Department of Conservation and Recreation
Dam Safety, Floodplain Management and Resilience Planning
Hurricane Helene Resources
Local floodplain administrators should reference FEMA’s Substantial Damage Quick Guide.
Local residents should reference Starting Your Recovery After a Flood, Returning Home After a Flood, and NFIP Rebuilding Safer & Stronger After a Flood.
For the latest information on Virginia’s response to Hurricane Helene, please visit the Virginia Department of Emergency Management’s website.
Dam Safety
Unless specifically excluded, all dams in Virginia are regulated. More than 2,500 dams are regulated in the state.
DCR's dam safety staff works to ensure that dams are properly and safely designed, built, operated and maintained. Dams in Virginia are classified by hazard potential - high, significant or low. Classification may change according to how a given dam's failure might affect lives and property downstream.
Dam Safety News
- Low Hazard Dam General Permit Training
The DCR Dam Safety Division is introducing a revised general permit program, beginning in January 2026, that is designed to reduce the administrative time and cost burden for owners to meet regulatory requirements for low hazard dams. We would like to extend an invitation to low hazard dam owners and their representatives for several training opportunities to learn more about the general permit program. Learn More - The Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Board has approved the 2025 grant manual for the Dam Safety, Flood Prevention and Protection Assistance Fund grants.
- A Notice to Dam Owners
Dams of specified height and impoundment capacity are regulated by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and are required to comply with the Virginia Dam Safety Act.
If you own a dam and are out of compliance with the Dam Safety Act, or have questions about compliance, please complete the contact form and a DCR Dam Safety engineer will respond to you.
Floodplain Management
Floods are the most common natural disaster. Each year, about 200 Americans die because of floods, and flood damage throughout the nation exceeds $3 billion.
In 1987, after several disastrous floods and coastal storms, Virginia's floodplain management programs were transferred from the Water Control Board to DCR. In particular, DCR manages coordination of the National Flood Insurance Program and works with localities to establish and enforce floodplain zoning.
Floodplain Management News
- Community Flood Preparedness Fund Grants and Loans
- New Virginia Silver Jackets' Virginia Flood Risk Guide for Local Officials released.
- New URL for Virginia Flood Risk Information System (VFRIS); visit the VFRIS page to access the map application on the new server.
- Wetlands Watch recently released Capacity Building in the NFIP Community Rating System.
- Online local floodplain management directory added.
Resilience Planning
Flood resilience is the capability to anticipate, prepare, respond to and recover from flood hazards to minimize damage to social well-being, health, the economy and the environment.
Virginia's Office of Resilience Planning is responsible for developing, administering and implementing the Virginia Flood Protection Master Plan and Coastal Resilience Master Plan, conducting ongoing community outreach and engagement, coordinating flood resilience activities across the Commonwealth and providing access to the best available flood and flood damage reduction data.
