Remembering the Victims - 1977 Flood

On this anniversary of the 1977 Johnstown Flood and I think the best thing I can think of - is to simply take a moment to remember the names of the victims - who sometimes get overlooked because those of us that survived are too busy telling our own tales. But for you younger readers - I want you to understand why you should pay attention when you hear stories about the flood - it's special because done of us ever thought it would happen again - let alone to us.

The monument in Central Park.

In all 80 men, women and children died and 8 victims are still missing to this day.

LIST OF VICTIMS:

Old Conemaugh Borough

Julie A. Luther - Age 8

Mary Ann Luther - Age 36

Hornerstown

Kimberly Keck - Age 23

Michael Vincent Keck - Age 3

Vincent Keck - Age 28

Michelle Keck - Age 2 - Still Missing

Walnut Grove

Helen Schofield - Age 61

James E. Schofield - Age 28

Donald Cover Jr. - Age 23

West End

Nancy Cooper - Age 30

Dale Borough

Marie C. Cobaugh - Age 70

Edith Faye Emmel - Age 41

Judy Emmel - Age 7

William H. Emmel - Age 43

Robert Leroy Hershberger - Age 89

Norman J. Pfeil - Age 63

Raymond Rhoads - Age 34 - Still Missing

James Edward Smith - Age 39

Todd James Smith - Age 7

Troy Jay Smith - Age 8

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LIST OF VICTIMS:

Seward

Shawn Michael Dixon - Age 11 - Still Missing

Florence Lydic - Still Missing

Strongstown

Robert Stephens - Age 40 (Stevens)

Tanneryville

Allen Lee Blough - Age 29

Desire Blough - Age 2

Jennifer Blough - Age 28

Melvin Boring - Age 36

Elvie Bowser - Age 68

Jack F. Cale - Age 67

Eliza Ann Daroczy - Age 61

Cynthia Gibson - Age 8

Ernest Shawn Gibson - Age 12

Tammy Gibson - Age 30

Theresa Gibson - Age 46

Donald Merle Keiper - Age 54

Debra Ann Mavrich - Age 15

Carol Ann Pavlosky - Age 34

Helen Pilot - Age 59

Stanley Pilot Sr. - Age 63 - Still Missing

George Piskurich - Age 64

Olga Piskurich - Age 60

Katherine Rishell - Age 55

Kathy Rishell - Age 5

LIST OF VICTIMS:

Tanneryville

Thomas Rishell - Age 34

Theodore G. Rummel - Age 64

Barbara Selders - Age 40

Robert Selders - Age 42

Donna Sowerbrower - Age 16

Mark Sowerbrower Jr. - Age 4 months - Still Missing

Charles A. Stoner Jr. - Age 59

Louella Elizabeth Stoner - Age 57

Sharen Stoner - Age 24

Sheldon W. Stoner - Age 23

Dorothy Teeter - Age 50

Allen Thomas - Age 40

Pamela Thomas - Age 10

Patricia Thomas - Age 36

Sandra Thomas - Age 12

Edith Fern Weaver - Age 55

Kenneth Weaver - Age 73

Shirley Bailey - Age 41 - Still Missing

Melissa Mitchell - Age 10 - Still Missing

Windber

Andrew Koharchik Jr. - Age 46

Marguerite Koharchik - Age 46

Summerhill

Marlin B. Mervine - Age 63

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LIST OF VICTIMS:

Dilltown

Julia Kameliski - Age 70

Dunlo

Chad Allen Gdula - Age 6

Kathleen Gdula - Age 23

James E. Smith - Age 61

Mineral Point

Harry M. Teeter - Age 74

Lula Teeter - Age 70

Richland

Robert Casciotti - Age 24

George Ribich - Age 50

Milka Ribich - Age 74

John J. Rokosz - Age 24

Howard Wilson - Age 24

George Zidzik - Age 50

Scalp Level

Helen Zidzik - Age 62

Susan Zidzik - Age 33

Seward

Greg Allen Dixon - Age 9

Myrtle Leslie - Age 77

Pauline Long - Age 53

Thelma Ressler - Age 52

Larry Edward Ressler - Age 36

The dams that surround Johnstown, stretching throughout the Conemaugh Valley, were unsuspecting accomplices in the Great Flood of 1977. 

When they failed, six dams poured more than 128 million gallons of water into the Conemaugh Valley. In comparison approximately 4.8 billion gallons were unleashed on Johnstown when the South Fork Dam burst in 1889.

A phenomenal amount of rainfall - 11.82 inches in 10 hours - was too much for both the dams and the sewers in the Conemaugh Valley. The Corps of Engineers originally called the ’77 flood a 500 year flood, but it’s been downgraded slightly since then. The dams failed because of overtopping. The dams that burst were:

Laurel Run Dam on Laurel Run. The aged old earthen dam held 101 million gallons of water. It had a 42 foot high spillway. The dam was owned by the Johnstown Water Authority. When it failed the water enveloped Tanneryville and caused deaths and heavy property losses. The Laurel Run Dam was built by Cambria or Bethlehem Steel, then sold to the Water Authority when it was created.

Sandy Run Dam on Sandy Run. The dam held 18 million gallons of water. It was owned by the Highland Water and Sewer Authority. The 63 year old dam had a spillway of 28 feet

Salix Water Dam on Otto Run. It held 2 million gallons of water. Its spillway height was under 25 feet. It is owned by the Adams Township Water Authority.

Cambria Slope Mine 33 on Sanders Run. It held 7 million gallons of water. The dam leased by Bethlehem Mines Corp. had a spillway of 32 feet

Unnamed Dam on Peggy’s Run, Franklin Borough. This dam was leased by Bethlehem Mines Corp. and held an undetermined amount of water at the time of the flood because it was used as a catch basin.

An unnamed impoundment dam east of Johnstown at St. Michael held less than 1,000 gallons. It was a reserve dam for Bethlehem Mines Corp.

The dams were simply overwhelmed. After overtopping, water eroded the earthen embankments. There was total failure of five dams. The sixth, Cambria Slope Mine 33, retained about two-thirds of its contents.

The dams had not shown any defects in past inspections and no trouble was reported in them by the Pennsylvania Dept. Of Environmental Resources (DER). 

Without the work of the Army Corp. of Engineers and the Flood Control Project. A lot of you reading this post right now - would be dead.....