![]() Several conclusions can be made regarding the question of flooding vulnerability in Howard County. These include the Little Patuxent River, the Middle Patuxent River, Cattail Creek, Deep Run, Dorsey Run, Bonnie Branch, Plumtree Branch, Guilford Branch, Hammond Branch, Clyde’s Branch, Tiber-Hudson Branch, and many others (Figure 1.2). In Howard County, the flood origins consist of riverine flooding from the tributaries of the Patuxent River bordering Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties to the southwest and the Patapsco River bordering Carroll and Baltimore County to the north and northeast, as well as many streams and rivers in between. Howard County Flood Mitigation Plan, Department of Public Works (Sept. Many businesses simply did not attempt to reopen. This disaster was so complete that the financial damage could not be estimated in some instances due to the total removal of all traces of property. Howard County became what was called a “veritable island” as bridges were washed away on the Patapsco and Patuxent Rivers. ( The Patapsco River crested at 14.5 ft with a flood volume of 80,600 cubic feet per second.) Several commercial enterprises including trucking firms, paper producers, chemical plants, and others were completely washed away along the Patapsco River. Extensive personal and government property damage occurred as well as the complete flooding of Elkridge and Ellicott City, which had to be evacuated in the middle of the night by boat. Massive flooding caused at least 3 deaths and bodies were still being found days later. Tropical storm Agnes struck the area with nine inches of rain causing flash floods all over the county. Tropical Storm Agnes, June 21 – 23, 1972 Flooded Main Street Ellicott City from Agnes (Photo by Mike Hartley) to 9 p.m., according to the weather service.īased on records for a gauge five miles away in Woodstock, there is a less than 0.1 percent chance of such intense rainfall happening in any given year, Elliott said - making this a once-in-1,000-years storm. The Patapsco River rose 14 feet from about 7:20 p.m. The massive burst of precipitation sent a wave of floodwaters cascading down the hillsides in the historic downtown where it turned into a wall of water smashing down Main Street, sweeping cars downhill, sending restaurant-goers scurrying for higher ground and carving away the road and sidewalks, leaving behind massive sinkholes. to 8:30 p.m., according to a Howard County rain gauge. More than 4.5 inches fell within one hour, from 7:30 p.m. Six and a half inches of rain dumped on Ellicott City in about two hours Saturday night, a deluge expected to occur only once every thousand years. This causes water levels to rise, and rise, and rise.Flooding can cause billions in damaged and can be cause by numerous things such as hurricanes or unusual rainy periods and have unfortunately caused deaths in Ellicott City.Įllicott City gets rainfall expected only once every millennium Ellicott City July 30 (Photo by Josh Zimmerman)īy Scott Dance ( The Baltimore Sun) – July 31, 2016 It then backs up like how a dam backs up water. Water rushed from all directions until the larger Patapsco River can’t handle the volume. The valley and large water confluence causes the natural watershed to be turned into a river itself. The Patapsco can carry larger amounts of water than the Tiber River can, adding to the quickness of the flooding downtown. The Tiber River is tiny compared to the Patapsco River. Tiber River watershed, adapted from Google Maps This makes water from almost all directions converge in the valley to the Tiber River before being emptied in the Patapsco. Another issue is that Ellicott City sits in a shallow valley, with many of the expanding buildings and homes having to be build literally over the Tiber river. So what makes it so prone?įirst of all, Ellicott City sits at the confluence of the Tiber and Patapsco Rivers. There has been at least four different major floods in recorded history in Downtown Ellicott City. Lower Ellicott City had been prone to flooding since it was founded. As we consider next steps, let’s step back and get a better understanding of the big picture. Significant work has already been done to understand the challenges and identify the work to be done. Short-term planning needs to consider long-term requirements for improved flood mitigation. Īs we mourn the deaths of two people, the torment inflicted on residents and businesses, and the loss we feel as a community from the July 30th flood, planning has begun for the city’s restoration.Įllicott City has a long history of flooding, and each time has recovered better than before.
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