Montgomery County developing comprehensive flood management plan

ROCKVILLE, Md. - Montgomery County is developing a comprehensive flood management plan.

The proposal comes about a year after floodwaters related to the remnants of Hurricane Ida swept through an apartment complex in Rockville leaving a 19-year-old dead and other residents out of their homes.

As part of the process, officials are asking residents to complete a survey about flooding in the county.

The online survey takes about five minutes to complete and asks questions like how much do you know about flooding, have you experienced flooding in your neighborhood, and how often are you impacted by flooding events.

The online survey also asks how concerned are residents about flooding, which times of year are flooding events seen, and to describe any flooding experiences.

The County is holding events to help explain the Comprehensive Flood Management Plan to residents and to help them fill out the survey.

Montgomery County says according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, 25% of flood insurance claims come from moderate-to-low-risk areas like Montgomery County. They say just one inch of floodwater can cause up to $25,000 in damage.

The September 2021 flood at Congressional Towers left occupants trapped and many more facing flood damage. Emergency crews rescued residents from about 20 units at the complex.

The teen victim, Melkin Daniel Cedillo, died while trying to help his mother - who could not swim.