The Bureau of Highways is responsible for the inventory, inspection, and maintenance of the County’s culverts and closed storm drain systems. There are approximately 85,000 components in the inventory at this time. These components include inlets, manholes, pipes, culverts and outfalls. Our culverts and closed storm drain systems are totally independent of the County’s sanitary sewer network. Protecting the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries is one of our highest priorities. Because our drainage systems eventually empty into the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, dumping of any kind is prohibited in our systems. The Road Operations Division performs routine maintenance on our drainage systems. Projects larger in scope, such as rehabilitation or replacement efforts, are managed by the Bureau's Infrastructure Management Division and are accomplished with contractor forces using a “worst first” approach each fiscal year based on available funding from our Capital Budget Program. The Infrastructure Management Division also inventories and inspects these systems via a programmed approach. 
Requests for storm drain system maintenance should be directed to the appropriate road district. Road districts are open from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. A supervisor will investigate your concern and respond to you within one week (one day if it is a hazard) to advise you of a schedule for the work. If the work needed to resolve your request is larger in scope, your request will be referred to the Infrastructure Management Division for prioritization. A representative from that division will keep you informed of the status of your request. | 
