Breached Hoffman's Mill dam removed from the Brandywine Creek
Chadds Ford, PA, October 7, 2026 — A stretch of the Brandywine Creek in Chadds Ford is now flowing freely again following the removal of Hoffman’s Mill dam, a late-19th-century low head dam located just upstream from the U.S. Route 1 bridge in Chadds Ford and Pennsbury Townships. The work to remove the breached dam completes a nearly six-year effort led by the Brandywine Conservancy.
Originally built to power Hoffman’s Mill—now part of the Brandywine Museum of Art—the dam supported an active sawmill until the mid-20th century. In recent decades, it served no functional purpose and was breached on its western side. The Conservancy began evaluating the removal of the dam in 2020 and concluded it would be a net benefit to the Creek and the surrounding community. The dam removal will: improve safety and recreation by eliminating a hazard for paddlers, tubers, and other users of the Creek who needed to portage around the dam to continue downstream; restore aquatic habitat and fish migration previously blocked by the dam; and help reduce flooding in the Chadds Ford area. With no real storage reservoir, the dam trapped debris carried by floodwaters—increasing the artificial height of the impediment—which exacerbated flooding events in Chadds Ford and upstream of the dam. The removal of the dam was also identified as a recommended flood mitigation project in the 2025 Brandywine Flood Study—published and led by the Conservancy in partnership with Chester County Water Resources Authority and University of Delaware Water Resources Center.
“After nearly six years of planning, design work, and permitting, it’s incredibly rewarding to see the removal of the dam and the Brandywine Creek returning to its natural free-flowing state,” said Rob Daniels, project manager and Assistant Director of Community Services at the Brandywine Conservancy. “Freeing this stretch of the Creek benefits our broader mission and some of our ongoing efforts to improve recreational access to the Brandywine, lessen flooding in the Chadds Ford area, and to assist in a regional effort to facilitate the migration of American shad up the Brandywine to spawn, a migration pattern that has been stalled since the first dams were constructed in Wilmington, DE back in the early 1700s.”
“This project is a win for everyone who loves the Brandywine Creek, from the paddlers and anglers who use it to the neighbors who live alongside it and the fish and wildlife that call it home,” said Grant DeCosta, Director of the Brandywine Conservancy. “We’re grateful to our funders, partners, and broader community who have helped make this long-awaited moment possible.”
The dam removal project was funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, with support from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Chadds Ford Township, and Pennsbury Township. Engineering consultant Ramboll provided design services, guided the extensive permitting process in partnership with Conservancy staff, and oversaw the construction work. Stonewood Landshaping, a firm experienced in stream restoration and stormwater projects, conducted the dam removal.
The Conservancy coordinated with a variety of stakeholders in the vicinity of the dam site, including the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, PECO, and the East Penn Railroad. As part of the larger permitting process, input was also sought from both Townships, the Chadds Ford Historical Society (a neighbor of the project), the Chester County Planning Commission, and the Delaware County Planning Department.
To honor the site’s history, the Conservancy documented the dam with photography and video and is evaluating ways to reuse materials from the site. The Conservancy will also develop educational opportunities to share the history of Hoffman’s Mill dam and the role it played in the Chadds Ford area.
About the Brandywine Conservancy:
The Brandywine Conservancy protects water, conserves land, and engages communities. The Conservancy uses a multi-faceted approach to conservation. Staff work with private landowners who wish to see their lands protected forever and provide innovative community planning services to municipalities and other governmental agencies. Currently, the Conservancy holds more than 500 conservation and agricultural easements and has facilitated the permanent preservation of over 70,000 acres of land. The Conservancy is one of the two programs of the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art.
About the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art:
The Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art preserves and promotes the natural and cultural connections between the area’s beautiful landscape, historic sites, and important artists. It is the only organization of its kind that combines a land trust and an art museum under its dual mission. The Conservancy protects the lands and waters throughout the Brandywine Valley and other priority conservation areas, developing sustainable approaches to emerging needs and assuring preservation of majestic open spaces and protection of natural resources for generations to come. The Museum of Art presents a renowned collection of American art, with particular strengths in landscape and still life painting, portraiture, illustration, and art of the Wyeth family. A distinguished program of exhibitions creates even richer opportunities for visitors to enjoy the finest examples of American art ranging from mid-nineteenth century to contemporary. Together through its dual mission, the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art unites the inspiring experiences of art and nature, enhancing the quality of life in its community and among its diverse audiences.