Floodplain Management, Soil Characteristics, and Land Use in Shenandoah, Page County, VA
Floodplains are landscape features that absorb rainfall, recharge groundwater, and reduce downstream flooding. The 1% Annual Chance Floodplain (formerly the “100-Year Floodplain”) is federally recognized as an area with significant flood hazard where development should be limited or avoided. Unregulated construction in these zones can disrupt natural drainage patterns, increase stormwater runoff, and elevate flood risk (FEMA, 2024).
To reduce damage and maintain ecosystem function, a riparian buffer zone of at least 50 feet is recommended along streams and rivers (Shenandoah County Natural Resources, 2023). Development is typically prohibited within these designated floodways, while low impact uses like agriculture and recreation are generally permitted.
This analysis focuses on a smaller section of the Shenandoah watershed, the Town of Shenandoah in Page County, Virginia, located between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah Valley, with elevations ranging from approximately 417 to 4,000 feet above sea level (USGS Elevation Data).
FEMA Floodplain Mapping
Figure 1. FEMA Floodplain Map of the Town of Shenandoah, Page County, VA
The FEMA Flood Map indicates that most of the Town of Shenandoah lies outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA). However, several structures and infrastructure near the South Fork Shenandoah River fall within the Zone AE floodplain, exposing them to periodic flooding. These include riverside homes, farm buildings, roads, bridges, and railroad tracks.
Most of the surrounding land is used for agriculture, which is an appropriate use of the land near floodplain zones because it allows the floodwaters to spread with minimal long term damage. Nearby towns such as Front Royal (figure 2) face similar floodplain constraints, where dense urban development increases the vulnerability of flooding, even when they’re situated just outside the mapped SFHA’s (FEMA Flood Map, 2024).
Figure 2. FEMA Floodplain Map of Front Royal, VA
Floodplain management includes restrictions on new construction within the floodways and have incentives including property elevation or floodproofing (Virginia DCR Floodplain Management, 2025). Despite these regulations, continued population growth near the river poses ongoing risks, especially with projected climate change that can increase river levels.
Alluvial and Local Soil Characteristics
Alluvial soils are formed through the deposition of sediment carried by rivers and streams. These soils are typically nutrient-rich, deep, and support both natural vegetation and agriculture (Soil Science Society of America, 2020).
Within the Town of Shenandoah, however, the USDA Web Soil Survey identifies areas dominated by Weikert–Berks channery silt loams (50D), characterized by 15–35% slopes. This refers to mountainous terrain with thin soils developed on slopes ranging within a 15% to 35% incline. These soils are shallow, rocky, and well-drained, with limited water-holding capacity. They are not ideal for farmland and are more suited for forested or low density residential use due to erosion risks and low fertility (USDA NRCS Soil Survey, 2025).
Just outside of the Town of Shenandoah, in Page County, where agriculture fields are abundant, the soil is different. The soil type is Monongahela loam with 2–7% slopes, a deep, moderately well drained silt loam derived from sedimentary rock. This soil type is nutrient-rich and ideal for crops and pasture, making it highly suitable for agriculture (USDA Web Soil Survey, 2025). These flatter, alluvial areas lie just beyond the primary floodplain, meaning they benefit from periodic nutrient deposition without facing extreme flood hazard.
Combining the FEMA floodplain data and the USDA soil surveys indicates that current land use in the Shenandoah watershed is generally appropriate for local soil conditions. Agriculture occupies the fertile Monongahela loam lowlands, while residential and forested areas are found on the steeper, rockier Weikert–Berks soils. Currently, the floodways remain largely undeveloped or used for agriculture, aligning with mitigation best practices. Strengthening riparian buffers, enforcing floodplain zoning, and improving stormwater management will be essential to sustain agricultural productivity and community resilience as climate change persist and water levels shift (Shenandoah County, 2023).
References
Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2024). Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) for Page County, Virginia (Panel 51139C0189C). FEMA Flood Map Service Center. https://msc.fema.gov/
Shenandoah County. (2023). Natural resources chapter of the comprehensive plan. Shenandoah County, Virginia. https://shenandoahcountyva.us/
Soil Science Society of America. (2020). What are alluvial soils? Unique soils provide many beneficial values to society.https://www.soils.org/news/media-releases/releases/2020/0217/1157
United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. (2025). Soil survey of Page County, Virginia. U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/
United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. (2025). Web Soil Survey: Soil data for Page County, Virginia. U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/
United States Geological Survey. (2025). Elevation data for Page County, Virginia. U.S. Department of the Interior. https://www.usgs.gov/
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. (2025). Floodplain management regulations. Commonwealth of Virginia. https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. (2025). Virginia Flood Risk Information System (VFRIS).Commonwealth of Virginia. https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/vfris
