Storm Damage: Flooding, Road Closures and Downed Trees

Heavy rainfall overnight on Wednesday soaked Howard County.

A rain storm that poured down on the county overnight on Wednesday caused flooding, road closures and downed trees. The storm swept through Maryland leaving approximately two inches of rainfall in an 18-hour period, according to National Weather Service (NWS) data. On Main Street in Historic Ellicott City, the Patapsco River rose so high it nearly reached the bridge that leads into Catonsville. Officials closed Main Street in the morning due to flooding and some businesses were dealing with the after-effects. Phoenix Emporium, Great Panes and Discoveries were just some of the Main Street businesses that said they experienced flooding due to the storm. “You get used to it,” said Len Berkowitz, owner of Great Panes, who was cleaning up …

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Fire Crews Rescue Their Own After Rescue Boat Capsizes in Patapsco River

Baltimore County fire crews had to rescue some of their own out of the Patapsco River at Frederick and River roads, after a boat they were in capsized in the river. Six firefighters were rescued, including one stranded in a tree surrounded by water, according to Det. Cathleen Batton with the Baltimore County Police Department. Four firefighters were from the Arbutus Volunteer Fire Company Swiftwater Rescue Team and two were career firefighters from the Texas Station Swiftwater Rescue Team.

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Brandie Jefferson

9:32 am on Thursday, September 8, 2011

Here's the updated story, Val: patch.com/A-lNF4   more ›

Safeguards Failed To Prevent Baltimore County Sewage Overflow

Safeguards to protect pumping stations from sewage overflow failed to prevent 12 stations from dumping into the Patapsco River, a public works official says.

Baltimore County’s 12 sewage pumping stations that overflowed this week had safeguards in place, but debris from Hurricane Irene prevented them from working, officials said. “Redundancy wasn’t enough,” said Baltimore County Public Works spokesman Dave Fidler. The overflow from a ruptured 54-inch pipe near the Patapsco Sewage Pumping Station in Baltimore Highlands, which started on Sunday, Aug. 28, is causing 16.5 million gallons a day to flow into the Patapsco River. Two pumping stations in Owings Mills also overflowed. Each of the 12 pumping stations that overflowed was either connected to two sources of electricity, had a generator on site or had a generator on call for the site. “The hurricane cut off the electricity, and in a number of…

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