Van Hollen, Alsobrooks, Elfreth, Olszewski Announce $7.2 Million Authorized to Rehabilitate the Piney Run Watershed Dam

Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks and U.S. Representatives Sarah Elfreth and Johnny Olszewski (all D-Md.) announced the authorization of up to $7,229,850 in federal funding to support the rehabilitation of the Piney Run Watershed Dam to mitigate the risk of breaches.

Piney Run Dam is classified by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) Dam Safety as “High Hazard” – meaning that the county and MDE take extra precautions to ensure it is inspected annually and well-maintained. A breach of Piney Run Dam would put hundreds of lives and properties at risk and potentially damage critical transportation infrastructure, including an interstate highway and a freight railroad. This investment will address key dam safety concerns, reduce the risk of loss of life in the event of a structural failure, enhance flood protection capabilities, and ensure it meets all current federal and state safety criteria for a “high” hazard potential dam. The upgrades to the dam include widening the auxiliary spillway, installing a concrete weir spillway structure, raising the dam crest, and installing roller-compacted concrete along the auxiliary spillway exit channel – critical measures to prevent rising waters from flowing over the crest.

“Piney Run Park is a beloved piece of the Sykesville community, and maintaining the Piney Run Dam is critical to ensuring Marylanders can continue to enjoy it for years to come. This federal investment will help bolster the safety of the dam so folks can keep experiencing all Piney Run Park has to offer,” said the lawmakers.

The federal investment comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Watershed Rehabilitation (REHAB) Program, which Federal Team Maryland fought to fund at $118 million through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The FY25 government funding bill included an additional $1 million for the REHAB program, and the FY26 funding bill for the Department of Agriculture included an additional $3 million. Carroll County is expected to apply for these funds as the project continues through the design phase and into construction.