Rivers in Pennsylvania
Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford
Below flood stage
2.56ftStage
Observed Wed, Sep 23, 1:30 AM EDT
- Flood stage
- 9.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 2.20 ftWed, Sep 23, 8:00 AM EDT
- Record crest
- 21.04 ft2021
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 13.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 11.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 9.00 ft |
| Action | 8.00 ft |
- 14.00 ftBusinesses along Route 1 and Creek Road take on water.
- 13.00 ftResidential evacuations begin at this stage. Route 1 and Route 100 are closed. Fairville Road is also closed.
- 12.00 ftBusinesses upstream of the gage begin to flood.
- 11.80 ftBrandywine River Museum begins to take on water. Route 1 also takes on water.
- 10.00 ftThe intersections of Creek Road and Route 926 near Pocopson floods upstream of Chadds Ford.
- 8.00 ftOpen adjacent land next to the creek floods.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 36% |
| Moderate flooding | 23% |
| Major flooding | 7% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued August 28, 2026.
Crest history
51 crests on NOAA’s list since 1915.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 2, 2021 | 21.04 ft |
| 2 | September 17, 1999 | 17.15 ft |
| 3 | June 22, 1972 | 16.56 ft |
| 4 | May 1, 2014 | 16.05 ft |
| 5 | August 28, 2011 | 15.23 ft |
| 6 | March 5, 1920 | 15.00 ft |
| 7 | August 9, 1942 | 14.80 ft |
| 8 | August 4, 1915 | 14.70 ft |
| 9 | August 19, 1955 | 14.64 ft |
| 10 | January 25, 1979 | 14.35 ft |
| 11 | August 5, 2020 | 14.32 ft |
| 12 | January 20, 1996 | 14.23 ft |
| 13 | January 26, 1978 | 14.11 ft |
| 14 | September 15, 2003 | 13.74 ft |
| 15 | September 29, 2004 | 13.62 ft |
| 16 | June 28, 2006 | 13.33 ft |
| 17 | October 19, 1996 | 13.31 ft |
| 18 | October 1, 2010 | 12.90 ft |
| 19 | January 10, 2024 | 12.84 ft |
| 20 | June 21, 2003 | 12.82 ft |
| 21 | March 22, 2000 | 12.71 ft |
| 22 | October 9, 2005 | 12.30 ft |
| 23 | September 22, 1979 | 12.30 ft |
| 24 | December 18, 2023 | 12.18 ft |
| 25 | January 28, 1994 | 12.00 ft |
Most recent crests
- January 10, 2024: 12.84 ft
- December 28, 2023: 10.25 ft
- December 18, 2023: 12.18 ft
- September 2, 2021: 21.04 ft
- June 9, 2021: 11.81 ft
- December 25, 2020: 10.93 ft
- August 5, 2020: 14.32 ft
- January 26, 2020: 9.60 ft
- June 20, 2019: 9.27 ft
- November 25, 2018: 9.93 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
What this means
Forecasts by the Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued routinely year-round.
Sources
Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service. Streamflow and the daily record from the U.S. Geological Survey.