After Ida, researchers call for infrastructure changes along the Brandywine

Among the recommendations outlined in the report include a number of infrastructure improvements, such as repairing or removing some dams, upgrading stormwater infrastructure and elevating homes along the Brandywine.

“We’re not going to solve flooding,” said Seung Ah Byun, executive director for the Chester County Water Resources Authority. “It’s going to happen, and it’s a matter of being prepared and making sure people are out of harm’s way as much as we can.”

Rain events in the region have become more intense as a result of climate change. Climate scientists expect the trend to continue, putting an increasing number of residences and businesses at risk for flooding. Currently, 5,000 residents live along the Brandywine’s floodplain.

Flooding in the upper reaches of the Brandywine watershed is exacerbated by the area’s sloping topography, creating a funnel-like shape in the watershed closer to the Pennsylvania-Delaware state line and generating more stormwater runoff in the area.

Though flood control facilities in the region can store more than 5 billion gallons of flood water, the study’s authors say it’s not enough to protect communities from major storms. So, they evaluated some of the factors that make the Brandywine vulnerable to flooding, and collected 1,500 comments from the public and stakeholders to help draft recommendations to reduce the impacts of storms.

The authors found 60% of the dams, culverts and bridges along the Brandywine exacerbate flooding because they are undersized or damaged. The report recommends further studies to determine whether some of these structures could be repaired, removed, or in some cases, modified to store higher volumes of flood waters.

Other infrastructure improvements outlined in the study include upgrading failing stormwater basins, and replacing impervious areas with vegetation to help prevent stormwater runoff.

The study recommends several other changes to protect people and property, including implementing additional restrictions on development in sloping areas, elevating homes and flood proofing businesses.