Tredyffrin Township Seeks Community Input On Flooding

TREDYFFRIN TWP. — When heavy rain falls in Tredyffrin Township, roadways and basements flood, vehicles get stuck in water and residents start calling for help.

The township supervisors and staff are working on a plan to prevent flooding and keep the 32,000 residents safe.

Supervisor K.S. Bhaskar said he even saw an emergency worker having to rescue a dog from recent flooding.

“You can’t measure this in dollars,” Baskar said at a meeting Monday night when the supervisors announced stormwater drainage is a priority.

“What do we need to do to tackle the storm water problem?” Joseph DiRocco, assistant township manager and director of finance, questioned before providing a list of possible financial solutions being discussed.
One idea is to have a full time stormwater management staff, including an engineer.

The township supervisors ask for public input.

The supervisors invited the public to attend a meeting from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, March 7, in the township building, 1100 Duportail Road. Meetings are also planned April 4 and 18.

Board members said they want the community involved in making the decisions.
“I am happy we are taking the initiative,” Supervisor Murph Wysocki said.

Summer storms hit

According to township reports:

During the extreme weather conditions on Aug. 18 and 19 and Sept. 1 from Tropical Storms Fred and Ida, the township office received numerous calls from property owners about flooding and other issues.

A total of 12 inches of rain was reported in less than two weeks.

Fred dumped 4 inches in 1.5 hours and 3.56 in one hour. Ida dumped more than 8 inches of rain.

The Pugh Road culvert between Valley Forge and West Valley roads was severely damaged. The culvert is being replaced. Construction is expected to begin in June and be complete in October.

These are some of the stormwater projects that are in the works:

• An emergency storm pipe replacement under Hawthorn Place, Berwyn. The 60-inch pipe that runs under Hawthorne Place, west of North Valley Road has rotted. Contractor P.J. Reilly, Downingtown, is doing an emergency replacement. Cost $98,000. Project is estimated to take three to four weeks to complete.
• Replacement of the Pugh Road culvert over Hammer Hollow Tributary.
• Improvements at Strafford Park.
• Upper Weadley, Willis and Woodcrest roads stormwater retrofit.

Also, the state Department of Environmental Protection has awarded the township a $340,000 grant toward a $698,280 project to improve water quality and reduce the volume of runoff traveling down a private property before entering a surface waterway along Contention Lane and Spoonwood Circle.