Brandywine Creek,

Thompson Bridge Road to Market Street

Usual Difficulty	III (may vary with level)
Length	8 Miles
Avg. Gradient	20 fpm

Gauge Information

Name	Range	Difficulty	Updated	Level
Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford, PA
usgs-01481000	2.00 - 4.00 ft	III	00h34m	3.18 ft (rc= 0.6 )

River Description

The Brandywine drops over the fall line on this very historic stretch. Unfortunately, the vibe is spoiled by 12 dams, many of which need to be portaged.

Put in at the Brandywine State Park access on Rockland Rd. The first 1.5 miles are attractive flatwater with the Brandywine State Park on your right and Woodlawn Conservancy property on your left.

As you approach Rockland, there is a jagged sloping dam which can be run. I'd say it's about a 5 foot drop. There used to be a polluted paper mill here that has been rehabilitated into condos. You can also put in here.

After Rockland, you enter the Hagley Museum property, birthplace of the Dupont company. An incredible display of 19th century hydropower surrounds you, including dams, spillways, canals, the remains of gunpowder mills, and waterwheels and turbines that are still operational. Unfortunately the Hagley people are pretty paranoid so pull over in these beautiful surroundings at your own risk.

Continue into Wilmington and take out at Market St. downtown. About half of the dams on this section are sloping and runnable, the rest are vertical and dangerous. Maryland and Delaware Canoe Trails, Ed Gertler can give you further information about this reach.