Washington, DC and the surrounding National Capital Region have experienced significant river, coastal, and interior floods in the past, and the city is still at risk today. Flooding is a serious issue not only because of its potential to impact residents, but because of its effect on government operations and cultural treasures. Many museums, memorials, and federal buildings – and the important artifacts and operations they house - lie within the most flood-prone areas of the city. To protect these important assets and the missions they support from flood damage, NCPC works in coordination with other federal and local agencies to improve flood defenses and to plan for a more secure and resilient capital.
Flooding in Washington, DC
Some, but not all, of the Washington, DC’s flood risk is mitigated by two primary levee systems: the Potomac Park Levee System (which includes the 17th Street Levee Closure) and the Anacostia River Levee System. These levee systems reduce risk from riverine and coastal flooding. They do not reduce the risk of interior flooding.
Key Guidance
Flood Risk Resource Guide
In January 2018, NCPC and District of Columbia Silver Jackets Team jointly released the Flood Risk Management Planning Resources for Washington, DC. The guide includes a summary of the region's flood risk, an overview of 11 studies and tools that address current and future flood risks in the region, and brief descriptions on how these studies can be used.
Environment Element
This element, updated and adopted in 2020, contains policies to protect the region’s floodplains and federal assets from flood damage. It is the primary policy document used by NCPC to review project and master plan proposals.
Federal Guidance
All federal agencies must comply with Executive Order 11988: Floodplain Management (1977), and its implementing guidelines (1978). Together, these documents direct federal agencies to avoid development in floodplains when possible and establish procedures for what to do if development in a floodplain is necessary.
Local Coordination
NCPC works closely with local jurisdictions when reviewing projects and planning for resilience, including the District Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE), who coordinates the city’s participation in the National Flood Insurance Program. NCPC is also a member of the DC Silver Jackets, an interagency group that works to reduce flood risk in Washington, DC.
Recent Studies and Initiatives
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Federal Triangle Flood Charrette
Building on the workshops, in February 2020 representatives from 13 federal and local agencies participated in a charrette to identify the most effective and plausible comprehensive options that should be considered to further address Federal Triangle Area interior flooding.
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Federal Triangle Area Flood Workshops
In 2018 and 2019 a series of workshops and meetings were held to address Federal Triangle Area flood risk and potential solutions.
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Updates to Submission Guidelines
As part of NCPC’s update to its Submission Guidelines, NCPC also worked with stakeholder agencies to revise the language and requirements for projects in floodplains. The revisions are included in the latest version of NCPC’s submission guidelines.
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DC Silver Jackets Flood Summit
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton opened the festivities for the first ever Flood Summit that brought local leaders together to discuss the city’s flooding issues and potential solutions.
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17th Levee Closure Completed
In January 2007 the levee system that protects downtown Washington, DC from flooding was “de-accredited” by FEMA. After years of design work and construction, a new 17th Street Levee Closure was officially accredited by FEMA in September 2016, and it now provides protection for downtown DC while also blending into the landscape of the National Mall.
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DC Silver Jackets
The DC Silver Jackets was established in 2014. NCPC is a signatory member of the Memorandum of Understanding. The DC Silver Jackets is an interagency team comprised of members from federal, District of Columbia and regional agencies, as well as academia. This team leverages resources to identify and implement comprehensive, resilient, and sustainable solutions to reduce flood risk around the district and to assist local communities.
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Building a Climate Resilient National Capital Region
NCPC, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, and three other federal agencies hosted a series of workshops that provided stakeholders with a first look at the region’s climate change risk, and helped build capacity, new partnerships and encouraged proactive adaptation planning.
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Federal Triangle Stormwater Drainage Study
Following the 2006 Federal Triangle Flood, this study set out to create an accurate model of the Federal Triangle stormwater system and predict ponding levels that could occur with future heavy rains. The study also proposed system-wide flood control alternatives.
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Report on Flooding and Stormwater
Following the Federal Triangle Flood and a request from the Commission for more information on the subject, NCPC staff published the 2008 report on Flooding and Stormwater in Washington, DC.
