Staff narrows waterfront flood mitigation to single pump‑station plan; Prince Street site is technically preferred but remains pre‑decisional

Alexandria staff on Jan. 28 recommended advancing a single‑pump‑station design and identified a Prince Street location as the "technically preferred" option for waterfront flood mitigation, but emphasized the recommendation remains pre‑decisional pending federal approvals and community feedback.

Division Chief Matt Landis, portfolio manager in the Capital Projects Division, outlined why the city must pair shoreline elevation improvements with a pump station: building a continuous shoreline protection (a bulkhead or raised promenade) without a pump would create a low‑lying "bathtub" that must be actively drained after storm events, he said (s:10897.735–s:10928.2295). "If we begin that operation and raise that shoreline elevation we create a bathtub that we have to find a way to drain," Landis said, explaining the technical need for pumping capacity and associated sewer upgrades.

Why it matters: Waterfront flooding in Alexandria happens from three sources—river overtopping, river backflow into sewer outfalls and intense stormwater events—and each requires different engineering responses. Staff said a single pump station tied to upgraded storm sewers will remove dependence on tide‑driven gravity outfalls…