Environment - Flood-Related Watershed Studies and Comprehensive Flood Management Grant Program

HB 257 requires Maryland counties and municipalities (referred to as "subdivisions") to conduct flood-related watershed studies for designated priority watersheds by 2028, with updates every five years. The bill mandates these studies to map flooding risks for 10-, 25-, 100-, 500-, and 1,000-year flood events under current and future development, precipitation, and sea level rise scenarios. It establishes a grant program allowing the Department of the Environment to fund these studies, with specific limits on grant amounts. The studies must evaluate impacts on existing structures, roads, and stormwater systems, and propose flood-reduction strategies to guide future development and infrastructure planning.