About

About FloodWise

The problem

Residents can struggle to identify practical next steps when flooding or drainage issues arise.

Community served

Homeowners and renters in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, Virginia.

Our approach

Free, plain-language guidance connecting common situations with safety information and official resources.

Why it helps

You don't need to understand city departments or contractor categories before getting started.

Sustainability

An open-source, low-cost static web app. Resource links and rules can be updated as community needs change.

How it decides

Clear, fixed rules — not AI. The same answers always give the same, reviewable safety guidance, at no cost and with no data leaving your browser.

How we'd measure impact in a future pilot

These are planned measures. No results have been collected yet.

• Share of test users who complete an assessment.
• Share who correctly identify an appropriate next action afterward.
• Improvement in confidence about whom to contact.
• Time needed to get an action plan.
• Accessibility and mobile usability feedback.

FloodWise is independent. It is not a government service, emergency service, flood forecast, or contractor directory, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by either city.