The Ripple Effect: Third Quarter 2025 Update on Flood Protection Program Progress

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 Sept. 16. In case you missed it, here are the key takeaways.

A Report from the Oversight Board 

Jeff Waller, chairman of the FPBROB, reported on the briefings the Board received this quarter and announced that two new student members will serve during the upcoming year. Looking ahead, the Board plans to visit several project sites to see progress firsthand, including the Bow Creek Stormwater Park, the Eastern Shore Drive project site and a return trip to the Windsor Woods tide gates. 

The Board meets on the second Thursday of each month at 2 p.m. 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. 

Progress in Action  

Four projects reached their next milestone this quarter, according to Leisha Pica, P.E., of Jacobs Engineering. By the end of the year, three more projects are expected to move forward to the next phase.  

Projects under construction now include: 

• Windsor Woods Tide Gate 
• Bow Creek Stormwater Park Phase I 
• Seatack Neighborhood Drainage Improvements 
• South Plaza Trail/Presidential Boulevard Drainage Improvements 
• First Colonial Road/Oceana Boulevard Drainage Improvements 

Understanding the Costs  

As of the end of August, $131.7 million has been spent on FPP projects, an increase of just under $14 million since the second quarter. The overall program cost has increased from $1.1 billion to $1.55 billion as described in the FPP monthly report. The largest increase comes from the Windsor Woods/Princess Anne Plaza/The Lakes master project, with the cost estimate now at $803 million, up from $504 million in March. 

Why the higher estimates? Pica pointed to three main reasons: 

• Refined scope: The original estimates were based on planning concepts only and developed pre-COVID. Since then, engineering and design work has produced new estimates based on actual field conditions. 
• Cost escalation including labor cost increases: General market costs continue to rise along with labor costs due to shortages in specialized construction fields. 
• Market uncertainty including supply chain issues and tariff impacts. 

These types of increases are being seen nationwide, Pica said. Nearly every large infrastructure building program in the U.S. has been affected by market uncertainty over the past five years. 

Key takeaways: 

• $567.5 million of bond funds will be spent before the 2032 deadline set in the referendum. 
• The highest-priority projects will be completed within the 10-year window. 
• All Phase I projects from the referendum are underway, though some will be completed after the 10-year window. 

Telling the Flood Protection Story 

The City’s Communications Office has built a strong outreach strategy that takes projects from concept to content to community. This includes creating campaigns, blog posts, videos and graphics, then sharing them across multiple platforms — web, social media, Be In the Know email newsletters, YouTube and City Council presentations. The goal is to keep residents informed and engaged about how the City is investing in flood protection. 

Since the program’s inception: 

• 43 blogs on FPP projects have been published, with 26,457 total views. 
• 18 “How it Works” videos have been produced, with 122,773 total views. 
• 155 social posts on FPP have generated 872,422 impressions. 

While challenges remain, the Flood Protection Program is moving forward on all fronts. From active construction to stronger communication with residents, the work underway today is building a more resilient Virginia Beach for tomorrow. 

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. 

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