DOWNINGTOWN–Mayor Phil Dague released the following statement Friday regarding a community input meeting on floodplain planning in Downingtown Borough and Caln Township on November 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 adverse effects of flooding. These measures involve a combination of structural and non-structural approaches to effectively manage flood risks. Establishing a coherent approach to flood mitigation involves several key steps and could encompass both structural and non-structural measures.

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

The Downingtown Resilience Fund will be seeking a local district development grant of up to $5,000, and a homeowner match of up to $5,000 – applications for interest in the grant will be available at 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 resiliency,” said Downingtown Mayor Phil Dague.

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

Soil berms or elevation changes, which are vertical barriers similar to levees, will be considered structural measures. They are typically used in urban areas to protect infrastructure from floodwaters. Channel improvements, which involve modifying Beaver Creek channels to increase their capacity to transport floodwaters, will also be examined. These may include widening, deepening, creating wetlands or straightening river banks.