The Ripple Effect: Second Quarter 2026 Progress in the Flood Protection Program

The Flood Prevention Bond Referendum Oversight Board (FPBROB) and Jacobs Engineering delivered the quarterly status report on the Flood Protection Program (FPP) to City Council on June 23. In case you missed it, here are the key takeaways.

Updates from the Oversight Board 

Jeff Waller, chairman of the FPBROB, reported on the briefings the board received this quarter including:  

• A visit to the Bow Creek Stormwater Park to view progress
• A staff presentation on the integrated system of FPP projects in the Windsor Woods, Princess Anne Plaza and The Lakes neighborhoods  
• A staff presentation on flooding in Virginia Beach 

In the second quarter, the City’s Communications Office built on its outreach strategy to communicate with residents across multiple platforms, including: 

• 7 published blogs with over 1,700 views 
• 4 new videos reaching over 10,000 views  

To date, the City has been awarded $73 million in state and federal grants and loans, and will submit applications for another $44 million in the future.  

The board meets at 2 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.

Key Milestones Achieved  

Since the first quarter update, Jacobs Engineering reports that six FPP projects have advanced to the next milestone stage, including the completion of the Seatack Neighborhood Drainage Improvements project in March, and the First Colonial Road and Oceana Boulevard Drainage Improvements project in June.

Construction began on two projects, including the Eastern Shore Drive Bundle and the Eastern Shore Drive Roadway 1F project. Other advancements include:  

• Pungo Ferry Road Improvements project advanced to the 60% design phase 
• Poinciana Pump Station advanced to the 100% design phase  

Looking ahead, the third quarter will see projects advancing to the next design milestone, including: 

• Lake Bradford/Chubb Lake Pump Station & Outfall project 
• Church Point/Thoroughgood BMP and Drainage Improvements Phase 1B project  
• Pungo Ferry Road Improvements project 

The Poinciana Pump Station project will be advertised for construction, and early construction activities are scheduled to begin on the Windsor Woods, Princess Anne Plaza, and The Lakes Mega Bundle project in the third quarter.  
 
As the Flood Protection Program moves ahead, residents can expect continued progress, new construction activity and more opportunities to stay informed. The City remains committed to building a stronger, more resilient Virginia Beach — one project milestone at a time.

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