Flood Control Program

Endangered Structures

Acquisition

Funding may be obtainable for the acquisition of residential properties that lie within the 100-year floodplain and are vulnerable to unforeseen natural conditions, such as slope failure or stream erosion. Acquisitions are evaluated and based on the most severely flood-prone (“at risk”) properties and the availability of grant funding opportunities from state and federal agencies.

Dam Safety Coordination

Dam Emergency Action Plan (EAP)

Prince George's County Government is the Owner of twenty High Hazard and Significant Hazard Dams within the County, and is responsible for the routine monitoring, inspection, and maintenance of the dams.

The twenty dams are listed below and each dam has an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) that alert property owners the likelihood of eminent danger and reduces the risk of human life loss and injury and minimizes property damage during an unusual or emergency event.

High Hazard Dams

Allison Street Levee (Mt. Ranier)
Aragona Village
Ashcroft Drive - Woodbridge Pond
Collington Facility 9
Frost Pond
Hanson Oaks
Henson Creek #17
Heritage Glen
Indian Creek #2
Indian Creek #3
Lake Arbor
Largo Town Center
Laurel Lakes #1
Madison Hill
Summerfield Pond #1
Summerfield Pond #2
Summit Creek South
Tinkers Creek #8
Perrywood Dam (Manor House Drive)
Perrywood Dam (Water Fowl Way)

The purpose of an EAP is to reduce the risk of human life and injury and to minimize property damage during an unusual emergency event.

Emergency Response

There are three emergency levels.

Emergency Level 1
This is a non-emergency, unusual event, slowly developing, e.g., the elevation of the dam is rising. Technical representatives/inspectors are sent out to monitor the dam for a potential or imminent dam failure situation.

Emergency Level 2
Potential dam failure situation, rapidly developing. Technical representatives/inspectors closely monitor the condition of the dam and periodically report the status of the situation to the Dam Operator. If the conditions worsen and dam failure is imminent, the Dam Operator immediately notifies the Emergency Management Director of the change, and if necessary, recommends full or partial activation of the Emergency Operations Center.

Emergency Level 3
Urgent, dam failure appears to be imminent or in progress. This is an extremely urgent situation when the failure cannot be prevented. The Dam Operator will immediately contact the Emergency Management Director to put plans in place for evacuation of all at risk people, and close all roads that will be affected.

Pre-Event Dam Inspections

In case a significant storm event is forecast, the Dam Operator will send out qualified technical representatives/inspectors to each dam to monitor the dam performance during the storm event and to advise the Dam Operator should an emergency occur. They will constantly monitor the water surface elevation and report back to the Dam Operator.

Flood Control with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Restoration

Through inter-governmental participation agreements, the Stormwater Management Division and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) design and construct environmental enhancement and flood control projects within Prince George’s County. Environmental enhancement projects include watershed planning analysis and design of water quality measures, wetland creation, stream restoration, habitat improvement, reforestation and fish blockage removal. Flood control projects include planning and flood mitigation analysis, design, and operations and maintenance of existing flood control projects originally sponsored and built by the USACE.

Flood Protection & Drainage Improvement

The Stormwater Management Division plans, designs and constructs flood protection and drainage improvement projects that focus on severe threats to residential, habitable structures. Eligible capital improvement projects will address frequent home flooding (water entering the habitable structure area) and alleviate severe road flooding that does not fall under jurisdiction of the County Department of Public Works and Transportation. Also included are flood control system certification, municipal participation, storm drain acceptance and flood warning systems projects. When possible, water quality enhancement features will be incorporated in capital improvement projects. Property owners directly benefiting from capital improvement projects must provide the county with a right of entry and easement at no cost to the County.

Guidelines

DoE utilizes a 3-tiered priority system to outline criteria for projects to be included in the Capital Improvements Program (CIP). Drainage problems are categorized and prioritized by severity and proximity to residential structures.

In order to enable DoE to focus resources and CIP expenditures on improvements to water quality treatment of impervious areas, and TMDL reductions in accordance with the NPDES/MS4 and WIP II mandates, DoE will address and commit funding and resources to providing necessary assistance to creditable flooding and erosion problems. All sites are evaluated for cost versus benefit and are prioritized based upon the following categories:

Priority I

Projects will alleviate or prevent damage to habitable residential structures caused by the entrance of surface stormwater flows on a frequent basis. This is several times in a 10-year period; or, severe damage on a rare basis such as during a 100-year storm event. Projects will correct or prevent severe erosion which threatens the structural integrity of habitable buildings.

Priority II

Projects will alleviate or prevent damage to habitable residential structures or property caused by the entrance of surface stormwater flows on a rare basis, will alleviate or prevent high and dangerous flow adjacent to habitable areas, will correct or prevent erosion which severe and is a safety hazard, and/or will alleviate or prevent serious street flooding.

Priority III

Projects will alleviate frequent excessive surface stormwater flows across developed properties and in streets, will correct or prevent severe erosion of channel or property, and/or will protect desirable stream ecosystem.