The Brandywine Conservancy has launched a new flood study with the hope of mitigating damage from any future major flood event along Brandywine Creek.
Teaming up with the conservancy are the Chester County Water Resources Authority and the University of Delaware Water Resources Center. Also included are both Chester and Delaware County governments, The study will also include input from Stroud Water Research Center, West Chester University and other technical experts.
“The flood damage [from Hurricane Ida] across our campus and inside our buildings was extensive and overwhelming. Likewise, this was also the situation for many people living up and down the Brandywine in both Pennsylvania and in Delaware,” said the conservancy’s Director of Community Services for the Brandywine Conservancy Grant DeCosta.
He added that Ida caused $100 million in damage to the Brandywine Creek watershed, with $10 million to the conservancy’s Chadds Ford campus alone.
DeCosta said, “There’s a strong need for flood mitigation measures to help us all better prepare for and respond to more frequent and extreme flood events like Ida in the future.”
Also speaking during the Aug. 22 press conference was Jerry Kauffman of the University of Delaware Water Resources Center who said flooding has become a serious matter, and he cited Ida specifically.
“The flood that came down was 49,000 cubic feet per second, according to the United States Geological Survey’s rain gauge here in Chadds Ford,” adding that 27,000 cubic feet per second was the previous record from Hurricane Agnes in 1972.
“This was the most serious flood that happened on the Brandywine in 100 years…This was catastrophic.”
The study, Kauffman added, will look at where flooding has happened and where it could happen. Members of the public will also be asked to talk about flooding events. “Using those models, we’ll find solutions.”
At this point, much of what’s considered is speculation, but Kauffman did say, “With infrastructure investments, I think we can try to identify the problem and fix it.”
He added that a hurricane such as Ida wasn’t expected before 2030 or 2050. “With the climate, the future is now. I’m convinced of that…Is it a climate emergency? I feel that it’s a climate crisis.”
Also on hand for the press conference were Chester County Council Vice Chairman Josh Maxwell, Delaware County Council Chairman Monica Taylor, state Sen. John Kane, and state Rep. Christina Sappey. Each spoke in support of conducting the study.
Taylor said there have been more frequent and more extreme flooding along the Brandywine Creek which had a destructive impact on homes and businesses.
“The flood study is a coordinated effort to better understand where and why flooding occurs along the Brandywine Creek in Pennsylvania and Delaware so that we can identify the best approaches to protect our communities from future severe flooding events. Delaware County Council commends the Brandywine Conservancy, the Chester County Water Resources Authority, and the University of Delaware Water Resources Center for spearheading this study…This is a wonderful collaboration across county lines, across state lines.”
DeCosta anticipates the study being completed in June of 2024.
About Rich Schwartzman
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
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