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Maryland Department of the Environment

Board of Public Works approves funding for Ellicott City climate resiliency and the Chesapeake Bay

Board of Public Works approves funding for Ellicott City climate resiliency and the Chesapeake Bay


Grant will help protect Ellicott City from flooding


BALTIMORE (June 2, 2021) – The Maryland Board of Public Works approved a $2.4 million grant today to better control stormwater runoff and help protect Ellicott City from flooding. The board is composed of Governor Larry Hogan, Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp and Comptroller Peter Franchot. Lt. Governor Boyd K. Rutherford chaired today’s meeting.

“This investment represents a big step in helping to keep downtown Ellicott City from experiencing the catastrophic flooding it has seen in recent years,” said Maryland Environment Secretary Ben Grumbles. “With climate change bringing wilder and wetter weather, it is more important than ever to support water infrastructure improvements to make Ellicott City and other Maryland communities safer and more resilient.”


The following project was approved today:


Ellicott City H7 (Hudson Branch No. 7) Mitigation Pond project – Howard County

A $2,446,309 Comprehensive Flood Management Grant to Howard County will help fund the construction of a stormwater detention basin to provide flood protection for downtown Ellicott City. The new dry pond at the cloverleaf area at the intersection of U.S. routes 40 and 29 will reduce the flows to the Hudson Branch, which passes through downtown Ellicott City. This project is consistent with Maryland’s climate change adaptation and resiliency objectives through the reduction of runoff that is exacerbated by increased precipitation or flooding events.

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