Consultants say undersized drains, runoff and intense storms put Martin's Additions at flood risk

Megan Barney, a senior project manager with Bayland Consultants and Designers, told residents at a Village of Martin's Additions task-force meeting that aging and often undersized storm drains, runoff from neighboring jurisdictions and increases in heavy rainfall are combining to produce regular flooding in parts of the village.

"This drainage area is approximately 211 acres," Barney said, and "this drainage area is approximately 32% impervious," figures she used to explain why runoff volumes are high. Using a 2-D model (PCSWMM) and hydrology inputs from TR-55 with climate-adjusted rainfall, Bayland modeled 1-, 10- and 100-year storm events. "In the 100-year event, we're getting flooding in just about every lot in the village," she said, summarizing the most extreme scenario.

Why it matters: The modeling and field work documented by Bayland and the task force show frequent street and yard flooding in common storms and deep, extensive inundation in rarer, extreme events. That combination points to immediate priorities—preventing inlets from clogging, identifying bottlenecks, and targeting high-risk locations—while longer-term solutions will require design, easements, permitting and funding.

What Bayland presented: The consultant team said it reviewed LIDAR, Montgomery County GIS data, WSSC water and sewer records, MERLIN environmental layers and county and state stormwater design guidance. They conducted a drainage assessment and a critical elevation survey (field visits on March 14 and April 16) to gather structure top and invert elevations used in the hydraulic model. Bayland identified areas with no in-road drainage (Cummings and Shepherd and a street north of Shepherd) and noted that Taylor Street and Delfield have more extensive, but aging, systems.

Next steps and timing: Bayland will compare the model with a 2024 resident survey and field notes, calibrate it if residents report additional problem spots, and work with the task force to identify the top 10 problematic areas. For each area the firm will develop potential remediation options (pipe upgrades, new infrastructure, outfall or channel restorations, and homeowner-level fixes), estimate costs, identify easement and environmental constraints, explore grant funding options and prioritize immediate, short-term and long-term actions. Bayland expects to submit a comprehensive draft report to the village and task force and anticipates presenting that draft at a second community meeting around September 2025 (schedule subject to change).

Costs, jurisdiction and funding: Residents pressed for timing and financing options for major interventions such as upsizing pipes. Bayland and task-force members warned the process is lengthy—planning, securing grants, design, permitting and construction—and competitive for state funds. An engineer working for the village estimated that doubling the Taylor Street storm drain could cost "a 1000000 dollars or more." Task-force members also noted jurisdictional complexity: Brookville Road and its right-of-way are state-owned while the county installed and is responsible for maintaining many storm drains, which complicates coordination for fixes that cross jurisdictional boundaries.

Resident questions and local remedies: Residents asked about rain gardens and backyard measures; Bayland said rain gardens and planted swales can help for smaller storms, and suggested hybrid measures (rock swales, native plants) to reduce erosion and slow flows. The team agreed to provide larger PDF maps and detailed contour exhibits for the community and confirmed presentation materials and the meeting recording will be posted on the village website. Residents expressed appreciation for the transparent process and repeated calls for clear prioritization to support budgeting and grant applications.

What happens next: Bayland will identify and cost the top problem areas, consider ordinance or code recommendations and outreach strategies, and produce a draft report for task-force review. The task force will post materials and accept questions at water@martinsadditions.org. A draft will be presented to the community around September 2025, after which residents can seek clarifications and request changes before the report is finalized.