The Ripple Effect: A Decade of Progress Since Hurricane Matthew

As Virginia Beach approaches the halfway point in the Flood Protection Program (FPP), City Council received the quarterly update on Sept. 15 on the progress.

Hurricane Matthew: Looking at 10 Years of Progress 

It’s been nearly a decade since Hurricane Matthew, and the City continues to make steady progress on flood protection projects. Leisha Pica of Jacobs Engineering shared an update on that work, highlighting key accomplishments. 

Neighborhoods such as Ashville Park, Bellamy Manor, Seatack, Windsor Woods and others saw drainage and system upgrades. Federal grants supported improvements in 23 neighborhoods, and more than 160,000 cubic yards of sediment were removed from lakes, canals and ditches — the equivalent of 11,400 dump trucks — increasing storage capacity for stormwater.

Flood control structures and tide gates were installed to stop tidal flow and better protect roadways and structures from flooding. Pump stations were installed in Sherwood Lakes and Ashville Park to help protect those communities during storm events.

Since Hurricane Matthew, the City has completed stormwater master planning for all drainage basins, providing guidance for future investments. A sea-level rise study and technical reports were developed to better prepare the area for changing environmental conditions. The City expanded on its restoration and nature‑based solutions such as the Elizabeth River Wetland and Floodplain Restoration project.
 
To help offset the cost of flood mitigation projects, the City has secured $73.4 million in grant funding. Preliminary engineering reports, the basis for project designs, have been completed for Windsor Woods, Lake Bradford-Chubb Lake, the Central Resort District, West Neck Creek Bridge, and Pungo Ferry Road.

Finally, construction is complete on nine projects and four more are in progress.  

Milestones Achieved this Quarter   

During the third quarter of 2026, several advancements were made in Flood Protection Program projects, including:  

• The Pungo Ferry Road project progressed to 90% design 
• Windsor Woods components of the Mega Bundle reached 90% design 
• Bow Creek Stormwater Park Phase II moved into the plans, specifications and estimates phase 
• Procurement milestones met for the Central Resort District and multiple projects in the Windsor Woods, Princess Anne Plaza and The Lakes Mega Bundle project.  
• A groundbreaking ceremony for the Mega Bundle project is scheduled for Sept. 23.

As Virginia Beach marks 10 years since Hurricane Matthew, continued progress in flood protection projects shows the City’s commitment to building a stronger, more resilient future. 

Updates from the Oversight Board

Jeff Waller, chair of the Flood Prevention Bond Referendum Oversight Board (FPBROB), highlighted recent activities of the board, including receiving presentations on:  

• Public Works staff visit to Thalia Elementary School’s third graders and the citywide fourth-grade curriculum that explores the science, causes and impacts of flooding 
• Cost-estimating and procurement for projects in the City of Virginia Beach  

Flood Protection Program communications continue to perform well across City channels with five blogs and three educational videos created, and 31 social media posts published between July 1 and Sept. 4. Visits to FPP webpages are up 4.7% over last year’s third quarter visits.  

The board meets at 2:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at the Virginia Beach Economic Development office at Town Center. Meetings are open to the public, and residents are encouraged to attend and share comments. More information is available on the Oversight Board webpage.

The Virginia Beach Flood Protection Program — The Ripple Effect — is a comprehensive 10-year plan to address recurrent flooding in Virginia Beach. In November 2021, Virginia Beach voters overwhelmingly supported a resiliency package for several key flood protection initiatives to include drainage improvements, tide gates, pump stations and flood barriers throughout the city. The projects are led by Public Works with support from a community oversight board for transparency and accountability. Learn more at VirginiaBeach.gov/RippleEffect.

• Ripple Effect