French Creek and the Schuylkill
French Creek is about 22.6 miles long. It flows through Berks and Chester counties, passing through French Creek State Park and the Hopewell Big Woods, and joins the Schuylkill in Phoenixville. The old Phoenix Iron Works site sits on both sides of the creek just before it meets the river. Those facts come from the creek's Wikipedia entry, which also notes French Creek is a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River.
The National Weather Service does not publish a flood forecast gauge for French Creek at Phoenixville. On the Schuylkill, it forecasts at Pottstown upstream and at Norristown downstream, and both show how big the river gets:
| Gauge | Minor flood | Record crest |
|---|---|---|
| Schuylkill at Pottstown (PTNP1) | 12.5 ft | 29.97 ft in June 1972, during Agnes |
| Schuylkill at Norristown (NRSP1) | 13 ft | 26.85 ft on September 2, 2021, during the remnants of Ida |
Sources: NWS PTNP1 and NWS NRSP1.
Phoenixville sits between those two gauges, so a forecast crest at either one is a useful warning for low ground near the river.
How Phoenixville homes flood
French Creek after intense rain
French Creek drains a hilly, wooded watershed and can rise quickly after a heavy storm upstream. Low ground along its banks in town feels that rise first.
The river edge
When the Schuylkill is high, low land near the river and the mouth of French Creek can flood, and the creek has a harder time draining into the river.
Runoff on the hills
Much of the borough sits above both waterways, on slopes. Homes there flood the way upland homes do everywhere: storm runoff down driveways, window wells that fill, groundwater through old foundations and sump pumps that fail.
Older buildings and new apartments
Phoenixville's housing ranges from 1800s brick and stone rowhouses near the old ironworks to newer apartment buildings. Older homes bring stone foundations and plaster that dry slowly. Newer buildings may have ground-floor units or lower-level parking where storm water collects. Tenants in either should report flooding in writing and photograph their belongings.
Insurance after a Phoenixville flood
A homeowners policy usually excludes flood. NFIP contents coverage is separate from building coverage, which matters for tenants and for owners with finished lower levels. The contents vs building coverage post explains the split. After a declared disaster, the SBA disaster loans guide explains what federal loans cover.
A checklist for the first day
- Check the Schuylkill forecast for Pottstown and Norristown before deciding whether to start pumping.
- Photograph the waterline in every room and any silt left by the creek.
- If you rent, send your landlord a dated message with photos.
- Keep receipts for anything you buy, from fans to a hotel room.
- Leave plaster and drywall in place until a provider has taken moisture readings.
What restoration involves
After the water is down and power is safe: pump-out, silt removal, photographing and removing wet materials, cleaning, drying to readings, and a claim file. Older stone and brick buildings need longer drying plans. See flood damage restoration for the full order.
Cost
In Phoenixville, the bill depends mostly on how much finished space the water reached. An unfinished basement pump-out and drying is often $750 to $4,000; a finished lower level in an older brick home is more like $1,300 to $5,500; and river flooding with mud on a ground floor can run beyond $10,000. See pricing.
Services in Phoenixville
Flood damage restoration · Flooded basement cleanup · Sump pump failure cleanup · Storm and creek flood cleanup · Flood insurance claim documentation · Water removal and drying
Nearby towns
West Chester is southwest of Phoenixville, and Downingtown is to the west. All service areas.
Request help
Call (484) 275-9544 or use the form at any hour. It helps to say whether the water came from French Creek, the Schuylkill or runoff from the street.