Brandywine Creek Rises Beyond Level Forecast, Marks 100-Year High

CHESTER COUNTY, PA — The National Weather Service warned on Wednesday that Brandywine Creek in Chester County would hit Major Flood Stage Thursday morning after heavy rainfall, possibly hitting 17 feet; but at 9:30 Thursday morning NWS reported the creek hit nearly 19 feet at Chadds Ford, and one measure at 21 feet.

It's the highest crest for Brandywine Creek recorded in 100 years, the previous high being in 1999 when it hit 17.15 feet, according to the National Weather Service.

In the whole month of August, 6.81 inches of rain fell on the Philadelphia area, according to the NWS. Chester County's rainfall totals ranged from 7-9 inches in Wednesday's storm in reports.

As Chester County emergency crews help bail the county out, no deaths have been reported here. Montgomery County has seen one death in the flooding, according to a CBS Philly3 report.

National Weather Service said crews will be out in Chester County surveying damage today. Oxford Fire Company and other crews responded where trees were down, a PA State Police report showed. A tornado touchdown has been confirmed in Oxford by the NWS.

The East Brandywine Creek at Downingtown hit 19.1 feet, closing Route 30 there and a section of Rt. 322 (Brandywine Avenue) between Business 30 and Boot Road because of flooding. NWS reported businesses in the area were flooded along with residences, especially along Jefferson Avenue.

U.S. 1 is closed in the Chaddsford area, as are other major roadways all around Chester County, as the deluge that Tropical Depression Ida dropped on the Mid-Atlantic on Wednesday sunk in, flooding Chester County and displacing Coatesville residents. Schools closed down along with government offices Thursday. Trees are down across the County.

NWS reported the intersections of Creek Road and Route 926 near Pocopson had flooded upstream of Chadds Ford, along with open land adjacent to the Creek.

West Brandywine Creek in the Honey Brook area flooded, hitting 9.6 feet Thursday at 9:30 a.m. NWS marks 9 feet as the point of Moderate flooding. The intersection of Birdell and Icedale Roads flooded as well as Beaver Dam Road, according to the NWS report.

While the City of Coatesville is suffering major flooding with families being evacuated from homes with water nearing attic windows, shelters have been set up in school buildings. The Brandywine Creek in the Coatesville area hit 9.6 feet Thursday morning, in the Moderate Flood Stage.

Just south of Coatesville, near Modena, the Brandywine rose into Major Flood Stage hitting 13.38 feet Thursday morning.

The Wilmington area report for Brandywine Creek marked the level even higher at 23 feet. First State Historical Park reported the Brandywine Creek Road is closed in the area of the Smith Bridge.

Please do not attempt to go into the Brandywine Creek, or cross any of the high creeks, until water levels return to normal, multiple authorities warned. Use caution throughout the park as there may be standing water on trails, and roadways, making unsafe, slippery conditions.

Major Flood Stage is marked at 13 feet and Flood Stage is 9 feet, and 11 feet is considered Moderate Flood Stage, according to the NWS.

Historic crests of Brandywine Creek — over the past century — were marked in 1999 when it hit 17.15 feet; 1972, when it hit 16.56 feet; 2014 when it hit 16.05 feet; 2011 when it hit 15.23 feet, and 1920 when it hit 15 feet, according to the NWS.

Recent crests over 9 feet happened in August 2020 when Brandywine Creek hit 10.93 feet, and in January 2020 when it reached 9.6 feet. In June 2019 it reached 9.27 feet and in November 2018 it hit 9.93 feet. More information can be found here.

Roadways are shut down across Chester County and residents have been asked by authorities to avoid unnecessary travel. Chester County's guidance for flood emergencies can be access here.

PECO reported 193 outages around Chester County on Thursday morning — less than 5 percent of customers — but said more reports were coming in. PECO alerted residents not to move trees or debris because of the danger. "Do not touch or move downed wires and consider all downed wires as energized and extremely dangerous. Due to an increase in outage reports, the outage map may be slow to provide the latest updates," PECO's message said.

West Chester University canceled all in-person classes for Thursday. Chester County Government offices, facilities, and courts are also closed. School districts across Chester County are closed.

Here is the National Weather Service chart showing Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford:

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