Howard County Continues Watershed Protection Program with Pebble Beach Drive Pond Improvements

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Howard County Government
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October 6, 2014

Howard County Continues Watershed Protection Program with Pebble Beach Drive Pond Improvements

 

ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Ken Ulman announced today that the County’s Watershed Protection and Restoration Program is continuing with a project to retrofit a detention pond on Turf Valley Road near Pebble Beach Drive in Ellicott City. The existing detention pond will be converted to a detention pond with a shallow wetland bottom, which will capture storm water runoff from portions of the Turf Valley Overlook subdivision. This adjustment will also provide water quality treatment to storm water runoff before it reaches the Little Patuxent River. The project is expected to begin on or about Monday, October 20. 

 

“Projects like this continue our effort to protect the Chesapeake Bay, by minimizing the impact stormwater pollution has on this important estuary,” said County Executive Ken Ulman. “With many more projects to come in the near future, we want our residents to see the value of their investments.”

 

Howard County is a leader in responsible stormwater management. Last year, the Howard County Council approved a Watershed Protection and Restoration Plan that is expected to collect $9.5 million yearly for improvement projects. Previously, County Executive Ulman had committed $22 million over the past two years for such projects.

 

The money will be used for stream restorations, pond retrofits, bioretention areas, asphalt reduction and other projects, in order to meet a federally required target of making sure that 20 percent of Howard County’s untreated impervious surface is being treated by 2019.  

 

In addition to the County’s Watershed Protection and Restoration Program, the project is also receiving funding through a Chesapeake Bay Trust Fund grant and bond money from Capital Project D-1160. The Pebble Beach Drive project is expected to cost $274,084.73.

 

Pollutants and chemicals washed by rainwater from impervious surfaces into streams and rivers is a major source of local stream and Chesapeake Bay degradation.

 

Weather permitting, the project is expected to be completed by early May 2015.The project is not expected to impact traffic flow or parking; however, the nearby sidewalk will be closed. 

 

For questions or concerns about Capital Project D-1159, contact Lisa Brightwell, Public Works Customer Service, at 410-313-3440, or by e-mail to

publicworks@howardcountymd.gov.

 

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