PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced it's canceling funding for its Building Resilient Infrastructure Communities (BRIC) program. That impacts a major project to repair and enhance Portsmouth's Lake Meade Dam.
Seventy-four percent of Portsmouth's drinking water comes from Lake Meade and Lake Cahoon. Lake Meade helps supply water to 36,000 households and businesses in Portsmouth as well as in Suffolk, Chesapeake, Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth Naval Medical Center and several other facilities. The dam, which is located in Suffolk but owned by Portsmouth, is considered a high-hazard dam by Portsmouth city engineers due to potential for downstream losses. Engineers inspect the dam every other year, and recent studies by the city and the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) show it is in need of significant repairs.
Engineers found infrastructure challenges related to the spillway capacity and foundation strength. They suggest in an extreme, rare storm event, there is not enough spillway capacity to prevent flooding in downstream communities and they have concerns an extreme, rare storm could cause the dam to fail.
That's why Portsmouth was hoping a $24.2 million grant through FEMA's BRIC program would help make repairs happen and improve flood protection. The city said it had been actively engaged in negotiating the grant agreement since it was originally awarded several years ago.
"The rehabilitation project at Lake Meade will not only bring the dam up to current regulatory standards but will also significantly enhance the safety and reliability of our water supply system," the city noted in a statement, sent to News 3 by Portsmouth mayor Shannon Glover.
When FEMA announced this month that the funding to BRIC programs would be cut, the city was forced to pivot.
"Given the significance of this infrastructure and the sudden change in the status of our grant, we are actively exploring alternate funding sources in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM)," the statement read.
While the city doesn't have a funding plan just yet, city leaders said they will continue to work to safeguard the essential services the community relies on.
U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA-03) and Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04) wrote to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem to urge the department to reverse its decision to cancel the funding. You can read their press release and letter here.
You can find the City of Portsmouth's full response below.
Thank you for your inquiry regarding the federal Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant, originally awarded in 2023. I would like to clarify that the City of Portsmouth has been actively engaged in negotiating the grant agreement from the outset. Our experience indicates that the typical time frame for finalizing a federal grant agreement ranges from 18 to 24 months. Consequently, we are fully compliant with all prescribed deadlines and processes, and there has been no failure or omission on the part of the City.
In response to regulatory changes, the city, working in close coordination with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), initiated comprehensive engineering studies. These studies revealed the need for significant repairs to the Lake Meade dam, which is critical given its role in our regional water supply. Specifically, the infrastructure challenges include an inadequate spillway capacity and insufficient foundation strength to withstand extreme storm events. The intended funding from the grant was aimed at financing measures to:When completed, the rehabilitation project at Lake Meade will not only bring the dam up to current regulatory standards but will also significantly enhance the safety and reliability of our water supply system.
- Increase the foundation strength to support the Specific Design Flood (SDF) hydraulic loading.
- Protect the dam abutments from erosion.
- Prevent the reservoir from discharging into the adjacent residential area through spillway improvements.
It is also critical to understand that Lake Cahoon and Lake Meade collectively account for 74% of our water supply. This supply services over 36,000 residential and commercial accounts, including essential operations of the City of Suffolk, the City of Chesapeake, and strategic installations such as the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth Naval Medical Center, and various military and federal facilities, including the Portsmouth Marine Terminal and Craney Island Fuel Terminal. The water resource is indispensable for our local residents, supports military readiness and national defense, and is a cornerstone for economic activity in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Given the significance of this infrastructure and the sudden change in the status of our grant, we are actively exploring alternate funding sources in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM). This approach is designed to ensure that our critical water supply infrastructure receives the necessary upgrades, regardless of the outcome of the current federal grant process.
We appreciate your understanding and ongoing support as we continue to work diligently in safeguarding the essential services that our community relies upon.
