Category: Flood

Post-rain flooding in the Calvert Hill neighborhood. Photo credit: Councilmember John Rigg

Several neighborhoods in College Park have been experiencing major flooding incidents following rain events. There is a very strong desire to understand and address stormwater concerns throughout the City. Residents are also advised to look into the services of a waterproofing contractor to help protect their homes from water damage.

Recent severe rain events in the Calvert Hills neighborhood have necessitated that Prince George’s County Department of the Environment (DOE) undertake a major stormwater improvements project along the Guilford Run Watershed.

Residents in other neighborhoods in College Park, such as Daniels Park, Cherry Hill, and College Park Woods areas, have also complained about post-rain flooding in those neighborhoods.

Rain-related flooding at a house in north College Park

There have been many other nuisance complaints from our residents where stormwater runoff on properties and in the streets is swifter and is taking longer to recede.

Many of these flooding events have caused sewage backflows with damages to the properties. Aging WSSC stormwater mains are causing the situation worse.

The causes of these floodings could vary. Lack of efficient stormwater management is generally blamed, but there could be other reasons. The flooding in Calvert Hills and Old Town neighborhoods is thought to be caused by stormwater coming from the University area through Guilford Run under Route 1. Some stormwater outlets were also closed when Metro train tracks were developed contributing to these floodings.

Flooding in Calvert Hills. The photo was from Sept 2020 about 45 mins after the height of the flooding. The water had already significantly receded. Photo Credit: Councilmember Stuart Adams

For these reasons, the City Council has asked staff to prepare a scope of work for a City-Wide Storm Water Drainage study.

At tomorrow’s meeting, the City Council will discuss an RFP seeking proposals from professional and qualified stormwater engineering firms to perform a comprehensive stormwater drainage study using the EPA Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) application on its 12 sub-watersheds within the Anacostia River Watershed.

It is estimated that such a task may cost $600,000.

[City of College Park]

If you experienced any flood damage to your property, from the torrential downpour of rain last week, please use the assessment tool at bit.ly/PGCFloodDamage or call the Prince George’s County Office of Emergency Management at 301-324-4350

County’s Office of Emergency Management has developed this online damage assessment tool for residents to submit their information.

For more information on:

• Individual Assistance (https://www.fema.gov/individual-disaster-assistance)
• Public Assistance (https://www.fema.gov/assistance/public)
• SBA (https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance)

Car on Paint Branch Pkwy near the bridge (Source, Prince George’s Co Fire Dept)

I am at the Maryland Municipal League conference, where we learned that a flash flood has hit some part of downtown College Park. It appears that north College Park has not experienced severe flooding.

According tithe Washington Post, the flood submerged busy traffic corridors and trapped some motorists, according to the National Weather Service and local emergency officials.

The weather service has issued a flash flood warning in central Prince George’s County and in Washington. A flash flood watch was issued for much of central Maryland, including the Baltimore region, though late Tuesday night.

Police in Washington reported high standing water along Route 295, while the Prince George’s County Fire Department reported flooding in Berwyn Heights and College Park.

Mark Brady, a spokesman for the department, posted on Twitter that the hardest hit area was the 8900 block of 59th Avenue in Berwyn Heights, where homes and roads were flooded.

Brady posted an image on Twitter of two vehicles stuck in high water on Paint Branch Parkway in College Park, and reported a fallen tree on top of another vehicle on Central Avenue in Largo. Others posted images of high water on Route 295.

The College Park Fire Department reported conducting “numerous water rescues,” also via Twitter.

No injuries had been reported as of 11:30 a.m.

The county fire department set up an area command unit in College Park to organize its response to the flooding and calls for assistance from motorists.

Traffic was slowed on many area roadways as the intense rain moved through the area. Brady reported the rains had stopped for the time being about 11 a.m., and that the water was receding.