The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, last Friday started with the clearing of the Ellicott City waterways in order to reduce the risk of imminent flooding to the city.
The Corps, in partnership with the Maryland Emergency Management Agency, will remove and stabilize blockages located at Hamilton St. and the Patapsco River where Frederick Road meets Main St.
Corps officials spent several days last week providing technical assistance to analyze damages and determine ways to remove flood debris that have blocked waterways in Ellicott City by more than 80 percent. These damages and debris are a result of the flash flood disaster that affected the historic town on July 30.
Debris consists of displaced rip rap measuring larger than 3.5 feet and chunks of collapsed retaining walls two to three times as large. This amount of drainage obstruction places the city at further risk for massive flooding with even a half-inch of new rainfall.
Local and state government agencies remain fully engaged in infrastructure stabilization and clearing of debris in other areas of the city.