“Of course, we would all like to have seen some infrastructure in place. Some locals are understanding, saying there’s only so much that actually could be done 22 months between extreme weather events. And so we were in the process of working on those, but no one could even think that something like this could happen in such a short time,” he said. “Unfortunately, it takes time to have those larger projects get done. Kittleman told The Associated Press that two stormwater retention ponds were being worked on, with plans to install pipes to divert water flow. This week, officials told reporters that only 30 percent of a flood mitigation project started after the 2016 disaster had been finished. It seems like there’s nowhere else for the water to go,” said Guan Yang, an electrical engineer who moved to a relatively new townhouse development above Ellicott City’s downtown two years ago.Īfter 2016′s flash flood, Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman had the county’s planning department to draft a master plan to prevent future disasters. “These hills just feed the downtown with water. Even some people living in the townhouse complexes at the top of the hill know there’s something wrong. It’s another thing when a million gallons of runoff comes racing down the hill.”ĭuring the most torrential rains, the Tiber and Hudson tributaries of the Patapsco River roar together, bursting over culverts twisting through the heart of downtown, fueled by stormwater runoff. “It’s one thing when water gradually rises when it rains. “The unbridled development is a scandal,” said Steve McKenna, who lives within walking distance of the freshly ravaged Main Street. They note that the old town’s vulnerabilities have increased as housing developments were built in hills above, removing critical protections against flooding and increasing the amount of impervious surfaces. Locals who can remember still talk about the one that deluged the town in 1972.īut the recent destructive floods are different, many locals say. There was a devastating flood in 1868 that killed at least 43 people. And maybe we’re never going to see Old Ellicott City again,” said resident Sahil Saini, standing outside a community center doubling as a shelter.įlooding is hardly new for historic Ellicott City, a onetime home to mill workers that transformed into a tourist hub known for its restaurants, antique shops and nightlife. “Who would have thought this was going to happen in two years? But it happened again.
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