Anne Arundel County earned two 2026 National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Awards, receiving national recognition for innovative efforts to improve water quality and strengthen roadway and employee safety.

Turning an Unused Parking Lot Into a Water Quality Solution

The Lake Waterford Parking Lot Removal and BMP Retrofit earned an Achievement Award in NACo’s County Resiliency: Infrastructure, Energy, and Sustainability category. The project transformed an unused parking lot adjacent to the Lake Waterford Dam spillway into a stormwater management system designed to capture and treat roadway and upland runoff before it reaches the Magothy River, an important spawning habitat for yellow perch. The new Step Pool Stormwater Conveyance system is expected to remove an estimated 160.6lbs. of nitrogen, 11.4 lbs. of phosphorus, and 4.2 tons of suspended solids each year.

Managed by Anne Arundel County and completed in partnership with the Magothy River Association, the project demonstrates how counties can repurpose existing infrastructure to improve stormwater management and protect local waterways.

CRASH Program Helps Drive Down Vehicle Claims

Anne Arundel County also earned a NACo Achievement Award in Risk and Emergency Management for its Community, Roadway, and Automobile Safety Hazard (CRASH) Awareness Program. The County developed CRASH after auto insurance claims accounted for more than one-third of all insurance claims submitted by County employees in 2020. The multi-year program uses ongoing education and employee engagement to improve safety for employees working and driving on County roadways.

Since the program began in 2021, County vehicle insurance claims have declined. In 2023, the County recorded 589 claims, a 30% decrease from the previous year and the lowest total since the program launched.

These honors are part of 165 NACo Achievement Awards earned by Maryland counties this year, recognizing programs and services across nearly every area of local government.