‘Ellicott City is worth it’: Officials, business owners break ground for third flood relief pond

Construction is beginning on the next phase of Ellicott City’s Safe and Sound flood mitigation plan — a 5.5 million gallon flood retention pond, which is the third and largest pond to be constructed since the plan started in 2018.

Howard County Executive Calvin Ball was flanked by state and local officials as they ceremonially broke ground Tuesday on the H-4 Pond along the north side of Frederick Road, west of Route 29. When completed in fall 2025, the new pond will have the capacity to hold 5.5 million gallons of stormwater, which could otherwise flow directly into the Tiber-Hudson River and down to Main Street in historic Ellicott City.

The $3.96 million H-4 Pond includes $2.64 million from the Maryland Department of the Environment’s comprehensive flood management grant and another $1.32 million from the county.

The Safe and Sound plan, unveiled in September 2018, is the county’s response to heavy rains in 2011, 2016 and 2018, that caused major flooding in Ellicott City’s historic district, killing three people and leaving behind massive destruction.

How Ellicott City flooded: A timeline

“Following the recent devastating floods of 2011, 2016 and 2018, my team resolved to tackle a persistent stormwater threat, to take bold action to preserve and protect historic Ellicott City for future generations,” Ball said during the ceremony.

The Safe and Sound plan is estimated to cost between $113 million and $140 million. Thus far, two water detention ponds have been completed. The H-7 pond was completed in October 2022 on state land at the intersection of Route 29 and Route 40 in Ellicott City. It has the capacity to hold more than 4.2 million gallons of water, restricting the flow of water away from town. The Quaker Mill pond was completed in February along Rogers Avenue. It has the capacity to hold more than 3.3 million gallons of water during storm events.

“When complete, all three ponds combined, H-7, H-4 and Quaker Mill, will have 13 million gallons of capacity equivalent to a football field filled with water that is 30 feet deep…As H-4 Pond progresses so do the remaining components of the Safe and Sound Plan.”

Two additional ponds are in the design or permitting stages. The NC-3 pond to be located on the New Cut branch and hold more than 20 million gallons of water, is in the final design and permitting stage, with a construction date to be determined. The T-1 pond will be located on the Tiber tributary and hold more than 22 million gallons of stormwater.

On June 24, the county will break ground on the Extended North Tunnel, a water conveyance project designed to carry floodwaters from the West End of Ellicott City through an 18-foot diameter, underground tunnel to the Patapsco River. The county says this project will reduce the risk of flash flooding by intercepting water from the western portions of town and diverting it underground and away from Main Street.

“Together we will ensure that this town remains a vibrant place for the next generation, and becomes a national model for flood mitigation,” Ball said.

State and local officials, along with small business owners in historic Ellicott City, voiced their support for the H-4 pond project Tuesday.

“Ellicott City, we’ve come a long way,” Serena McIIwain, secretary of the Maryland Department of the Environment, said during a speech at the Tuesday ceremony. “I’m really pleased to be here as part of this groundbreaking, which is just another step forward from a series of disasters that we’re determined hopefully never to witness again.”

McIIwain thanked Ball for his leadership in the project.

“Years ago we captured the attention of the entire world, as floodwaters put a lot of lives and businesses at risk, and the beloved downtown area,” she said. “But the city never gave up, and again under our county executive’s leadership we just continued to rebuild and make this city beautiful and resilient … This is no ordinary pond. This pond will have the capacity to retain roughly 5 million gallons of stormwater, which would have otherwise flowed directly into the river or down Main Street. So, this is a big deal.”

Yosef Kebede, director of the county’s Department of Public Works, said implementing the plan is a challenge.

“The H-4 project is an important part of the Ellicott City Safe and Sound program and a great example of investing in floodwater mitigation that is crucial to safeguarding our communities against the impacts of climate change,” Kebede stated in a county news release.

State Sen. Clarence Lam, chairman of the Howard County delegation to the Maryland General Assembly, praised the local, state and federal partnerships that have worked to protect Ellicott City.

“Ellicott City is an important historic and economic resource for Howard County and the State of Maryland, and I am pleased to see the next step of the Ellicott City Safe and Sound Plan move forward,” Lam said. “As the senate chair of the Howard County delegation, my legislative colleagues and I have consistently supported this plan, including helping to secure over $2.5 million of critical state funds for this H-4 stormwater retention pond project.”

Downtown business owners also offered praise.

“Starting my business in historic Ellicott City after two floods and a pandemic was a risk,” said Alli Krist, owner of Backwater Books. “However, I was confident county leaders would recognize the importance of this community and invest in sustainable solutions to keep it thriving.”

Julia Sanger, president of the nonprofit Ellicott City Partnership, said in an interview that she opened her store, Park Ridge Trading Company, three weeks before the 2016 flood. The devastating flood destroyed everything in her business. She rebuilt, only to lose everything a second time in the 2018 flood.

“We implemented a heavy praying strategy to get through,” she said. “We prayed that things would work out.”

Sanger said despite twice losing everything in her gourmet olive oil shop, she remains in business today.

“Ellicott City is worth it,” she said.