Flood Mitigation Projects On The Line Receive MD Funding Pledge

ELLICOTT CITY, MD — On Wednesday, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore announced that $10 million would be set aside for the Ellicott City flood mitigation projects through the Resilient Maryland Loan Fund.

The money will help support the completion of flood mitigation projects, including two major infrastructure projects designed to protect Ellicott City’s historic Main Street and surrounding neighborhoods from catastrophic flooding like the deadly events of 2016 and 2018.

The Trump administration’s Federal Emergency Management Agency recently halted $10 million in low-interest loans for the flood mitigation projects it had been supporting and will be assessing the value of disaster prevention projects like the Ellicott City Safe and Sound Plan, Patch previously reported. According to documents obtained by The Baltimore Sun, FEMA also is canceling as much as $150 million in additional funding designed to reduce flood potential and damage in some of Maryland’s most at-risk areas, including South Baltimore and the cities of Cambridge and Crisfield on the Eastern Shore.

“When heavy weather strikes in this community, we aren’t just talking about some road closures and bad traffic, but we’re talking about homes damaged, businesses destroyed and lives lost. That’s why together, we are investing in mitigation and building a state that is more safe and more sound for generations to come,” Moore said. “At a time when the federal government has cancelled grants to make communities safer and more resilient, Maryland is investing. And this funding is about making smart investments, fortifying our infrastructure, and saving lives.”

The Resilient Maryland Revolving Loan Fund offers local governments low-interest loans to finance hazard mitigation projects that reduce vulnerability to floods, severe storms, extreme heat, wildfires and other disasters. The funding will advance the North Tunnel and Maryland Avenue Culvert projects—both considered critical in carrying excess stormwater away from downtown; for reducing flood depths; and for empowering individual property owners to take additional protective measures.

“This funding will help us deliver on a promise: to honor those we lost, protect the community we love and build a safer, stronger Ellicott City,” added Howard County Executive Calvin Ball. “The support from Gov. Moore and the state of Maryland demonstrates a shared commitment to long-term solutions. Together, we’re turning tragedy into resilience and creating a model for communities across the country.”

Below are components of Ellicott City's Safe and Sound Plan.

Stormwater Retention Ponds
A total of five stormwater retention ponds are included in the safe and sound plan. These ponds are designed to gather and control the release of rainwater and runoff during intense storms.

H-7
Completed in 2022, the H-7 pond, located at the interchange of Routes 29 and 40, has the capacity to hold 4.24 million gallons of water in a heavy rain event.

Quaker Mill
Completed in 2023, the Quaker Mill Pond, located at the intersection of Rogers Avenue and Patapsco River Road, has the capacity to hold 3.3 million gallons of stormwater.

H-4
Located along Frederick Road, just west of Route 29, the H-4 pond has the capacity to hold 5.5 million gallons of water. Construction of the H-4 pond should wrap up by fall 2025. The combined stormwater capacity of the H-7, Quaker Mill and H-4 ponds will be more than 13 million gallons – roughly the equivalent of a football field filled 30 feet deep with water.

T-1
Preliminary design of the T-1 pond began in September 2024. Located just west of historic Ellicott City, T-1 will be the first such facility in the Tiber Branch Watershed. The first phase of analysis is expected to be completed in fall 2025. Once complete, the T-1 pond will have the capability to hold 22 million gallons of water, more than doubling the total stormwater retention capacity in the Historic Ellicott City watershed.

NC-3
The NC-3 pond, located southwest of historic downtown, will capture and hold stormwater on the New Cut branch of the watershed. This 20.5-million-gallon capacity facility features a large dam.
Stormwater Conveyance ProjectsThe Ellicott City Safe and Sound Plan features two key stormwater conveyance projects that reduce flood risks by facilitating the safe flow of stormwater around or through historic Ellicott City.

Maryland Avenue Culverts
The Maryland Avenue Culverts project at Lower Main Street creates a new and expanded outlet for water from the Tiber-Hudson Branch to flow into the Patapsco River. Two parallel pipes from the stream channel beneath the CSX rail line to the river will be installed. This project is in the final design phase.

Extended North Tunnel
The Extended North Tunnel Project is the single largest public works project in Howard County’s history and is the focal point of the Safe and Sound plan. The county broke ground on this project in June 2024. This mile-long, 18-foot diameter structure will stretch from the West End to the Patapsco River, protecting the town by funneling upland water flow away from Main Street directly to the river. The tunnel will have the capacity to channel water at a rate of 26,000 gallons per second.

Related:

• Ellicott City Flood Mitigation Plan Funding At Risk
• $38M New Funding Pushes Forward Ellicott City Safe And Sound Plan
• Officials Break Ground On North Tunnel Project To Alleviate Flooding In Old Ellicott City
• Construction On 3rd Stormwater Retention Pond Starts This Summer: Safe And Sound Plan
• Flood Prevention Plan's Largest Pond To Hold 5.5M Gallons Of Water: Howard County Official

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