Two years ago, Hurricane Ida forced Thomas McGrady and his family to abandon his West Chester home as water rose along Brandywine Creek. They ended up canoeing in the dark across the creek for 20 minutes, dodging downed power lines in search of higher ground.

The hurricane brought the worst flooding along Brandywine Creek in 200 years, with waters reaching two stories in Chadds Ford.

Now experts are gathering to minimize that impact, writes Zoe Read for WHYY.

The Chester County Water Resources Authority, the University of Delaware Water Resources Center, and the Brandywine Conservancy are figuring out why there’s flooding along the Brandywine and what can be done to protect residents and property.

The “Brandywine Flood Study” will be partly funded through grants from the Chester County government and Delaware County Council.

The researchers will identify problems associated with the geography and hydrology of the creek, said Gerald Kauffman, director of the University of Delaware Water Resources Center.

Sometimes bridges and dams keep water from flowing freely, he said.

“Incrementally, I think we can help thousands of people in the future,” Kauffman said. “It’s going to take time.

Kauffman predicts it will take years of investment to remove people from the floodplain.

Read more about Brandywine Creek flooding prevention research at WHYY.

Here’s how it looked at the Brandywine Creek after Hurricane Ida came through in 2021.