Program Overview & Contact Information

We are not currently accepting new easement applications because of lack of staffing. We apologize for this temporary inconvenience, but please check back later.

Accomack County strives to maintain the proper drainage of certain outfall ditches and streams within the County that are not the responsibility of another federal, state, or private entity.

 The County does not provide a ditch cleaning service to individual property owners, but maintains those drainage ways that serve the community as a whole.  This typically involves ditches that drain from communities, towns or roadways to a point where they end up merging with creeks or bays. Maintenance is only performed on open ditch sections.  Private pipe and culvert maintenance and repairs are the responsibility of the land owner.

 Individual or regional permits from State or Federal agencies are obtained for most projects.

 No work is done in tidally influenced sections of a particular ditch. The County is not capable of working in this environmentally sensitive area and is not in a position to obtain the required permits.  Work in tidally influenced areas seldom results in a valuable benefit because of the reoccurrence of flooding during the tide cycles.

 When the County receives a call about a drainage problem, a right-of-entry is requested to walk the ditch and evaluate the situation. The County contacts other agencies, if they also need to be alerted to the situation.

 Ditch maintenance work is coordinated with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to make sure that all efforts are aligned with VDOT’s priorities and plans for maintenance.  VDOT handles all of the roadside ditches, pipes and culverts within their Right-of-Way. Where possible, the County synchronizes plans to complete work in the same area at the same time.

 On behalf of the citizens of Accomack County, the Ditch Maintenance Division thanks you for granting an easement and joining the ditch maintenance program. 

 For more information, or to report a drainage problem in your area, please review the listed web pages, or contact the Department of Environmental Programs at 757-787-5728 or by email at ditches@co.accomack.va.us.

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