Upper Makefield officials are moving forward with plans to better control stormwater runoff and thereby help mitigate flooding issues in the township.
At a recent public meeting, the five-person board of supervisors that locally governs the municipality gave township engineering firm Gilmore & Associates the green light to proceed with the engineering and permitting required to make improvements to retention basins in the Washington Meadows development off Route 532 and at Ascension Church. The estimated cost is $491,794.
Township Engineer Amanda Fuller, of Gilmore & Associates, said the Washington Meadows work will consist of retrofitting and expanding the basin to hold additional stormwater volume.
At the Ascension Church property on Washington Crossing Road, plans center on constructing a level spreader – essentially, a stone trench – into which an existing basin would discharge water. The level spreader will help slow the rate of runoff and better control water flow, according to Fuller.
At the prompting of supervisors Tom Cino and Braun Taylor, the board conditioned the projects’ approval on receiving written confirmation from the property owners that they’re okay with the basin improvement plans.
“It’s not our property,” said Cino. “We have to get approval.”
Officials noted that Gilmore has already been in discussions with the president of the Washington Meadows homeowners association and Ascension Church, and that both property owners have been receptive to the idea of basin improvements to better control stormwater.
Flooding has been a significant issue in Upper Makefield. The Houghs and Jericho creeks have repeatedly flooded, eroding soil on their banks. There’s been major flooding along the Delaware River and Delaware Canal. As many as 200 properties in Upper Makefield are at higher risk for flooding, according to township data.
Flooding has been painfully front of mind for many locals since the tragedy that occurred on July 15, 2023. A flash flood from Houghs Creek claimed the lives of seven people.
While the Ascension and Washington Meadows basin improvement projects can help, officials have been quick to set expectations, saying those advancements alone will far from solve the township’s flooding problems. Rather, they can be helpful components of a broader, long-term effort to lessen stormwater impacts locally.
Currently, Upper Makefield is also considering basin improvement projects at the Belamour and Valley View subdivisions. More preliminary work is needed, however, before supervisors would be ready to approve or reject moving forward with any projects there.
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