Laurel Run Dam
| Laurel Run Dam | |
|---|---|
 Location of Laurel Run Dam in USA Pennsylvania
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| Location | West Taylor Township, Cambria County, near Johnstown, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. |
| Construction began | 1915 |
| Opening date | 1919 |
| Demolition date | July 20, 1977 |
| Owner(s) | Johnstown Water Authority |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Earthen embankment |
| Impounds | Laurel Run Creek |
| Height | 42 feet (13 m) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Laurel Run Reservoir |
| Total capacity | 101,000,000 US gallons (380,000 m3) |
| Catchment area | 18 square miles (47 km2) |
| Surface area | 22 acres (89,000 m2) |
The Laurel Run Dam, also known as Laurel Run Dam No. 2, was an earthen embankment dam that failed during the 1977 Johnstown flood. It had the largest reservoir of seven dams to fail between July 19 and 20, 1977 and caused the most fatalities of the two that did. The dam failed in the early morning of July 20 after period of heavy rain, causing 101 million US gallons (380,000 m3) of water to flood downstream Tanneryville, killing 40 people.
History
During the 1860s, the Johnstown Water Company was planning new infrastructure to meet the municipal water needs of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Laurel Run and Wild Cat Creeks were initially selected as sources and a dam was constructed on Laurel Run Creek in 1869 that impounded the 9 million US gallons (34,000 m3) Laurel Run reservoir No. 1. Water was transferred from the reservoir through an 18,000-foot 16-inch cast iron pipe to Main and Market Streets in the old Johnstown Borough. Due to contamination and larger reservoirs being built, the Laurel Run reservoir No. 1 was abandoned in 1910.[1]
After the Saltlick Reservoir was completed, workers and equipment were moved to construct the new Laurel Run reservoir No. 2 in 1915. The dam and reservoir were complete in 1919 and held a capacity of 101 million US gallons (380,000 m3) of water. The dam was also designed for future enlargement.[2]
1977 failure
On the night of July 19, 1977, heavy rains drenched the Johnstown area; at 2:35 A.M. on July 20, the Laurel Run Dam failed. The resulting flood killed 40 people, destroyed 9 homes, and damaged 19 others in downstream Tanneryville. Most residents were asleep at the time and there was no warning system in place along the narrow 3-mile (4.8 km) valley below the dam. In addition, the rain and night-time conditions limited any escape.[3] Overall, the failure caused US$5.3 million in damages (US$ 21 million in 2024) .[4] The Laurel Run Dam was over-topped with water which eroded its structure. Six other dams failed that day, four were small and two were minor in size.[5] The Sandy Run Dam failure killed five people and was the only other failure to cause deaths.[4]
Aftermath
After the events of July, 1977, the Laurel Run Dam was never rebuilt by the Johnstown Water Authority. In 1990, the land below and including the site of the dam was designated the "Laurel Run Park" by West Taylor Township. Today, the exact site of the dam is now a grassy field scattered with planted trees and a park bench near the creek. The area that was the reservoir is now wetlands filled with various plants and animals.
See also
- South Fork Dam – Built in 1853, its failure caused the 1889 Johnstown Flood.
- Dam failure
References
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