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Howard County Drainage Board approves Maria Ditch reconstruction plan and related assessments after residents’ flooding complaints
Summary
The drainage board approved findings and orders for the Maria Ditch reconstruction (HCDB-2026-02 and HCDB-26-03), accepted an encroachment request (HCDB-26-04), and addressed resident concerns about repeated flooding, assessment increases and the use of ARP funds.
The Howard County Drainage Board approved a package of actions to move forward on reconstruction of the Maria Ditch, accepted a related findings-and-order resolution that changes the method of calculating annual maintenance assessments, and approved a property-encroachment request — all after extended public comment from homeowners who described recurring flooding.
Board members approved resolution HCDB-2026-02 and accepted HCDB-26-03, which the staff described as findings and an order converting the assessment calculation method and increasing annual maintenance assessments for the Maria Ditch watershed. The board also approved HCDB-26-04, an encroachment request related to a proposed deck by Beth Lucas that staff said will be farther from the drain once reconstruction is complete.
Residents at the public hearing described long-standing flooding. Morgan Walden, who said he represents seven homeowners on West 350 South, described repeatedly flooded outbuilding space and sought clarity on when and whether assessments would pay for local work: "I had my barn flooded out — three of my new Corvettes — a little frustrating," Walden said, underscoring the urgency residents attributed to the project.
Beth Lucas and other homeowners described water in garages, damage to pool surrounds and property that floods nearly to the house. Ruth Ann Boothby said she had been told an earlier estimate would cost about $1,300 per owner but later paperwork showed $2,600; she said residents need clearer information on how assessment shares were calculated.
Staff emphasized efforts to limit costs. The county engineer said the reconstruction work had been pared back to reduce expense and noted some remaining maintenance items (such as drain tiles) would be addressed in later phases. Staff also said the project uses ARP funds and warned that delaying approval could mean losing approximately $65,000 of that funding: "If we don't approve this tonight, they lose out on that $65,000 of free money," the staff member said on the record.
The county explained the near-term work plan: clean open ditches on the north end to restore grade, then proceed to tile reconstruction once crops are out; the staff said the open-ditch portion should be completed by the end of August and contractors were expected to mobilize before then.
Why it matters: Residents in the Maria Ditch watershed described repeated property damage from flooding and want solutions; the board approved measures that will change assessment calculations and authorize reconstruction work, while using a mix of county-managed funds and an ARP grant to lower direct homeowner costs. Several homeowners asked for clearer financial breakdowns before construction.
The board passed the resolutions on voice votes and instructed staff to proceed with the approved reconstruction plan and required notifications for the encroachment hearing. Next steps: contractor mobilization and open-ditch cleaning, with staff follow-up on detailed assessment calculations for affected property owners.
