Howard County flood mitigation projects get support from Maryland loan fund
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore announced support for flood mitigation projects in Howard County through a state loan fund Wednesday.
$10 million from the Maryland Department of Emergency Management's Resilient Revolving Loan Fund will be used to fund two projects under Howard County's Ellicott City Safe and Sound Plan.
The funds were already factored in, but Wednesday's announcement confirmed the funds would be coming. The announcement comes as federal funding for some Safe and Sound projects is now in limbo.
Flood mitigation in Howard County
Parts of Howard County experienced deadly flooding in 2011, 2016, and 2018, prompting an aggressive effort to prevent similar events in the future.
After eight inches of rain turned Ellicott City streets into rivers and damaged more than 70 businesses, the county launched the Safe and Sound Plan to address flooding issues with retention ponds in four areas.
There are a total of seven projects under the Safe and Sound Plan. So far, two of four retention ponds have been built, and a third is expected to be done by fall 2025, according to county officials.
$5 million of the Resilient Revolving Loan Fund will go toward the North Tunnel project, which is under construction and expected to be finished by fall 2027. Once done, the tunnel will be able to collect and carry around 26,000 gallons of stormwater per second.
The remaining $5 million is going toward the culverts project set for Maryland Avenue, right next to Tiber Park. The goal for this project, which is in its final design phase, will be to direct water away from Main Street.
Gov. Wes Moore said this funding not only helps people but also helps the state save on potential recovery efforts.
"At a time when our federal government has cancelled grants to make communities safer and more resilient, Maryland is choosing to show a different way. We're actually choosing to invest in our communities," Gov. Moore said.
The plan also dictates that debris be removed from waterways after weather events that bring two or more inches of rain within 24 hours or after strong winds. Before the plan was enacted, the waterways were inspected on a quarterly or semi-quarterly basis.
Between 2018 and March 2025, Howard County's Department of Public Works removed more than 100,000 pounds of debris.
In Old Ellicott City, several flood safety measures have also been implemented, like signage pointing to high-ground access and a tone alert system.
Julia Sanger, an Old Ellicott City business owner and president of the Ellicott City Partnership, said the devastation from the 2016 and 2018 floods is still fresh in her mind.
"I still have moments of thinking back to what this [area] was [like]," Sanger said.
Federal funding cuts spark concerns
Howard County Executive Calvin Ball revealed Wednesday that some federal funding could be withheld.
Three of the seven Safe and Sound Plan projects are still in the design phase. But, for two of them — the NC-3 Pond and T-1 Pond — FEMA funds are under review again.
That means there's a chance the funds won't materialize for the projects.
"We remain hopeful that investing in our town, investing in lives and safety, is something the federal government can stand with the states and us on," Ball said.
The Safe and Sound Plan costs about $250 million, and a third of that is supported by federal funds, according to Ball.
The county's flood mitigation plan is supported in part by a $75 million WIFIA loan from the Environmental Protection Agency and $20 million in funding from FEMA.
Sanger is concerned, too. She wants to see the progress made since the 2018 flood go further.
"We've got farmers' markets going on Saturdays now [at Tiber Park]. Every time I drive by, there are people down here, and it's just nice to see," Sanger said.
