The Lights of Los Angeles Flickered ...
... momentarily at 11:57 1/2 p.m. on March 12 as the dam collapsed. The wall of water began its 54-mile trek to the sea at 18 miles per hour and by the time it reached Montalvo it was traveling at 6 miles per hour. In less than 70 minutes the reservoir was emptied of 12.4 billion gallons of water.
Since the floodwaters did most of their damage in the dark of night there are no photographs of the destruction as it was happening. This artist's rendering of a house being swept away by the massive power of the flood gave people some small idea of what it must have looked like.
Ventura County Engineer Charles Petit estimated the damage to highway and bridges in the county at $152,000. The county steam shovel was soon put to work filing in the gaps cut into the highway. Estimates included highway pavement above Piru, $10,000; Willard Bridge, Santa Paula, $40,000; Bardsdale Bridge, Fillmore, $80,000; Saticoy Bridge approach, $2,000 and Montalvo Bridge, $30,000. The most extensive highway damage was at a point just west of the county line near Edison Camp. The heaviest bridge damage was to the Bardsdale Bridge, which was taken out entirely.
About 30 ft. of the north approach to the Willard Bridge was washed out. The oil companies needed to get their crews back and forth across the river so they ran a steel cable from the north end of the bridge cross the stream and anchored it to firm ground. A large hanging drum was rolled along the cable to carry oil workers across the river.
Over 24,000 acres of fertile land were swept away. Over 140,000 trees were destroyed or damaged. 400 homes were repaired and over 400 new homes built. Over 100 water wells had to be re-dug. 17 miles of pipelines had to be re-laid and 12 miles of ditches had to be re-dredged. 100 miles of fences were rebuilt. 10,569 acres of agricultural crops were swept away.
Other Dam Failures
Name of the Dam
Location of the Dam
Year of Failure
St. Francis California 1928 Swift Montana 1964 Oros Brazil 1960 Apishope Colorado 1923 Hell Hole California 1964 Schaeffer Colorado 1921 Granite Creek Alaska 1971 (discharge at 5 mi downstream) Little Dear Creek Utah 1963 Castlewood Colorado 1933 Baldwin Hills California 1963 Hatchtown Utah 1914 Lower Two Medicine Montana 1964 Teton Idaho 1976 Note: This chart prepared by engineers of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Shows that 12 major dams have failed in the United States since the St. Francis Dam disaster of March 12-13, 1928 - revised F.A.B. - G.W.K. 1976 more information
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