Commercial Stormwater Solutions Watershed Partnership Program

About the Program

Category: County Resiliency (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

Howard County, Maryland introduced a Watershed Protection and Restoration Fee in 2013, which included a commercial reimbursement and credit application program. However, the program was vastly underutilized and not a sufficient incentive for commercial property owners to buy into water quality improvements. Recognizing the need to utilize private property to meet water quality goals, as well as, the need for increased support from the private sector, the County formed a Commercial Stormwater Solutions Work Group in 2016. Suggestions from the Work Group formulated the Commercial Stormwater Solutions Watershed Partnership Program, providing greater incentives and outreach to commercial property owners throughout the County.Howard County kicked off the program with a pilot project that retrofit a stormwater pond utilizing telemetry, forecast-based monitoring, and modeling, known as Continuous Monitoring and Adaptive Control (CMAC). The retrofit increases the retention time for water quality treatment, prepares storage in advance of storm events, and maximizes flood control potential of a pond upstream of Historic Ellicott City’s Main Street. Working with the private property owner, Walmart, to secure a credit agreement, easement, and financial contribution, this project serves as the template for similar future work and the basis for the private property incentive program.