Flooding in Caln and Downingtown will be addressed at the next meeting

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

Two grants are under consideration. The district will apply for a grant that involves modeling potential flood prevention projects along Brandywine and Beaver Creek to create the best mitigation. The grant will also provide a scenario analysis to outline all projects and determine the best mix for the community.

Comprehensive flood control measures are essential to minimize the negative effects of floods. These measures involve a combination of structural and non-structural approaches to effectively manage flood risks. Establishing a cohesive approach to flood mitigation involves several key steps and could encompass both structural and non-structural measures.

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

The Downingtown Resilience Fund will apply for a District Local Development Grant of up to $5,000 and Homeowner Matching of up to $5,000 — grant applications will be available at the meeting. “We want to give $5,000 to up to 100 homes in the Downingtown/Caln Flood Plain area. Projects include windows, doors, new roofs and flood resistance,” said Downingtown Mayor Phil Dague.

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

Soil berms or grade changes, which are vertical barriers similar to seawalls, will be considered structural measures. They are usually used in urban areas to protect infrastructure from flood waters. Channel improvements, which involve modifying the Beaver Creek channels to increase their capacity to carry flood waters, will also be examined. These may include widening, deepening, creating wetlands or straightening river banks.