Detailed Notes on the 1913 Dayton Flood and Flood Control Engineering

Overview of the Dayton Area

  • Geographical Context:
    • 4 rivers converge in Dayton within one mile of each other.
    • The Miami River watershed covers 3,937 square miles and consists of 115 miles of channel, feeding into the Ohio River.
  • Flood History:
    • The area averaged one major flood every decade.

Major Rivers in Dayton

  • Rivers Converging:
    • Great Miami River
    • Mad River
    • Other significant tributaries.

Timeline of Flood Events

  • March 21, 1913:
    • Temperature at 60 degrees; a freak windstorm begins.
  • March 22, 1913:
    • Sunny day; temperatures quickly fall to the 20s (Fahrenheit).
  • March 23, 1913:
    • Easter Sunday; rain begins falling across Ohio and nearby states.
  • March 24, 1913:
    • Heavy rainfall begins, and the river reaches a high stage of 11.6 ft and continues to rise.
  • March 25, 1913:
    • 12:00 AM: levee weakening detected.
    • 5:30 AM: water appears at the top of levees, flowing at 100,000 cubic feet per second.
    • 6:00 AM: streets flooded as levees begin to fail.
    • 8:00 AM: south side levees fail, first flooding downtown area.
  • March 26, 1913:
    • Crest of flood reached at 1:30 AM.
    • Early morning gas explosion after extensive flooding.

Flood Destruction and Casualties

  • Human Impact:
    • 700 people lost their lives during the storm; 467 were from Ohio and around 300 from Dayton.
  • Animal Casualties:
    • Approximately 1,400 horses and 2,000 other domestic animals died in the flood.
  • Physical Damage:
    • Wood frame houses were decimated; buildings moved off their foundations due to floodwaters.
    • Significant damage to downtown Dayton, including mud deposits in industrial areas.

Recovery Efforts

  • Short-term Recovery:
    • Physical recovery took about a year; business recovery needed around 10 years.
    • Refugee camps were established for displaced families.
  • Long-term Flood Protection Plans:
    • Governor James Cox appointed a Citizens’ Relief Commission on March 27.
    • The Commission raised over $2 million (in 1913 dollars) in May, hiring Arthur E. Morgan to lead flood control initiatives.

Arthur E. Morgan and Flood Control Plans

  • Morgan’s Background:
    • Born in Cincinnati, OH, with a career in engineering and social reform.
    • Critic of traditional flood control methods, he emphasized scientific approaches.
  • Flood Protection Strategy Development:
    • Morgan hired 50 engineers to address flood risk in the Miami Valley.
    • Proposed comprehensive plans including:
    • Creating dry reservoirs (earthen dams) and widening river channels.
    • Implementing instream storage and training levees.
    • Ensuring that flood-prone land could be used for agriculture between floods.

Miami Conservancy District Establishment

  • Creation and Legislation:
    • In 1914, Morgan drafted the Ohio Conservancy Act, establishing conservancy districts for flood control.
    • The Miami Conservancy District was formally established in June 1915, with Morgan as president.

Flood Protection Infrastructure

  • Dams and Reservoirs Constructed:
    • Completion of five major embankment dams, including Germantown and Englewood.
    • Emphasis on flood control rather than permanent lakes.
    • Continuous monitoring and maintenance of dam structures have helped ensure their long-term integrity.

Current Flood Management and Events

  • Recent Incidents: 2004 Flooding:
    • Highest water level recorded in January, with significant storage capacity utilized across all dams.
  • Ongoing Mission:
    • Focus on maintaining healthy watersheds and sustainable communities while providing effective flood protection in the Great Miami River watershed.