Climate Resilience & Sustainability in Chesapeake, VA

Climate Snapshot

Chesapeake is Virginia's second-largest city by land area (353 square miles), straddling the transition from Hampton Roads' urban core to the rural landscape of the Great Dismal Swamp. The city's geography is defined by water: the Elizabeth River to the north, the Intracoastal Waterway bisecting the city, and an extensive network of creeks and drainage ditches serving some of the flattest terrain on the East Coast.

The same accelerated sea level rise affecting all of Hampton Roads—approximately 18 inches over the past century at Sewells Point—directly impacts Chesapeake. The city's Southern Watershed, including the Deep Creek and Northwest River areas, experiences chronic tidal flooding that has intensified markedly since 2010. The Western Branch of the Elizabeth River regularly backs up into residential neighborhoods during nor'easters and king tides.

Chesapeake's population (255,000) and tax base continue to grow, with significant residential and commercial development in the Greenbrier and Grassfield corridors. Balancing growth with flood risk management is the defining planning challenge. The city's agricultural sector—particularly in the southern half—faces altered growing conditions from shifting precipitation patterns and saltwater intrusion into irrigation sources.

Top Climate Risks

Tidal & Stormwater Flooding

Chesapeake's flat topography and high water table create compound flooding during rain-on-tide events. The city's 1,400 miles of ditches and canals drain by gravity, and rising tidal elevations are reducing drainage capacity system-wide. Over 4,000 structures in Chesapeake sit within the 100-year floodplain. The South Norfolk and Deep Creek neighborhoods experience the most frequent flooding, with some properties sustaining damage multiple times per decade.

Sea Level Rise & Saltwater Intrusion

Sea level rise is pushing saltwater further into the Elizabeth River watershed and the Northwest River system, affecting drinking water intakes, agricultural irrigation, and the health of freshwater wetlands. The Great Dismal Swamp, which serves as a critical flood buffer and carbon sink, is experiencing increased saltwater stress at its eastern margins. VIMS projects that at 2 feet of additional sea level rise, saltwater will advance miles further upstream in Chesapeake's tidal rivers.

Extreme Precipitation

Chesapeake has experienced a 25% increase in heavy precipitation events (>3 inches in 24 hours) since 1990. The October 2016 nor'easter and Hurricane Matthew sequence—which produced back-to-back flood events within two weeks—damaged over 3,000 homes in the city. Climate models project continued increases in extreme rainfall intensity, compounding the tidal flooding challenge.

Local Climate Action

Chesapeake's Comprehensive Plan (2024 update) incorporates sea level rise adaptation as a cross-cutting element, with policies requiring new development in flood-prone areas to demonstrate resilience to 2060 conditions. The city established a Flooding Division within Public Works in 2021, consolidating stormwater, floodplain management, and drainage maintenance under one office.

The city's $150 million capital improvement program for drainage includes major ditch rehabilitation, pump station construction, and installation of tide gates on key outfalls. The Indian River watershed drainage study (2023) identified $80 million in needed improvements.

Chesapeake participates in the Hampton Roads Regional Climate Adaptation Program and has committed to aligning local planning with the regional sea level rise planning framework. The city's CRS (Community Rating System) rating provides flood insurance discounts averaging 15% for policyholders.

Regulations & Incentives

Chesapeake enforces a 2-foot freeboard requirement above BFE for new residential construction and 3 feet for critical facilities. The city's Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act compliance program regulates development within Resource Protection Areas (100-foot buffer from tidal waters and wetlands).

Virginia's Clean Economy Act drives renewable energy adoption, with Dominion Energy offering net metering and solar interconnection programs. The city's commercial PACE program (via Virginia PACE Authority) finances energy efficiency, renewable energy, and resilience improvements.

The Hampton Roads Planning District Commission coordinates regional building code and resilience standard recommendations, helping ensure consistency across the 17 member jurisdictions.

Federal Funding Opportunities

FEMA's FMA program has funded repetitive-loss property buyouts and elevations in Chesapeake's South Norfolk and Deep Creek areas, with over $10 million in awards since 2018. BRIC competitive grants supplement these investments.

The Army Corps' Deep Creek Flood Risk Management Study is evaluating structural and non-structural alternatives for the most flood-damaged watershed in the city, with potential federal investment of $50–150 million.

EPA's CWSRF provides financing for stormwater infrastructure, and Chesapeake has accessed over $30 million in revolving fund loans for drainage improvements.

USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides technical assistance and cost-share for agricultural flood mitigation and wetland restoration in Chesapeake's southern agricultural areas through the Emergency Watershed Protection and Environmental Quality Incentives programs.

How Council Fire Can Help

Council Fire supports Chesapeake's flood resilience mission through hazard mitigation planning, drainage infrastructure design support, and federal grant strategy. Our Hampton Roads team understands the region's unique subsidence and tidal dynamics and brings this expertise to every engagement.

We help developers navigate Chesapeake's freeboard and Bay Preservation Act requirements, design flood-resilient site plans, and access PACE financing for commercial resilience upgrades. For agricultural clients in southern Chesapeake, we provide conservation planning and NRCS cost-share program support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Chesapeake flood so often without a hurricane?

Chesapeake's flat terrain, high water table, and gravity-dependent drainage system are extremely sensitive to even modest increases in tidal elevation and rainfall intensity. A nor'easter that pushes 2–3 feet of surge into the Elizabeth River can back up drainage outfalls across the city, causing widespread flooding from accumulated rainfall that has nowhere to go. Rising sea levels are making this compound flooding more frequent—events that were once unusual now occur multiple times per year.

What is the city doing about repetitive-loss properties?

Chesapeake has completed over 60 voluntary buyouts of repetitive-loss properties since 2016 through FEMA's FMA and HMGP programs, converting acquired parcels to open space. The city maintains a prioritized list of repetitive-loss properties and actively pursues federal funding for additional acquisitions and elevations. Property owners with two or more flood claims in 10 years may be eligible for 100% federal funding under FMA's severe repetitive-loss category.

How does the Great Dismal Swamp help with flooding?

The Great Dismal Swamp, which covers roughly 190 square miles along Chesapeake's southern and western borders, acts as a massive natural sponge—absorbing rainfall, slowing runoff, and reducing flood peaks in downstream areas. The swamp stores an estimated 1 billion gallons of water during major rain events. However, sea level rise and altered hydrology are stressing the swamp's eastern margins. Conservation and restoration of the swamp's hydrological function is a regional flood management priority.