Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford water level

Name: Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Brandywine Creek, Pennsylvania, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.95ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 03:30 PM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 240 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.90 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 08:00 AM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 10:24 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford, where the gauge shows 1.95 ft.

It is 7.05 ft below the flood stage of 9.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.90 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 08:00 AM. The 30-day range is 1.95 ft – 2.18 ft.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 21.04 ftSeptember 2, 2021
Forecast peak: 2.00 ftMonday, October 19 at 02:00 PM

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 9.00 ft.

What happens at each level

14.00 ft: Businesses along Route 1 and Creek Road take on water.
13.00 ft: Residential evacuations begin at this stage. Route 1 and Route 100 are closed. Fairville Road is also closed.
12.00 ft: Businesses upstream of the gage begin to flood.
11.80 ft: Brandywine River Museum begins to take on water. Route 1 also takes on water.
10.00 ft: The intersections of Creek Road and Route 926 near Pocopson floods upstream of Chadds Ford.
8.00 ft: Open adjacent land next to the creek floods.
1.95 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: 48 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	21.04 ft	September 2, 2021
2	17.15 ft	September 17, 1999
3	16.56 ft	June 22, 1972
4	16.05 ft	May 1, 2014
5	15.23 ft	August 28, 2011
6	15.00 ft	March 5, 1920
7	14.80 ft	August 9, 1942
8	14.70 ft	August 4, 1915
9	14.64 ft	August 19, 1955
10	14.35 ft	January 25, 1979

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.22 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

19 Mon 65° 36° – Wind 8 mph

20 Tue 66° 46° – Wind 13 mph

21 Wed 61° 44° – Wind 12 mph

22 Thu 64° 43° – Wind 12 mph

23 Fri 59° 45° – Wind 10 mph

24 Sat 59° 41° – Wind 4 mph

25 Sun 60° 42° – Wind 6 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:17 AM Sunset 06:19 PM Daylight 11 hr, 1 min First quarter 62%

Map

Other gauges on Brandywine Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Brandywine Creek at WilmingtonRiver gauge, Brandywine Creek	18.70 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	7 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Red Clay Creek near Kennett SquareRiver gauge, Red Clay Creek	25.4 cfs	Normal	−1.3 cfs	6 mi
Red Clay Creek at WooddaleRiver gauge, Red Clay Creek	2.93 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	8 mi
East Branch Brandywine Creek below DowningtownRiver gauge, East Branch Brandywine Creek	3.14 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	8 mi
Shellpot Creek at WilmingtonRiver gauge, Shellpot Creek	2.8 cfs	Normal	−0.3 cfs	8 mi
Chester Creek near ChesterRiver gauge, Chester Creek	2.64 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	10 mi
EB White Clay Creek Tributary near London GroveRiver gauge, EB White Clay Creek Tributary	2.4 cfs	Normal	−0.2 cfs	10 mi
Calf Run at MarshalltonRiver gauge, Calf Run	0.4 cfs	Very high	±0	10 mi
East Branch White Clay Creek at AvondaleRiver gauge, East Branch White Clay Creek	10.3 cfs	Normal	±0	10 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford?

The official flood stage is 9.00 ft. The level is currently 7.05 ft below it.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 03:30 PM EDT, the water level was 1.95 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford?

The highest level on record is 21.04 ft on September 2, 2021.

Is Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.90 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 08:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:01481000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.86983, -75.59326 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NAVD88
Update interval: every 15 minutes
Licence: Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

Parameter	Last value	Time (UTC)	Quality
Water level	1.95 ft	2026-10-19 19:30	Provisional
Flow	240 cfs	2026-10-19 19:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford (usgs:01481000). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/pennsylvania/brandywine-creek-at-chadds-ford

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer