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West Branch Brandywine Creek at Modena

Highest listed crest 13.38 ftFlood stage 9.0 ft22 crests since 1972

The West Branch Brandywine Creek at Modena crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 22 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1972 to 2021. The highest, 13.38 ft on September 2, 2021, was major flooding, 4.38 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the West Branch Brandywine Creek crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
13.38 ft
September 2, 2021; 13,793 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
9.0 ft
Major flooding from 12.0 ft
Crests at major
2
82nd of 170 gauges in Pennsylvania
Most recent flood crest
September 2, 2021
13.38 ft, major flooding
Location
Chester County
Near Coatesville (1.9 mi), West Chester (10.4 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, West Branch Brandywine Creek at Modena
Action stage7.54Sep 8, 2011The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)9.07Aug 4, 2020Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage10.07Jun 8, 2021Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage12.02Sep 2, 2021Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

22 crests from 1972 to 2021. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the West Branch Brandywine Creek at Modena, 1972 to 2021 68101214ft Flood stage 9.0 ftMajor 12.0 ft Jun 22, 1972: 11.48 ft, moderate flooding; 7,940 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 1973: 12.47 ft, major flooding; 9,600 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 1984: 9.11 ft, minor flooding; 4,830 cubic feet per secondSep 9, 1987: 9.22 ft, minor flooding; 4,960 cubic feet per secondJul 22, 1988: 7.37 ft, below flood stage; 2,900 cubic feet per secondDec 5, 1993: 8.45 ft, action stage; 3,600 cubic feet per secondJan 19, 1996: 10.39 ft, moderate flooding; 6,120 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 1996: 6.27 ft, below flood stageOct 19, 1996: 9.49 ft, minor flooding; 4,840 cubic feet per secondSep 16, 1999: 10.38 ft, moderate flooding; 6,090 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 2000: 9.38 ft, minor flooding; 4,690 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 2000: 8.96 ft, action stage; 1,330 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 2003: 9.35 ft, minor flooding; 4,660 cubic feet per secondOct 8, 2005: 10.38 ft, moderate flooding; 6,090 cubic feet per secondAug 28, 2011: 8.32 ft, action stageSep 8, 2011: 8.16 ft, action stageSep 24, 2011: 9.04 ft, minor floodingApr 30, 2014: 10.65 ft, moderate flooding; 6,500 cubic feet per secondAug 13, 2018: 10.75 ft, moderate flooding; 6,627 cubic feet per secondAug 4, 2020: 9.56 ft, minor flooding; 4,001 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 2021: 11.48 ft, moderate flooding; 7,290 cubic feet per secondSep 2, 2021: 13.38 ft, major flooding; 13,793 cubic feet per second Highest, 13.38 ft, Sep 2, 2021 19801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, West Branch Brandywine Creek at Modena 1970s: 2 1980s: 2 1990s: 3 3 2000s: 3 2010s: 3 2020s: 3 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

Highest listed crests, West Branch Brandywine Creek at Modena
1Sep 2, 202113.38+4.38Major13,793
2Jun 29, 197312.47+3.47Major9,600
3Jun 22, 197211.48+2.48Moderate7,940
4Jun 8, 202111.48+2.48Moderate7,290
5Aug 13, 201810.75+1.75Moderate6,627
6Apr 30, 201410.65+1.65Moderate6,500
7Jan 19, 199610.39+1.39Moderate6,120
8Sep 16, 199910.38+1.38Moderate6,090
9Oct 8, 200510.38+1.38Moderate6,090
10Aug 4, 20209.56+0.56Minor4,001
11Oct 19, 19969.49+0.49Minor4,840
12Mar 22, 20009.38+0.38Minor4,690
13Jun 21, 20039.35+0.35Minor4,660
14Sep 9, 19879.22+0.22Minor4,960
15Jul 1, 19849.11+0.11Minor4,830
16Sep 24, 20119.04+0.04Minor—
17Jun 19, 20008.96−0.04Action1,330
18Dec 5, 19938.45−0.55Action3,600
19Aug 28, 20118.32−0.68Action—
20Sep 8, 20118.16−0.84Action—
21Jul 22, 19887.37−1.63Below flood stage2,900
22Jan 27, 19966.27−2.73Below flood stage—

The worst floods along the West Branch Brandywine Creek

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the West Branch Brandywine Creek that crested above flood stage within a week.

September 2, 2021: 13.38 ft here, major flooding

June 29, 1973: 12.47 ft here, major flooding

  • CoatesvillePA · Jun 29, 1973 · 10.08 ft · Moderate · its highest

June 22, 1972: 11.48 ft here, moderate flooding

Gauges on the West Branch Brandywine Creek

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the West Branch Brandywine Creek
HoneybrookPA7.011.62 ft, Jan 19, 19964
CoatesvillePA7.010.08 ft, Jun 29, 19730
Modena this gaugePA9.013.38 ft, Sep 2, 20212

Other gauges in Chester County

Flood gauges in Chester County
Downingtown7.019.11 ft, Sep 2, 202122
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
Strickersville9.516.71 ft, Sep 16, 19997

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge MODP1, 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.