U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

General Information Product 156

April 2014

Coastal Storm Monitoring in Virginia

Printed on recycled paper

Coastal communities in Virginia are prone to 

flooding, particularly during hurricanes, nor’easters, 

and other coastal low-pressure systems. These 

weather systems affect public safety, personal 

and public property, and valuable infrastructure, 

such as transportation, water and sewer, and 

electric-supply networks.

Local emergency managers, utility operators, and 

the public are tasked with making difficult decisions 

regarding evacuations, road closures, and post-storm 

recovery efforts as a result of coastal flooding. In 

coastal Virginia these decisions often are made on 

the basis of anecdotal knowledge from past events 

or predictions based on data from monitoring sites 

located far away from the affected 

area that may not reflect local 

conditions.

Preventing flood 

hazards, such as 

hurricane-induced storm 

surge, from becoming 

human disasters requires 

an understanding of the 

relative risks that flooding 

poses to specific communities.

The risk to life and property can be very high if 

decisions about evacuations and road closures are 

made too late or not at all.

What if there was more information available to help 

with these tough decisions?

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

(NOAA) currently operate a network of 15 continuous water-level monitors in coastal Virginia. The 

data from these monitors are publicly available in 

near-real time and are used to predict the timing and 

magnitude of flooding at those locations. 

The current monitoring network primarily is 

located in Chesapeake Bay or far inland, and as 

a result many other areas do not have the benefit 

of water-level and flooding information near their 

location. Monitoring stations as near as possible 

to areas of concern provide the best information on 

current conditions and provide the best predictions 

for storm responses. Further, larger-scale regional 

predictions can be improved through addition of 

monitoring stations to the overall network, providing 

added benefit for communities throughout coastal 
Helpful Links:

USGS Water Resources: http://www.usgs.gov/water/

USGS Virginia Water Science Center: http://va.water.usgs.gov/

USGS Flood Information: http://water.usgs.gov/floods/current/

USGS Water Data Discovery: http://water.usgs.gov/data/

National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service: http://water.weather.gov/ahps/

For more information, contact:

Shaun Wicklein, USGS Virginia Water Science Center, smwickle@usgs.gov; 804–261–2605

Mark Bennett, USGS Virginia Water Science Center, mrbennet@usgs.gov; 804–261–2643

USGS 0165258890 POTOMAC RIVER AT CAMERON ST DOCK AT ALEXANDRIA, VA

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Estuary or ocean water surface

elevation above NAVD 1988, in feet

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ISSN 2332-3531 (print)

ISSN 2332-354X (online)

http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/gip156

Virginia. In addition to monitoring water levels, 

these stations may also be equipped with rainfall and 

other meteorological sensors to assist in predictions 

and decision making during flood events. The 

USGS has expertise and resources to assist localities 

with more accurate and relevant information about 

local conditions. This assistance can be achieved 

through cooperative efforts to expand current 

monitoring activities.

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Miles

Map showing locations of active real-time USGS and 

NOAA water-level monitors in Virginia.