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Fairfax County recommends channel, pipe and overland-relief upgrades for McLean watershed
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Summary
Fairfax County’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Services released a study-backed recommendation to reconstruct a concrete channel, replace deteriorated pipes, add structural flood mitigation and improve nine overland relief paths in the 537-acre Weaver Avenue–Dillon Avenue watershed in McLean; 15 homes are slated for targeted protections and the county will fund construction after design and permits are complete.
A presenter for Fairfax County’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Services summarized a package of stormwater improvements for the Weaver Avenue–Dillon Avenue watershed in McLean, saying the county will fund construction and solicit neighborhood feedback before moving forward.
County modeling, completed by GKY and Associates, identified downstream constrictions and VDOT-owned culverts that reduce conveyance and cause upstream ponding in the study area, which stretches west of Route 267 between Westmoreland Street and Tennyson Drive. "These models were used to identify causes of flooding and assess potential improvement options," the presenter said.
Why it matters: Flooding in the focus area has been documented to pond in roads, damage homes and present a public-safety hazard. The recommended scenario aims to reduce both the frequency and severity of future flooding and to increase community resiliency.
What the county recommends: After testing multiple configurations, county staff and GKY selected one scenario based on mitigation effectiveness, feasibility and anticipated cost. The plan includes four primary components: reconstructed concrete channel lining within the existing stormwater easement to increase conveyance; pipe improvements focused at two specific locations including a deteriorated pipe on Dillon Avenue between 6819 and 6817; structural flood-mitigation measures to protect vulnerable structures; and upgrades to nine overland relief paths to provide more favorable, walkable drainage routes that blend into the surroundings.
The presenter said, "The recommended improvements will relieve vulnerable parts of the network where possible and protect individual structures as needed." County staff also recommended site-level measures for 15 homes, which may include window wells, elevated entryways and flood walls.
Construction impacts and limits: The county cautioned that construction would involve several months of noise, tree removals and road closures, and that feasibility depends on permitting, easements and applicable standards in the county’s public facilities manual and code of ordinances. Some work would occur in the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) right-of-way, the presenter noted.
Next steps: The project will be funded by the county and "will take several months to complete construction once the design and permitting phases are complete," the presenter said. County staff will continue to refine designs with community and agency stakeholders and are asking residents to provide feedback before the county determines how to proceed.
The county encouraged members of the public to share comments using the contact information provided in the video; no formal votes or board actions were recorded in the presentation video.
