The remnants of Hurricane Ida wreaked havoc on parts of Delaware and Pennsylvania’s Brandywine Creek watershed on Sept. 1-2, 2021, dumping up to eight inches of rain in a matter of hours. The storm caused widespread flooding, including a record-breaking discharge of water at Wilmington, which broke a 75-year record. The damage amounted to a staggering $45 million in private and public infrastructure losses. This catastrophic event is just one of the many that have plagued the area in recent years.

The frequency and intensity of floods, like the one caused by Hurricane Ida, have become increasingly common. Between 2003 and 2021, 10 major high-precipitation events flooded the Brandywine Creek watershed, showing a clear trend that aligns with climate change predictions. With predictions for more frequent and intense storms in the coming years, experts are sounding the alarm, urging both local and federal action to prevent future disasters.

A Comprehensive Flood Mitigation Plan

In response to these frequent disasters, a new plan has been unveiled by a collaboration between three organizations: the Brandywine Conservancy, the University of Delaware’s Water Resources Center, and Pennsylvania’s Chester County Water Resources Authority. This extensive study, called the Brandywine Flood Study, aims to reduce the impact of future storms and help communities better prepare for extreme weather events.

The report advocates for a major flood-control program that focuses on both structural and non-structural measures. Structural elements like roads, bridges, and dams that impede the natural flow of water will be either rebuilt or removed. On the other hand, non-structural measures include changes in policies, emergency management practices, and public education, with the goal of making the area more resilient to the storms caused by climate change.

Dr. Jerry Kauffman, the director of the University of Delaware’s Water Resources Center, emphasized the cost of implementing these measures could run into the hundreds of millions of dollars, requiring significant federal funding alongside local and state investments. Fortunately, there are still funds available from the Biden administration to help address these concerns.

“The magnitude of the flooding was equally massive,” Dr. Kauffman said. “We are looking at a comprehensive approach to flooding, and we believe we have identified the causes and the solutions.”

Building Green Infrastructure and Protecting Open Spaces

One of the key recommendations in the study is the installation of more green infrastructure, such as rain gardens, which can absorb rainfall before it turns into runoff that worsens flooding. Additionally, preserving open spaces around the headwaters of the creek is crucial for enabling the land to absorb more water.

To combat the increased development of impervious surfaces like concrete and asphalt, the study recommends that new zoning codes be implemented to control the amount of pavement added to the area. It also calls for the acquisition of floodplain land to store stormwater, as these lands could hold billions of gallons of water during heavy rainfall, thus reducing flood risk.

Addressing Environmental Justice Concerns

While the study’s recommendations are comprehensive, some advocates believe the report doesn’t fully address the needs of communities that are disproportionately affected by flooding. Dustyn Thompson, director of the Delaware Sierra Club, raised concerns about the potential neglect of poorer communities, such as some areas in Wilmington, which face environmental justice challenges.

Thompson called for a statewide assessment of flood risks, taking into account the vulnerability of all sectors of society. “The affluent areas around Brandywine have the resources to protect themselves, but lower-income areas haven’t seen similar attention to flood control,” he said.

A Long Road Ahead

While the report highlights many crucial areas for improvement, implementing its recommendations will not be an easy or quick task. The report’s suggestions will require careful planning, significant funding, and political will. With climate change making storms more intense, it’s clear that there’s no time to waste in addressing flood risks in the Brandywine Watershed.

One of the most pressing challenges is the inadequate flood-control infrastructure, such as undersized bridges and culverts, that worsens flooding. The study found that of the 291 bridges, culverts, and dams analyzed, 172 (60%) were identified as insufficient for managing the increased volume of water caused by intense storms. Rebuilding these structures with larger openings or removing them entirely will be necessary to prevent future flooding.

In addition to infrastructure improvements, the study suggests measures such as increasing public education about flooding and using stormwater detention basins and wet ponds to manage heavy rainfall more effectively.

Looking to the Future

State Rep. Debra Heffernan, a member of the Delaware House of Representatives, praised the report for its valuable insights into how flooding risks can be mitigated. However, she noted that the precise solutions and how they will be funded still need to be determined.

As the region faces future floods, including the possibility of even larger storms than Hurricane Ida, the need for comprehensive flood control measures has never been clearer. While federal funding may be harder to come by under a new administration, local governments can still move forward with many of the recommendations, using their own resources to implement vital flood-prevention measures.

The Brandywine Flood Study is currently open for public comment and will be finalized in April 2022. Its recommendations could serve as a model for other regions grappling with similar flood risks due to climate change. However, for the Brandywine Watershed, the clock is ticking, and the community must act fast to prevent future devastation.

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