National Dam Safety Awareness Day and 125 th Anniversary Commemoration of May 31, 1889 Johnstown Flood Disaster May 31, 2014 Johnstown, PA Organized by the Johnstown Area Heritage Association (JAHA) in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO), and the National Park Service (NPS)
Construction and Sale of the Dam The Johnstown Flood South Fork Dam was initially built as a puddled 930-ft long, embankment dam on the Little Conemough River in late 1852, located about 14 miles upstream from the town of Johnstown, as part of a new Main Line canal system from Johnstown to Pittsburgh to serve the iron & steel industry. The dam rested about 450 feet above the town. Six months after the dam was finished, a newly constructed Pennsylvania Railroad line replaced the need for the canal and dam and, in 1857, the State sold the dam to the railroad. The dam gradually fell into disrepair. The idle reservoir and dam, which first failed in 1862, were eventually purchased in 1879 by a group of wealthy Pittsburgh industrialists as a private summer resort called the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club.
The Johnstown Flood (cont.) Reconstruction Around 1881, the South Fork Club rebuilt the dam, lowering its height from about 75 to 72 feet, thus reducing its spillway freeboard from about 11 to 8 feet. Following a series of dam leaks, local rock, mud, brush, hay and even horse manure were used in plugging and repairing the leaky embankment. A screen structure was built in front of the spillway entrance to keep the imported black bass from washing out and to support a wooden bridge. Early sketch of South Fork Club Dam (courtesy Johnstown Museum)
The Johnstown Flood (cont.) Dam Failure The Club kept the lake full at a depth of 65 feet and the spillway screen began to clog as runoff entered the lake from a heavy rain that began the evening of May 30, 1889 and continued throughout the morning of May 31. Men frantically tried to save the dam from the rapidly rising lake by ripping out the bridge and screens over the spillway. Water began to overtop the breast of the dam at its sag point around 3 am. Minutes later, the water cut a large notch into the embankment and the reservoir began to empty. South Fork Dam showing breach opening from inside the lake (Johnstown Museum)
The Johnstown Flood (cont.) Downstream Flooding It was estimated that the lake emptied in less than 45 minutes. Water rushed down the steep river valley at depths and velocities estimated to be up to 75 feet and 40 miles per hour, destroying small towns, a train, and houses along the way. The wave of water, along with a tremendous amount of debris - trees, houses, horses, corpses, locomotives and passenger cars - slammed into Johnstown at 4:07am. Debris left in wake of the flood (Johnstown Museum)
The Johnstown Flood (cont.) The Aftermath The floodwater left 2209 dead, hundreds injured and thousands homeless. Ninety nine families were completely wiped out, 96 children aged 10 years or less were killed. 124 women were widowed. The Penn. Railroad s massive stone bridge in downtown Johnstown formed a temporary dam trapping an incredible amount of debris, which caught fire and killed hundreds of people in the burning firestorm, before breaking loose. Today, the stone bridge still stands, remaining a symbolic reminder of the Great Johnstown Flood Disaster. Members of the Southfork Fishing & Hunting Club remained silent as the years passed. No apparent money was ever collected from the Club or its members through damage suits, including one that dragged on for several years. Early sketch of South Fork Club Dam (Johnstown Museum) Stone Bridge over the Little Conemough in Johnstown (Johnstown Museum)
Johnstown Remembers the Past The 125 th anniversary of the Johnstown Flood was commemorated on May 31, 2014, which also marked National Dam Safety Awareness Day. Johnstown, Pennsylvania, now home to almost 22,000 people, remembered the 1889 Flood with a commemoration coordinated by the Johnstown Area Historical Association (JAHA). Courtesy City of Johnstown
Johnstown Remembers the Past The 125 th anniversary and National Dam Safety Awareness Day, were celebrated with a series of public flood commemoration events, including tours of the flood museum, National Memorial & other historical places; a theatrical reading & dinner; musical offerings, and dam safety speakers.
125 th Anniversary Commemoration of the Johnstown Flood May 31, 2014 The tours and speaker events were coordinated by JAHA, FEMA, the National Park Service & Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) Tom Woosley Speakers Tom Woosley, Pres. ADSO (GA) Bruce Tschantz, Prof. Emeritus (TN) David Miller, FEMA (Wash., DC) Doug Bellamo, FEMA (Wash., DC) James Demby, FEMA (Wash., DC) Bruce Tschantz David Miller Doug Bellamo James Demby
Epilogue The 1889 failure of South Fork Dam ranks as one of the greatest disasters that the U.S. has experienced. The resulting destruction and loss of lives from this event and other notable failures that followed St. Francis, Buffalo Creek, Kelly Barnes, and many others - serve as a constant reminder of the tremendous potential destructive force that impounded water has when suddenly released from poorly constructed and maintained dams. Our 85,000 dams represent an important resource and integral part of our national infrastructure. As these dams age they deserve and require more attention that ever by their owners and operators - both federal and non-federal to ensure public safety while preserving their intended benefits.
Johnstown Flood links http://www.jaha.org/floodmuseum/history.html http://www.damsafety.org/news/?p=9c143954-013c-42cf-87c8-8a105c80e8dd http://www.pahighways.com/features/johnstownflood.html