A Tale of Two Dams, Forty-Five Years Apart, and the Memories of a Nine Year Old Flood Victim
They say history repeats itself. After weeks of rain following six years of drought in California, and damage to an emergency spillway of the Oroville Dam, there are new concerns with the forecasts of an additional ten inches of rain this week. The added rain will again strain the reservoir behind the spillway and potentially lead to a catastrophic failure of the dam and massive flooding. Butte, Sutter and Yuba counties in northern California are under evacuation warnings and the risk of severe flooding.
Watching the events unfolding in Oroville, California over the past week brings back memories from when I was nine years old and Hurricane Agnes hit. Hurricane Agnes which struck in 1972 was one of worst natural disasters to ever hit Maryland. According to the Baltimore Sun Newspaper, reporting on the fortieth anniversary of Hurricane Agnes; the storm caused billions of dollars in damage making it one of the costliest storms in our nation’s history. The storm raged for several days before dropping an estimated 14 inches of rain in a matter of a few hours on June 21, 1972. The downpour of rain in a very short period of time wreaked havoc and raise the waters of the Brighton and Rocky Gorge Dams.
I remember going to bed that night not realizing anything was wrong and was awakened by the sound of raging flood waters caving in the back door to our house. The water quickly filled four of the five levels of our home. Fearing the flood waters would completely engulf our home my parents decided to leave our home and walk through the moving flood waters across the street to a neighbor’s house which sat on higher ground. My mother and father carried the two youngest children in the arms. Our next door neighbor carried another brother on his shoulders and my older brother and I held my parents hands as we waded chest high through the water. The water’s speed made it difficult for my brother and I to keep our balance and I was afraid I would fall and be taken away by the water. We all made it safely across the street where a short time later firefighters in boats rescued us.
What my parents and other residents didn’t realize at the time was that the flooding wasn’t caused by Hurricane Agnes. The flood was manmade, and occurred when the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) and the operators of the Brighton Dam decided to open the floodgates to conduct a “controlled” release of water to ease the pressure of the rising water in the dam.
The WSSC was responsible for supplying water to 1.8 million residents in the state of Maryland. Fearing that the dam would break, WSSC officials decided to open several floodgates to release the water pressure. The release of thousands of gallons of water from the dam caused major flooding in many low lying regions down river. Emergency warning sirens failed to sound, leaving people trapped in their houses when the floodwaters poured into the streets and into their homes.
The storm and associated flooding destroyed homes and business, washed out bridges and roadways, and killed nineteen people in Maryland. The rains of Hurricane Agnes also caused massive flooding from Pennsylvania to North Carolina.
Electricity and phone lines were knocked out for weeks and millions of gallons of sewage spilled into the streets and waterways. I can remember my parents boiling water for several weeks. Most Marylanders who lived in the floodplain were never told by the builder or their real estate agent that their neighborhoods were located in a floodplain, therefore; the homeowners did not have flood insurance. President Nixon declared Maryland a disaster area. The Red Cross responded by assisting with the cleanup which took almost a year. The Federal Government provided low interest loans to residents to help with the rebuilding.
The similarities between the controlled release of water from the Oroville Dam’s main and emergency spillways and the Brighton Dam release that I experienced are eerily similar. The owners of both dams never thought water would elevate to a level in which a controlled release would be necessary to save the dams. The lack of pre-planning for such an event and the lack of timely information to the residents in the floodplain during the event compounded the danger to human life.
As soon as the flood waters receded my family and the other sixty or so families who lived in our neighborhood worked together and began the recovery process. Neighbors and friends systematically went from home to home. They worked together and tore out drywall, insulation and flooring and then re-installing new. Once the drywall and flooring was in place we painted each home trying to ease the memory of that tragic night. The process took several months. What I think was even more remarkable is the bonds that were built along the way. It was as if we all became members of one giant family. We began referring to ourselves as “The Block”. Forty-five years later we are still one tightly knit family. We share milestones and support each other during loss. We all embrace “love thy neighbor” and overcame the sorrow Hurricane Agnes and the flood tried to bestow upon us. We are shining examples of resilience and much strong from the common journey we shared.
The destruction that Mother Nature, hurricanes and massive flooding can cause can be disastrous. To rely on private companies to adequately prepare for all potential hazards may be unrealistic. A well informed consumer and individual pre-planning are the best defense.
FEMA advocates taking action now. Their website specifically states: Protecting yourself today means having sources for information, preparing your home or workplace, developing an emergency communications plan, and knowing what to do when a flood is approaching your home or business. Taking action today can save lives and property.
FEMA’s website provides several resources to help citizens develop and action plan in the event of a flood emergency. FEMA offers a suggestion for preparing a Disaster Supply Kit and Evacuation Tips. FEMA has even developed a Pet Plan to help protect our four legged family members. The link for FEMA Flood Preparedness is:
https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/90164
In addition, FEMA’s “How to prepare for a Flood” offers a twelve page information guide outlining personal goals for flood protection. Included in the guide are tips for personal protection, property protection and risk management. The guide also tells consumers where to find emergency notifications, other alerts, evacuation notices and the difference between a flood watch, flood warning and a flash flood watch. The How to prepare for a Flood” Information Guide can be found at:
FEMA reminds us all to — Be Smart. Take Part. Prepare!
