without calling our office through the callbox.
As always, your safety is our primary focus. There are no additional details to report at this time, and we will continue to support the police as they wrap up their investigation.
The tipster said that he overheard that as many of 30 apartments might have had water damage from the flooding. He claimed that prior to the email, residents were kept in the dark for hours as to exactly why police were on scene.
“I’d like answers,” he said. “Safety is a concern here.”
Arlington County is looking to restore and replant a man-made pond along the Washington & Old Dominion Trail starting in 2023.
Since it was built between 2001-2002, significant sediment deposits have settled in Sparrow Pond in Glencarlyn Park, harming the wildlife habitat and the water quality. About a decade ago, the county decided to defer cleaning up the sediment and instead, redesign and restore the pond, according to a staff presentation.
Fast forward to 2022 and the county is finally wrapping up the project’s planning phase and preparing for construction.
Planned work includes an access path from S. Park Drive, a residential street off Arlington Blvd that dead-ends behind Glencarlyn Park, to the pond. The county intends to dig a sediment forebay and larger pools “to better filter stormwater and restore habitat for herons, ducks, turtles, frogs and fish,” according to the project webpage.
Additional, new stormwater management facilities will redirect runoff to the Four Mile Run stream, which could cut down on pollution and clouding downstream in the Chesapeake Bay. These changes should also prevent the W&OD Trail embankment from flooding during “100-year storm events” — or storms with a 1% chance of occurring every year — such as the 2019 flood precipitated by a torrential rainstorm, according to a staff report.
Before it can start, however, the Arlington County Board needs to approve agreements with the NOVA Parks and Dominion Energy, both of which own or control parts of the land surrounding the pond, where the new access path and stormwater facilities will be located.
The Board is slated to review these contracts on Saturday.
If the project is approved, construction would begin next year and take between six and nine months.
Preparatory work is already underway with special attention to wildlife, at the insistence of community members.
In the spring of 2021, the county installed a beaver baffle to help keep water levels stable and prevent the W&OD Trail embankment from flooding, all while not disturbing a beaver encampment in the pond area.
“The beaver baffle was an elegant solution that allowed the beaver to stay without endangering the W&OD trail embankment,” the county said in a project update.”The water levels came down and the pools on the bottom of the slope dried up. The slope and trail were safer again.”
Community members have emphasized in project meetings the importance of protecting wildlife, including beavers and the pond’s namesake swallows.
“We will work together to rescue native plants and affected animals like turtles and fish before beginning construction,” the county said. “Before being released, staff will test the animals so we don’t spread disease around the County.”
Plant and animal rescues will be planned for fall 2022, according to the project page.
This project — like the ongoing dredge work at Four Mile Run to prevent extreme flooding — is part of county efforts to improve stormwater management as storms appear to intensify, which many scientists attribute to climate change.
County staff and environmental advocates have attributed some flooding, at least in part, to development — including the construction of large homes — and the associated loss of trees and other plantings that absorb water.
Fewer trees and shrubs mean more water runs into stream banks, causing erosion, water pollution and sediment build-up. That, in turn, causes more tree loss and harms to wildlife habitats, including the critters of Sparrow Pond. The county has worked to mitigate such effects through stringent stormwater requirements for new construction, though some homebuilders have complained about the cost of such measures.
Arlington, Alexandria, D.C. and other parts of the Washington region could see strong storms and pockets of flooding.
A Flood Watch has been issued for much of the area and is set to take effect at 5 p.m.
Forecasters say istorms will likely arrive later this afternoon and may pack heavy rainfall and, in more isolated instances, damaging wind gusts. A “brief tornado” is also possible.
More from the National Weather Service:
1049 AM EDT MON SEP 12 2022
…FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 5 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING…
* WHAT…FLASH FLOODING CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE RAINFALL CONTINUES TO BE POSSIBLE. […]
* WHEN…FROM 5 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING.
* IMPACTS…EXCESSIVE RUNOFF MAY RESULT IN FLOODING OF RIVERS, CREEKS, STREAMS, AND OTHER LOW-LYING AND FLOOD-PRONE LOCATIONS.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…
– SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING AS A COLD FRONT PUSHES THROUGH THE AREA. HEAVY RAINFALL RATES COULD PRODUCE LOCALIZED RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
– HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/SAFETY/FLOODPRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.
A Flood Watch was issued for portions of the area this afternoon into tonight. Heavy rainfall rates and slow moving/training storms could drop 2-3 inches of rain in a short time period. A few storms may be severe as well, producing isolated wind damage. pic.twitter.com/BYZV7OLNB6
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) September 12, 2022
Arlington County, D.C. and its immediate neighbors are under a Flood Watch starting early Monday morning.
Heavy rain is expected overnight and during the morning commute. The soaking rainfall may cause isolated flooding.
More from the National Weather Service:
…FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM EDT TUESDAY THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON…
* WHAT…Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible.
* WHERE…Portions of DC, Maryland and northern Virginia, including the following areas: in DC, District of Columbia. In Maryland, Anne Arundel, Carroll, Cecil, Central and Southeast Howard, Central and Southeast Montgomery, Frederick MD, Northern Baltimore, Northwest Harford, Northwest Howard, Northwest Montgomery, Prince Georges, Southeast Harford and Southern Baltimore. In northern Virginia, Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria, Eastern Loudoun, Fairfax and Western Loudoun.
* WHEN…From 4 AM EDT Tuesday through Tuesday afternoon.
* IMPACTS…Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…
– An area of low pressure is expected to develop along a slow moving boundary draped across the region Tuesday morning through early Tuesday afternoon. Heavy showers and a few thunderstorms are expected to drop 2 to 3 inches across much of the watch area, with isolated higher amounts up to 5 inches possible in the heaviest cells.
– http://www.weather.gov/safety/floodPRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should Flash Flood Warnings be issued.
More via social media:
9:40 pm: Plan ahead! Flood watch issued for much of DC area (dark green shading on map) starting at 4 a.m. Tuesday. A few inches of rain possible in a short period of time during the morning commute. See our detailed forecast: https://t.co/igRH3PBYrJ pic.twitter.com/I3k2pJuHxL
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) September 6, 2022
#NEW: A Flood Watch has been issued for the DC/Baltimore metro areas from 4AM-2PM Tuesday. 1-3 inches of rain is expected with up to 5 inches possible with heavier showers and storms. Turn around, don’t drown. #vawx #mdwx #dcwx pic.twitter.com/7YyhBRr14s
— Washingtonian Weather Geeks (@WashingtonianWx) September 6, 2022
Photo via National Weather Service/Twitter
Arlington — along with D.C., Alexandria, Fairfax County and most of the rest of Northern Virginia — is under a Flood Watch today.
The watch takes effect at 2 p.m. and will remain in effect into the evening hours as slow-moving storms roll into the area.
The combination of slow storm movement and the potential for training — a series of downpours focused on a specific west-to-east area — raises the possibility of flooding, forecasters say.
More from the National Weather Service:
…FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING…
* WHAT…FLASH FLOODING CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE RAINFALL CONTINUES TO BE POSSIBLE. […]
* IMPACTS…EXCESSIVE RUNOFF MAY RESULT IN FLOODING OF RIVERS, CREEKS, STREAMS, AND OTHER LOW-LYING AND FLOOD-PRONE LOCATIONS.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…
– SHOWERS AND NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING. RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL AVERAGE AROUND 1 TO 1.5 INCHES ACROSS THE AREA, BUT LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ARE LIKELY AND MUCH OF THAT MAY FALL IN A ONE TO TWO HOUR TIMEFRAME. HEAVY RAIN IN SHORT PERIODS OF TIME MAY CAUSE CREEKS AND STREAMS TO RAPIDLY RISE OUT OF THEIR BANKS ALONG WITH POTENTIAL FLASH FLOODING IN URBAN AREAS.
– HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/SAFETY/FLOODPRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.
Showers and thunderstorms are likely later this afternoon and evening which may produce locally heavy rainfall. A Flood Watch has been issued for DC/Balt metro areas and SW into northern VA and the Potomac Highlands of VA/WV to account for the potential for flash flooding. pic.twitter.com/qRlPK8L4YV
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) August 10, 2022
Slow-moving storms this afternoon and evening may pack downpours that could cause flooding, forecasters say.
The National Weather Service just issued a Flood Watch for Arlington, the District and most of the region as a result.
From NWS:
1020 AM EDT Fri Aug 5 2022
…FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING…
* WHAT…Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible. […]
* WHEN…From 3 PM EDT this afternoon through this evening.
* IMPACTS…Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…
– Showers and thunderstorms will develop this afternoon and may last into the evening. Any thunderstorms will be capable of producing very heavy rainfall, with localized totals of two to four inches possible. Much of the rain may fall within a one to three hour period, making rapid rises in creeks and streams possible, as well as flash flooding in urban areas.
– http://www.weather.gov/safety/floodPRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should Flash Flood Warnings be issued.
