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East Branch Brandywine Creek below Downingtown

Highest listed crest 19.11 ftFlood stage 7.0 ft72 crests since 1972

The East Branch Brandywine Creek below Downingtown crested at major flood stage 22 times among the 72 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1972 to 2026. The highest, 19.11 ft on September 2, 2021, was major flooding, 12.11 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
19.11 ft
September 2, 2021; 10,655 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
7.0 ft
Major flooding from 11.0 ft
Crests at major
22
1st of 170 gauges in Pennsylvania
Most recent flood crest
September 3, 2026
7.48 ft, minor flooding
Location
Chester County
Near West Chester (3.7 mi), Coatesville (7.8 mi), Phoenixville (14.0 mi)

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, East Branch Brandywine Creek below Downingtown
Action stage6.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)7.015Sep 3, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage9.035Dec 28, 2023Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage11.022Jan 10, 2024Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

72 crests from 1972 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the East Branch Brandywine Creek below Downingtown, 1972 to 2026 5101520ft Flood stage 7.0 ftMajor 11.0 ft Jun 22, 1972: 12.40 ft, major flooding; 8,160 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 1978: 11.07 ft, major flooding; 4,520 cubic feet per secondJan 24, 1979: 12.07 ft, major flooding; 5,670 cubic feet per secondSep 22, 1979: 11.60 ft, major floodingJul 7, 1984: 12.01 ft, major flooding; 5,980 cubic feet per secondSep 9, 1987: 9.24 ft, moderate flooding; 3,240 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 1988: 9.16 ft, moderate flooding; 3,180 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 1989: 7.89 ft, minor flooding; 2,220 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 1990: 8.48 ft, minor flooding; 2,540 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1993: 9.60 ft, moderate flooding; 3,370 cubic feet per secondDec 5, 1993: 10.36 ft, moderate flooding; 4,010 cubic feet per secondJan 28, 1994: 10.15 ft, moderate floodingMar 9, 1995: 9.91 ft, moderate flooding; 3,740 cubic feet per secondJan 19, 1996: 12.50 ft, major flooding; 6,560 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 1996: 9.05 ft, moderate floodingApr 16, 1996: 9.81 ft, moderate floodingOct 19, 1996: 12.60 ft, major flooding; 6,700 cubic feet per secondSep 16, 1999: 14.79 ft, major flooding; 7,200 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 2000: 10.79 ft, moderate flooding; 4,270 cubic feet per secondDec 17, 2000: 10.79 ft, moderate flooding; 4,270 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 2003: 8.34 ft, minor floodingJun 20, 2003: 13.22 ft, major flooding; 5,960 cubic feet per secondSep 15, 2003: 13.56 ft, major flooding; 6,230 cubic feet per secondOct 23, 2003: 9.23 ft, moderate floodingOct 28, 2003: 9.37 ft, moderate floodingDec 11, 2003: 9.41 ft, moderate floodingFeb 6, 2004: 9.34 ft, moderate flooding; 3,320 cubic feet per secondSep 18, 2004: 10.11 ft, moderate floodingSep 28, 2004: 12.83 ft, major flooding; 5,670 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 2005: 9.16 ft, moderate flooding; 3,187 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 2005: 9.16 ft, moderate flooding; 3,187 cubic feet per secondOct 8, 2005: 10.01 ft, moderate flooding; 3,760 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 2006: 14.38 ft, major flooding; 6,875 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 2007: 10.51 ft, moderate floodingApr 14, 2010: 9.64 ft, moderate floodingOct 1, 2010: 13.00 ft, major floodingMar 11, 2011: 10.67 ft, moderate flooding; 4,189 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 2011: 9.30 ft, moderate floodingAug 28, 2011: 13.73 ft, major floodingSep 8, 2011: 11.70 ft, major flooding; 4,900 cubic feet per secondOct 11, 2013: 8.87 ft, minor flooding; 2,989 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 2014: 8.91 ft, minor flooding; 3,017 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 2014: 13.50 ft, major flooding; 6,180 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 2018: 9.07 ft, moderate flooding; 3,134 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 2018: 8.23 ft, minor flooding; 2,580 cubic feet per secondJul 23, 2018: 9.46 ft, moderate flooding; 3,402 cubic feet per secondAug 4, 2018: 7.04 ft, minor flooding; 1,877 cubic feet per secondAug 13, 2018: 11.59 ft, major flooding; 4,823 cubic feet per secondSep 28, 2018: 9.18 ft, moderate flooding; 3,208 cubic feet per secondNov 25, 2018: 9.66 ft, moderate flooding; 3,538 cubic feet per secondDec 21, 2018: 9.19 ft, moderate flooding; 3,215 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 2019: 9.20 ft, moderate flooding; 3,222 cubic feet per secondJul 12, 2019: 9.59 ft, moderate flooding; 3,493 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 2020: 9.48 ft, moderate flooding; 3,416 cubic feet per secondAug 4, 2020: 13.59 ft, major flooding; 6,250 cubic feet per secondDec 25, 2020: 10.13 ft, moderate flooding; 3,836 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 2021: 7.16 ft, minor flooding; 1,943 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 2021: 12.36 ft, major flooding; 5,337 cubic feet per secondAug 19, 2021: 7.91 ft, minor flooding; 2,379 cubic feet per secondSep 2, 2021: 19.11 ft, major flooding; 10,655 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2022: 8.36 ft, minor flooding; 2,664 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 2022: 8.45 ft, minor flooding; 2,722 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 2023: 9.20 ft, moderate flooding; 3,222 cubic feet per secondJul 10, 2023: 9.10 ft, moderate flooding; 3,154 cubic feet per secondJul 25, 2023: 11.23 ft, major flooding; 4,572 cubic feet per secondDec 11, 2023: 7.07 ft, minor flooding; 1,894 cubic feet per secondDec 18, 2023: 10.94 ft, moderate flooding; 4,372 cubic feet per secondDec 28, 2023: 10.34 ft, moderate flooding; 3,971 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 2024: 11.41 ft, major flooding; 4,697 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 2025: 7.70 ft, minor floodingJul 1, 2025: 7.10 ft, minor floodingSep 3, 2026: 7.48 ft, minor flooding; 1,574 cubic feet per second Highest, 19.11 ft, Sep 2, 2021 19801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, East Branch Brandywine Creek below Downingtown 1970s: 4 1980s: 4 1990s: 10 2000s: 16 2010s: 19 19 2020s: 19 1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 72 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, East Branch Brandywine Creek below Downingtown
1Sep 2, 202119.11+12.11Major10,655
2Sep 16, 199914.79+7.79Major7,200
3Jun 28, 200614.38+7.38Major6,875
4Aug 28, 201113.73+6.73Major—
5Aug 4, 202013.59+6.59Major6,250
6Sep 15, 200313.56+6.56Major6,230
7May 1, 201413.50+6.50Major6,180
8Jun 20, 200313.22+6.22Major5,960
9Oct 1, 201013.00+6.00Major—
10Sep 28, 200412.83+5.83Major5,670
11Oct 19, 199612.60+5.60Major6,700
12Jan 19, 199612.50+5.50Major6,560
13Jun 22, 197212.40+5.40Major8,160
14Jun 9, 202112.36+5.36Major5,337
15Jan 24, 197912.07+5.07Major5,670
16Jul 7, 198412.01+5.01Major5,980
17Sep 8, 201111.70+4.70Major4,900
18Sep 22, 197911.60+4.60Major—
19Aug 13, 201811.59+4.59Major4,823
20Jan 10, 202411.41+4.41Major4,697
21Jul 25, 202311.23+4.23Major4,572
22Jan 26, 197811.07+4.07Major4,520
23Dec 18, 202310.94+3.94Moderate4,372
24Mar 22, 200010.79+3.79Moderate4,270
25Dec 17, 200010.79+3.79Moderate4,270
26Mar 11, 201110.67+3.67Moderate4,189
27Apr 27, 200710.51+3.51Moderate—
28Dec 5, 199310.36+3.36Moderate4,010
29Dec 28, 202310.34+3.34Moderate3,971
30Jan 28, 199410.15+3.15Moderate—
31Dec 25, 202010.13+3.13Moderate3,836
32Sep 18, 200410.11+3.11Moderate—
33Oct 8, 200510.01+3.01Moderate3,760
34Mar 9, 19959.91+2.91Moderate3,740
35Apr 16, 19969.81+2.81Moderate—
36Nov 25, 20189.66+2.66Moderate3,538
37Apr 14, 20109.64+2.64Moderate—
38Mar 4, 19939.60+2.60Moderate3,370
39Jul 12, 20199.59+2.59Moderate3,493
40Jan 25, 20209.48+2.48Moderate3,416
41Jul 23, 20189.46+2.46Moderate3,402
42Dec 11, 20039.41+2.41Moderate—
43Oct 28, 20039.37+2.37Moderate—
44Feb 6, 20049.34+2.34Moderate3,320
45Apr 17, 20119.30+2.30Moderate—
46Sep 9, 19879.24+2.24Moderate3,240
47Oct 23, 20039.23+2.23Moderate—
48Jun 20, 20199.20+2.20Moderate3,222
49Jun 27, 20239.20+2.20Moderate3,222
50Dec 21, 20189.19+2.19Moderate3,215

Other gauges in Chester County

Flood gauges in Chester County
Pottstown12.529.97 ft, Jun 23, 19721
PA Turnpike Bridge near Valley Forge10.016.44 ft, Sep 1, 20211
Coatesville7.010.08 ft, Jun 29, 19730
Honeybrook7.011.62 ft, Jan 19, 19964
Modena9.013.38 ft, Sep 2, 20212
Strickersville9.516.71 ft, Sep 16, 19997

Chester County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Pennsylvania

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge DWNP1, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.