Dam Safety & Flood Prevention Fund

Dam at Smith Mountain Lake

Virginia's Dam Safety Program, created pursuant to the Virginia Dam Safety Act (§10.1-604 et seq. of the Code of Virginia), provides for the proper and safe design, construction, operation and maintenance of dams to protect public safety.

The Floodplain Management Program was created to address problems related to flooding, the most common natural disaster. The Flood Damage Reduction Act of 1989 was enacted to improve Virginia's flood protection programs and place related programs under one agency. The Floodplain Management Program's objectives are to prevent loss of life, reduce property damage caused by flooding and conserve the natural and beneficial floodplains of the Commonwealth.

The Virginia Dam Safety, Flood Prevention and Protection Assistance Fund was established to:

  • Make 50% matching grants to local governments and to private entities owning existing dams to improve dam safety in accordance with the purposes set out in §10.1-603.19. State-owned and federally-owned dams, or dams not regulated pursuant to the Dam Safety Act are ineligible.
  • Make 50% matching grants to any local government for the purpose of assisting the local government with improvements to flood prevention and protection.

The Virginia Dam Safety, Flood Prevention and Protection Assistance Fund consists of moneys appropriated by the General Assembly, assessments made on flood insurance premium income (§38.2-401.1 of the Code of Virginia), funds returned in the form of interest and loan principal by recipients of funding, income from the investment of monies contained in the fund, and other public and private funds eligible for deposit.

Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation

The fund is permanent and non-reverting and is administered and managed by VRA in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR). DCR determines the type and amounts of funding available prior to each funding period, and specifies the categories that will be considered for grant assistance. Grant applications are approved by the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Board. Grant funds are disbursed to the recipient by VRA after approval and request by DCR. Grants are disbursed on a reimbursement basis only.

Documents and application materials for the next grant cycle will be available and posted to the Department of Conservation and Recreation website once the schedule is announced.  Please refer to DCR's website by clicking here.

 

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