DC · Maryland · Virginia
Know your water risk — across the DMV.
A neutral, government-sourced reference for understanding water and flooding across the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Flood maps, storm seasons, zones, insurance, and official resources — no sales, no funnel, just the facts and where to verify them.
- Old Town Alexandria
- Cameron Run
- Bloomingdale
- Anacostia (Wards 7–8)
- Ellicott City
Start with your jurisdiction
Flood risk, lead agency, and where to look first — by where you live.
Choose DC, Maryland, or Virginia
District of Columbia. Combined-sewer flooding, tidal Potomac and Anacostia risk, and buried-stream backups across the Wards.
Lead emergency-management agency: DC HSEMA. See our DC flood resources and how to check your flood zone.
Maryland. Flash-flood-prone valleys (Ellicott City), suburban creeks, and Chesapeake-adjacent tidal flooding.
Lead emergency-management agency: MDEM. See our MD flood resources and how to check your flood zone.
Virginia. Tidal Old Town Alexandria, Cameron Run / Huntington watershed, and Northern Virginia stream flooding.
Lead emergency-management agency: VDEM. See our VA flood resources and how to check your flood zone.
Explore by topic
-
Flood Geography
Where the DMV floods and why — named neighborhoods, creeks, and watersheds from Old Town Alexandria to Ellicott City.
Open guide → -
Storm Season
When the Capital region floods — hurricane remnants, nor’easters, flash floods, and tidal surges, plus how to read NWS alerts.
Open guide → -
Maps, Zones & Insurance
How to check your FEMA flood zone, read a FIRM, and understand NFIP flood insurance across DC, MD, and VA.
Open guide → -
Local Resources
Official flood programs and emergency contacts for DC, Maryland, and Virginia — VDEM, MDE, DOEE, county stormwater, and alert sign-ups.
Open guide → -
Water Damage
What water damage means for DMV homes — basements, row houses, sewer backups, mold, and the steps to take after a flood.
Open guide →
Latest from the hub
- Storm Season Explainer
Reading NWS Flood Watches & Warnings
Flood watch vs warning, explained for the DMV. What each National Weather Service flood alert means, how urgent it is, and what to do when one hits DC, Maryland, or Virginia.
Read → - Resources Regional
Washington DC Flood Resources: HSEMA, DOEE & DC Water
Washington DC flood resources: HSEMA emergency management and AlertDC, the DOEE flood-risk and floodplain program, DC Water and sewer backups, floodplain permits through DLCP, and where to report flooding in the District.
DC Read → - Resources Regional
Virginia Flood Resources & Help
A directory of official Virginia flood resources — VDEM emergency management, the DCR floodplain and dam-safety program, county stormwater offices, floodplain-development permits, flood-zone maps, alert sign-ups, and where to report flooding.
VA Read → - Storm Season Explainer
Flash Flooding in the DMV: How It Happens
Flash flooding in the DMV explained — the rainfall, terrain, and pavement that turn a DC-area thunderstorm into fast-rising water within minutes.
Read → - Maps & Insurance Explainer
FEMA Flood Zones Explained (AE, A, X, VE)
FEMA flood zones explained — Zones AE, A, X, and VE in plain English, Base Flood Elevation, and which zones drive flood insurance in DC, MD, and VA.
Read → - Flood Geography Regional
Cameron Run & Huntington Flooding: A Recurring NoVA Risk
A regional guide to flooding along Cameron Run and the Huntington community in Fairfax County — why this urban watershed rises so fast, the 2006 flood that prompted a levee and pump station, the role of Holmes Run and Backlick Run, and how to check your own risk.
VA Read →
Sourced from the agencies that set the record
We summarize and link to primary sources — never claimed credentials. Verify any figure or rule directly with the issuing authority.
- FEMA
- NOAA / NWS
- USGS
- EPA
- VDEM · DCR
- MDEM · MDE
- DC HSEMA · DOEE