What was the greatest loss of life from dam failure in the US was at Johnstown PA?

After several days of heavy rainfall in May 1889, the South Fork Dam 14 miles upstream of Johnstown in Pennsylvania failed catastrophically. The resulting flood of 1889 killed more than 2,200 people and caused US$17m damage. It is still the worst dam disaster in US history.



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1879-Reilly sold the dam to Benjamin Ruff, who bought it in the name of the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club of Pittsburgh. The Club inadequately patched the holes from the 1862 break; never replaced the sluice pipes; lowered the top of the dam to make it wider for carriages; and put fish screens over the spillway.

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The largest dam removal project in American history is currently underway on the Klamath River, along the Oregon-California border in the western Rockies. This ambitious effort seeks to reinstate the natural flow of rivers, enhance fish habitats, and restore ecosystems in collaboration with Native American tribes.

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