Johnstown Flood

     The South Fork Dam was destroyed May 31, 1889 when 20 million tons of water leaked through the dam.The dam began to disintegrate, and on May 31 the lake's water level passed over the top of the dam. The disaster killed 2,209 people & caused the US, 17 million dollars in damage. In today’s economy that would translate to 425 million dollars.

     People were used to floods in that area.Most just took the same simple precautions they did when Little Conemaugh River flooded: They moved their belongings to the second story of their homes and settled down to wait out the storm.On May 28, 1889, a storm formed in Kansas and traveled east. Two days later it hit the Johnstown area which was in between the Little Conemaugh River & Stony Creek. It was also 14 miles downstream from Lake Conemaugh. When several days of heavy rain struck the area in late May 1889, club officials struggled to reinforce the neglected dam, which was under tremendous pressure from the swollen waters of Lake Conemaugh.