Pickering Creek crests over dam near Phoenixville, Pennsylvania
Along Route 23 near Phoenixville, Pickering Creek was gushing water.
PHOENIXVILLE, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- The severe storms that hit the area on Wednesday left the Schuylkill River flowing high, muddy and powerful on Thursday.
It was enough to flood entire neighborhoods surrounding Port Province Road in Phoenixville, Chester County which was blocked off to traffic.
Neighbor Jeff Rubin was now assessing the damage at his home along Pawlings Road.
"You see the water line on (my car) about 1:30 in the morning. I looked out, and the lights were on in the car but they were submerged. It came up so fast. At about 11 o' clock you could still get out the driveway. It's never come up this far in 30 years," said Rubin.
"This had to be 35 feet high. The swimming pool was totally underwater," he continued.
Along Route 23 near Phoenixville, Pickering Creek was gushing water.
"This is one of the major roadways that gets you in and out of town. This roadway is usually 20 feet above where the creek typically is, so to see it this high... it's just over the top," said a neighbor, Chris.
There were worries the dam would be no match for the overflowing Pickering Creek.
"There was a concern of there being a failure and that we needed to issue evacuations," said Schuylkill Township Manager E.J. Mentry.
Thankfully, by 8 a.m., the evacuation notice for areas in Montgomery and Chester counties downstream of the dam was lifted.
Aqua America, the water supplier in the area, says because of the flooding and power outages customers in Chester and Montgomery counties should suspend non-essential water use.
