Partnerships & Collaboration

Subsidence Monitoring

The HRPDC is coordinating with the U.S. Geological Survey to monitor the rate of subsidence, or sinking land, in the Hampton Roads region. By installing a network of survey benchmarks, the rate of vertical land movement can be tracked over time. More information on this project is available on the project website 

The HRPDC and USGS previously collaborated on a report, Land Subsidence and Relative Sea-Level Rise in the Southern Chespeake Bay Region, which summarized the state of the science on land subsidence in Hampton Roads, including: 

  • What causes land subsidence? How is land subsidence measured? 
  • What are the observed rates of land subsidence in Hampton Roads? 
  • What are the management implications of land subsidence?

Resiliency Meetings and Working Groups

  • Virginia Flood Resilience Planning - The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation coordinates the Virginia Flood Protection Master Plan and the Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan. These efforts include participation from federal and state agencies, planning district commissions, local governments academic institutions, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders. Information on these efforst is available on DCR's website.
  • Hampton Roads Adaptation Forum - The HRPDC collaborates with Virginia Sea Grant and Old Dominion University to organize the quarterly Hampton Roads Adaptation Forum. The Forum provides an opportunity for government, private sector, non-profit, and academic professionals to discuss research and collaborative approaches to flooding and sea level rise adaptation. Presentations from previous Forums are available on the Forum website, as well as information regarding the next meeting.
  • Chesapeake Bay Program's Climate Resiliency Workgroup - HRPDC staff participates in the Workgroup, which is composed of federal and state government partners from all 6 of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed states. The Workgroup focuses on achieving the following outcomes:
    • Monitor and assess climate change impacts to the Chesapeake Bay
    • Provide guidance for integrating climate change considerations into planning and restoration activities within the Chesapeake Bay watershed
  • Coastal Virginia Community Rating System (CRS) Workgroup - Wetlands Watch leads the Workgroup, where local government participants discuss the CRS Program, develop work products, and promote education of strong floodplain management programs. Hampton Roads communities that participate in the CRS are provided in the map below. The Workgroup meets every other month in Newport News.

Map Showing Community Rating System Scores as of April 1, 2023

The HRPDC is coordinating with the U.S. Geological Survey to monitor the rate of subsidence, or sinking land, in the Hampton Roads region. By installing a network of survey benchmarks, the rate of vertical land movement can be tracked over time. More information on this project is available on the project website (link to https://www.usgs.gov/centers/virginia-and-west-virginia-water-science-center/science/hampton-roads-benchmark-monitoring). The HRPDC and USGS previously collaborated on a report, Land Subsidence and Relative Sea-Level Rise in the Southern Chespeake Bay Region, which summarized the state of the science on land subsidence in Hampton Roads, including (bullet points): What causes land subsidence? How is land subsidence measured? What are the observed rates of land subsidence in Hampton Roads? What are the management implications of land subsidence?