Flooding in Caln and Downingtown will be discussed at the upcoming meeting

DOWNINGTOWN – Mayor Phil Dague released the following statement Friday regarding a community meeting on floodplain planning in Downingtown Borough and Caln Township on November 14 from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM at the Thorndale Volunteer Fire Company, 3611 East Lincoln Highway, Thorndale :

There are two grants pending. The Borough will apply for a grant to model potential flood prevention projects along the Brandywine and Beaver Creek to create the best mitigation. The grant also provides a scenario analysis to map all projects and determine the best combination for the community.

Comprehensive flood control measures are essential to minimize the negative impacts of flooding. These measures include a combination of structural and non-structural approaches to effectively manage flood risks. Establishing a coherent approach to flood control involves several key steps and can include both structural and non-structural measures.

The study will also allocate a portion of planning dollars to implement a Flood Community Rating System (CRS), which would reduce flood insurance payments for homeowners by 25% to ensure the affordability of low- and moderate-income housing.

The Downingtown Resilience Fund will seek to provide a Local District Development Grant of up to $5,000, and the homeowners match of up to $5,000. Interesting applications for the grant will be available during the meeting. “We want to award $5,000 to 100 homes in the Downingtown/Caln Flood Plain. Projects include new windows, doors, roofs and flood resilience,” said Downingtown Mayor Phil Dague.

Dague outlined that the two grants would be the first step in reducing flooding in Downingtown Borough and Caln Township. “We need to address the issues surrounding the Beaver Creek confluence with the Brandywine and get the water moving faster. We will try to improve water quality by creating wetlands, increasing storage capacity and reducing flooding,” he said.

Ground berms or elevations, which are vertical barriers similar to dikes, are considered structural measures. They are generally used in urban areas to protect infrastructure against flooding. Canal improvements, which involve modifying the Beaver Creek canals to increase their capacity to carry floodwaters, will also be explored. This includes widening, deepening, creating wetlands or straightening river banks.