Flood control dams: Top 10 times they held water, prevented bigger disasters

As much as 5.6 inches of rain ran off frozen ground in January 1959 and caused localized flooding, which forced evacuations, closed schools, destroyed property and took at least two area lives, according to Dayton Daily News accounts from the time. During that time, the five Miami Conservancy District dams held back the largest amount of water since they were completed in 1922, preventing a greater catastrophe like the Great Flood of 1913. Pictured here is a scene on Minty Avenue. DAYTON DAILY NEWS ARCHIVE, WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES' SPECIAL COLLECTIONS & ARCHIVES

Credit: DAYTON DAILY NEWS ARCHIVE, WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES' SPECIAL COLLECTIONS & ARCHIVES

Credit: DAYTON DAILY NEWS ARCHIVE, WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES' SPECIAL COLLECTIONS & ARCHIVES

As much as 5.6 inches of rain ran off frozen ground in January 1959 and caused localized flooding, which forced evacuations, closed schools, destroyed property and took at least two area lives, according to Dayton Daily News accounts from the time. During that time, the five Miami Conservancy District dams held back the largest amount of water since they were completed in 1922, preventing a greater catastrophe like the Great Flood of 1913. Pictured here is a scene on Minty Avenue. DAYTON DAILY NEWS ARCHIVE, WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES' SPECIAL COLLECTIONS & ARCHIVES
Local News
By Chris Stewart
March 21, 2021
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The Miami Conservancy District’s five dams have stored potential floodwater 2,048 times from their completion in 1922 through 2020. The number of storage events has climbed in recent decades, exceeding 300 events from 2010-2019, according to MCD.

The largest storage event since the system was put in place to prevent another disaster like the Great Flood of 1913 occurred in January 1959. Despite the severity of the 1959 event, just 16% of the five dams’ total 841,000 acre-feet storage capacity was used, according to MCD records.

ExploreINVESTIGATION: Time taking toll on century-old flood control dams

Here are the top 10 storage events since the flood protection system was put into operation.

The region’s flood control dams held back 44.8 billion gallons of potential floodwater in January 1959, the largest storage event since the completion of the system following the Great Flood of 1913. Despite the severity of the 1959 event, just 16% of the five dams’ total storage capacity was used, according to Miami Conservancy District records.

Credit: MIAMI CONSERVANCY DISTRICT

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Credit: MIAMI CONSERVANCY DISTRICT

PHOTOS: When flood control dams prevented greater disaster in 1959

Here are two pages of coverage of the 1959 weather event from the Dayton Journal Herald and Dayton Daily News.

As much as 5.6 inches of rain ran off frozen ground in January 1959 and caused localized flooding, which forced evacuations, closed schools, destroyed property and took at least two area lives, according to Dayton Daily News accounts from the time. During that time, the five Miami Conservancy District dams held back the largest amount of water since they were completed in 1922, preventing a greater catastrophe like the Great Flood of 1913.

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As much as 5.6 inches of rain ran off frozen ground in January 1959 and caused localized flooding, which forced evacuations, closed schools, destroyed property and took at least two area lives, according to Dayton Daily News accounts from the time. During that time, the five Miami Conservancy District dams held back the largest amount of water since they were completed in 1922, preventing a greater catastrophe like the Great Flood of 1913.

icon to expand image

The fifth-largest storage event on record took place over a four-day span in December 2013.

Taylorsville Dam holds back water on Dec. 22, 2013. The storage event over a four-day span in December 2013 is the fifth-largest event on record of total water held back by all the Miami Conservancy District Dams. MIAMI CONSERVANCY DISTRICT PHOTO

Credit: MIAMI CONSERVANCY DISTRICT

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Credit: MIAMI CONSERVANCY DISTRICT

ExploreDams holding back more water in recent decades in southwest Ohio
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