Through statutorily mandated offices and teams, resilience strategies, and funds, the Commonwealth of Virginia has achieved strong adaptation governance and planning mechanisms. As a coastal state, much of the adaptation focus has been on flooding, particularly the threats that flooding and land subsidence pose to the state’s agriculture and military sectors. Virginia’s primary point of contact for resilience and adaptation is the Chief Resilience Officer (CRO), whose office was established in 2020. The CRO organizes the Interagency Resiliency Management Team (IRMT) and works closely with the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), which is responsible for developing and implementing Virginia’s flood resilience plans. The Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program (CZM) collaborates with Planning District Commissions (PDC), coastal localities, and the Coastal Policy Team to protect the state’s coastal resources. In its adaptation governance efforts, Virginia has used master plans and resilience funds. Master plans include the Coastal Resilience Master Plan and the Virginia Flood Protection Master Plan, both of which have statutory update requirements. Funds such as the Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund and the Resilient Virginia Revolving Fund provide loans and grants to defray the expenses associated with minimizing the damaging effects of flooding and other hazards. The overview below provides a more detailed summary of Virginia’s key climate-related risks, the governance framework for overseeing adaptation work at the state level, and central laws and guidelines affecting how adaptation planning, investments, and funding are carried out in the state.

Virginia’s Climate Vulnerability and Risk Profile

Virginia has a diverse climate, with hot, humid summers and moderately cold winters.^{See footnote 1} The topography is equally diverse, stretching from the Atlantic coast to the mountainous west.^{See footnote 2} Weather patterns are shaped by the geographic features of the state—for example, precipitation is somewhat less frequent in the west, depending on proximity to the mountains.^{See footnote 3} Thunderstorms are common, especially in the latter part of the day, and they move from west to east across the state and northeastward across the coast.^{See footnote 4} The North Atlantic High, the Gulf Stream, and the topography of the Appalachian and Blue Ridge Mountains also influence the climate.^{See footnote 5}  The rivers of the state also control airflow and precipitation.

The major climate hazards of Virginia are thunderstorms, tornadoes, winter storms, hurricanes, flooding, drought, heat waves, and vector-borne disease.^{See footnote 6} In recent years, drought has been widespread across the state.^{See footnote 7} Extreme heat is expected to worsen, even under low-emissions scenarios.^{See footnote 8} Increased precipitation from storms^{See footnote 9} and sea-level rise combined with land subsidence^{See footnote 10} are leading to increased flooding and salinization.^{See footnote 11} According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool, statewide wildfire and tornado risks are low, inland flooding ranges from low to relatively high, and coastal flooding can be very high risk.^{See footnote 12} The state is particularly focused on impacts to agriculture, coastal properties, and threats to wetlands and the fish, birds, and marine organisms that live in this environment.^{See footnote 13} Sea-level rise impacts to military infrastructure is also a point of concern.^{See footnote 14} As of 2026, the state had more than $4 billion planned in projects to mitigate the effects of sea-level rise.^{See footnote 15} Examples of significant local climate change impacts include frequent flooding in Norfolk, which has become so severe that the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is planning a massive floodwall to protect the city.^{See footnote 16} In Jamestown, historic and archaeological sites are at risk due to storms and flooding.^{See footnote 17} In 2026, southern Virginia farms faced hay shortages due to the statewide drought, leading to a declared state of emergency.^{See footnote 18}

Adaptation Governance in Virginia

Virginia has robust adaptation governance and planning. State law requires the regular development and updating of resilience strategies, including the Coastal Resilience Master Plan and the Virginia Flood Protection Master Plan. These measures are supported by the Chief Resilience Officer (CRO) and the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), in coordination with universities and other state agencies.

Chief Resilience Officer and the Office of Commonwealth Resilience

The position of CRO existed in Virginia prior to 2020 by executive designation.^{See footnote 19} The role was formally codified in 2020^{See footnote 20} and significantly updated in 2022 and 2024.^{See footnote 21} Under current law, the CRO serves as the Commonwealth’s primary point of contact for resilience and recurrent flooding, with responsibilities that include identifying areas at greatest flood risk, advising public and private entities, and pursuing funding opportunities for resilience projects.^{See footnote 22}

The CRO oversees the Virginia Flood Protection Master Plan and the Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan, both of which must be maintained and updated on a recurring basis.^{See footnote 23} The CRO is required to submit a biennial report to the governor and General Assembly assessing the status of resilience across the state.^{See footnote 24} While there is not a statutory office, a 2024 budgetary request established the Office of Commonwealth Resilience with two staff members, “to serve as the primary coordinators of resilience and adaptation initiatives in Virginia, and as the primary points of contact regarding issues related to resilience.”^{See footnote 25} Executive Order 24, which established the CRO position, also directs the Officer to develop a process to assess state-owned buildings for their resilience to climate impacts and identify steps the state can take to increase their resilience. The executive order outlines some of these steps, such as the creation of a statewide reference sea-level rise projection and freeboard standard (height to which structures must be elevated above the base flood elevation (BFE)) specific to state-owned buildings.^{See footnote 26}

Interagency Resilience Management Team

The CRO is also required to convene an Interagency Resilience Management Team.^{See footnote 27} This team is composed of representatives from relevant state agencies with responsibilities related to resilience, flooding, infrastructure, natural resources, and emergency management.^{See footnote 28} Its purpose is to coordinate resilience planning and implementation across state agencies.^{See footnote 29} 

Virginia Coastal Resilience Technical Advisory Committee

The Virginia Coastal Resilience Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) was created by the CRO in 2022, pursuant to HB 517, to provide technical and scientific guidance in the development and updating of the Coastal Resilience Master Plan; the TAC may also assist with the Virginia Flood Protection Master Plan.^{See footnote 30} Membership includes representatives from state agencies, regional planning entities, and institutions with relevant expertise.^{See footnote 31} The TAC assists with incorporating the best available science into the plan, ensures that flood risk assessments are driven by data, and advises on the prioritization of resilience projects.^{See footnote 32}

Virginia Flood Resilience Advisory Committee 

Convened by the Director of DCR in coordination with the CRO, the Virginia Flood Resilience Advisory Committee assists with developing, updating, and implementing the Virginia Flood Protection Master Plan and related resilience programs.^{See footnote 33} It is composed of representatives from relevant state agencies and local government associations, and is chaired by the DCR Director with the CRO serving as vice-chair.^{See footnote 34} The Committee is required to meet at least twice each year and serves in an advisory capacity.^{See footnote 35} It receives regular updates statewide plans and other regional flood resilience efforts, and provides guidance on a broad range of issues, ranging from resilience metrics to enhancing state and local coordination.^{See footnote 36}

Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation

DCR is charged with implementing or developing Virginia’s flood resilience plans.^{See footnote 37} DCR develops the Flood Protection Master Plan to address severe and repetitive flooding^{See footnote 38} and its directors host meetings alongside the CRO to implement these plans.^{See footnote 39} It also administers major resilience funding programs like the Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund.^{See footnote 40} Virginia’s Floodplain Management Program and the Dam Safety Program are hosted within DCR. DCR’s flood resilience mission is to mitigate the impacts of severe and repetitive flooding to minimize “damage to social well-being, health, the economy and the environment.”^{See footnote 41} It offers resources on floodplains, including model ordinances under the Virginia Floodplain Management Program, the coordinating body for the National Flood Insurance Program.^{See footnote 42}

Virginia Department of Emergency Management

The Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) administers grants, provides preparedness and recovery resources, and maintains the state’s hazard mitigation plan.^{See footnote 43} Grants related to climate resilience include those offered by FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation directorate, such as the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant and the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant.^{See footnote 44} VDEM also hosts the “Know Your Zone” map, a resource for coastal Virginians to identify their evacuation zone for hurricane events.^{See footnote 45} The most recent plan was published in 2023 by the VDEM Planning Division and will be updated in 2028.^{See footnote 46} VDEM collaborates with USACE on emergency preparedness, response, and projects.^{See footnote 47} The Norfolk District (headquartered in Norfolk, VA) is the primary point of contact, though the Wilmington, Huntington, Nashville, and Baltimore Districts also cover parts of the state. USACE and VDEM participate in Virginia Silver Jackets, an interagency coordination team that works to reduce flood risk in the state. Federal agencies (including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and FEMA) and state agencies (including VDCR, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), and others) collaborate through the USACE-hosted team to study flood risks and develop maps, tools, and flood planning resources.^{See footnote 48}

Virginia Coastal Zone Management

Virginia’s coastal zone covers nearly one-third of the state, and more than half of Virginians live within it. The zone includes the Atlantic coast, the Chesapeake Bay, and the Albermarle-Pamlico Sound watershed.^{See footnote 49} The Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program (CZM)—previously called the Virginia Coastal Resources Management Program—was established in 1986 via executive order. CZM administers laws, regulations, and policies, and manages the state’s coastal resources. The program is networked among state agencies and local governments, including DEQ, DCR, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC), and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) at the College of William & Mary, among others.^{See footnote 50} DEQ is the lead agency for CZM.^{See footnote 51} The CZM Program hosts the Virginia Coastal Policy Team, which facilitates cooperation among the agencies that implement Virginia’s coastal laws and policies. The Team meets twice a year to identify coastal policy issues, develop policy recommendations, help measure the effectiveness of programs, and recommend funding levels to the Director of DEQ for coastal projects.^{See footnote 52} One representative from each of the eight Virginia Coastal Planning District Commissions (PDC) serves on the Team. The PDCs also meet quarterly with CZM and internally. The Virginia CZM has provided financial and technical assistance through an annual technical assistance grant since 1988.^{See footnote 53 See footnote 54} PDCs, in partnership with CZM, create and implement important adaptation projects, such as the Hampton Roads Climate Change Adaptation Project. CZM also collaborates with Virginia Sea Grant on projects, planning, and protecting the state’s coastal zone.^{See footnote 55} 

Climate Data

Sea-level rise data for Virginia is analyzed at VIMS.^{See footnote 56} VIMS also publishes Sea-Level Report Cards for the coastal United States, including several localities in Virginia.^{See footnote 57} ADAPTVA, a website that hosts information on climate adaptation for Virginia, is also supported by VIMS (as well as Wetlands Watch and previously the Virginia Coastal Policy Center).^{See footnote 58} The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) houses extreme heat data for the state, such as the annual number of extreme heat days^{See footnote 59} and heat-related illnesses.^{See footnote 60} DCR maintains the Virginia Flood Risk Information System (VFRIS), which includes data from the National Flood Hazard Layer, the National Flood Insurance Program, FEMA, the National Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, and Esri.^{See footnote 61} Users can look up their address to determine if they are in a flood zone and other details about the local floodplain. DEQ publishes information about water supply and drought and is responsible for monitoring and evaluating drought conditions per the Virginia Drought Assessment and Response Plan.^{See footnote 62} The Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force (DMTF) meets regularly to assess drought conditions and declare drought stages.^{See footnote 63} The Virginia Department of Forestry manages and reports on wildland fire incidents across the state.^{See footnote 64}

Adaptation Law and Policy in Virginia

Adaptation Planning Requirements

Virginia law mandates state-level adaptation planning updates. The CRO is directed to oversee the Coastal Resilience Master Plan and the Flood Protection Master Plan, as described above.^{See footnote 65} The law requires the Coastal Resilience Master Plan to be updated at least every five years.^{See footnote 66} Current law requires developing a Flood Protection Master Plan and updating it at least every five years.^{See footnote 67}

Virginia has legislated climate adaptation into local planning requirements.^{See footnote 68} For example, statute requires that any locality in the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission incorporate strategies to combat projected relative sea-level rise and recurrent flooding into its comprehensive plan.^{See footnote 69}  The statute also directs that this planning be coordinated regionally among the Hampton Roads localities, and it enlists state agencies and universities, including DCR, VMRC, Virginia Department of Emergency Management, Old Dominion University, and VIMS, to provide technical assistance upon local request.^{See footnote 70} 

Resilient Design and Siting Requirements

Living Shorelines

Senate Bill 964 (2011) promotes nature-based approaches to shoreline stabilization. The statute directs VMRC, in cooperation with DCR and with VIMS technical input, to develop a general permit that authorizes and encourages the use of living shorelines as the preferred alternative for stabilizing tidal shores.^{See footnote 71} This incentivizes property owners and local governments to install natural materials like oyster reefs or fiber logs instead of hard structures like bulkheads to control coastal erosion.^{See footnote 72} The law also requires VIMS, DCR, and VMRC to provide comprehensive coastal resource management guidance for local governments.^{See footnote 73}

Floodplain Management

Virginia’s Floodplain Management Standards mandate that no state-owned buildings (or buildings built on state-owned land) may be constructed, rebuilt, purchased, or acquired if they are within a floodplain.^{See footnote 74 See footnote 75} The freeboard requirements  differ for riverine and coastal floodplain areas. In riverine areas, the top of the lowest floor of a new building must be at least two feet above the BFE, while in the coastal floodplain, the bottom of the lowest floor must be at least three feet above the BFE. When a building in the floodplain is changed or repaired, it must be brought into alignment with the state floodplain management standards. These standards exceed the minimum requirements set by the National Floodplain Insurance Program and do not preclude localities from establishing more-restrictive floodplain regulations.^{See footnote 76} The Virginia model floodplain ordinance includes additional recommendations from the DCR, such as disallowing critical services from being built in the 500-year floodplain and using a foot and a half of freeboard for residential buildings in the floodplain.^{See footnote 77} Additionally, in 2018 Governor Northam issued Executive Order 24,^{See footnote 78}  which set the process for creation of Executive Order 45, “Floodplain Management Requirements and Planning Standards for State Agencies, Institutions, and Property”. Executive Order 45 established “Sea Level Rise Inundation Areas,” representing the maximum inland reach of sea level under the NOAA Intermediate-High scenario curve for 2100. It states that new state-owned buildings in this area must be elevated at least five to eight feet above the BFE, depending on other classifications (e.g., if the building is also within a Special Flood Hazard Area, as determined by FEMA). Executive Order 45 also established “Sea Level Rise Planning Standards”. This executive order is not currently being implemented.^{See footnote 79} 

Adaptation Investments and Funding

Virginia has created dedicated funding mechanisms to support adaptation and resilience projects. 

Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund

The Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund (CFPF) was established by legislation in 2020.^{See footnote 80} The statute specifies that it will be capitalized by Virginia’s proceeds from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) carbon allowance auctions,^{See footnote 81} though since Virginia withdrew from RGGI, the Fund is now capitalized by the state’s General Fund.^{See footnote 82} The CFPF is managed by the Virginia Resources Authority with DCR administering grants and loans.^{See footnote 83} The fund’s purpose is to help localities plan and implement projects that prevent or mitigate recurrent flooding.^{See footnote 84} At least 25% of the fund’s disbursements each year must benefit low-income communities.^{See footnote 85} Local governments can receive low-interest loans or grants and are authorized to forgive loans for vulnerable low-income areas.^{See footnote 86} 

Resilient Virginia Revolving Fund

The Resilient Virginia Revolving Fund was established in 2022 as a permanent and perpetual fund. The Virginia Resources Authority administers the fund under guidelines developed in consultation with DCR, the CRO, and the Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources. Eligible uses include loans and grants for resilience and hazard mitigation projects such as infrastructure, home upgrades, property buyouts, and nature-based solutions. Projects in localities with very low community resilience ratings receive additional weighting. The statute also requires public input and establishes an advisory review committee to recommend disbursements.

Statewide Adaptation Planning and Technical Assistance

Virginia’s most recent statewide adaptation planning efforts include the Virginia Flood Protection Master Plan.^{See footnote 87} The plan is maintained by DCR and must be updated at least every five years,^{See footnote 88} with the next plan to be published in 2028.^{See footnote 89} It provides an inventory of flood-prone areas and identifies strategies to reduce flood risk across both coastal and inland communities.^{See footnote 90}

DCR and the CRO also maintain the Coastal Resilience Master Plan.^{See footnote 91} The first phase of the plan was released in 2021.^{See footnote 92} It is a project-based strategy that identifies at-risk communities and prioritizes resilience projects to address recurrent coastal flooding and sea-level rise.

Earlier efforts include the 2015 Climate Change and Resiliency Update Commission, which reviewed the 2008 Climate Change Action Plan and provided recommendations for both preparing for climate impacts and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Virginia.^{See footnote 93} 

This summary aims to highlight the most important adaptation and resilience efforts underway in Virginia, but it is not exhaustive. Other adaptation and resilience efforts may be led by other state agencies, localities, and private partners within the state. Source documents and additional resources, many of which are housed in the Adaptation Clearinghouse, are highlighted below.

This research was last updated on October 20, 2026.