Johnstown Flood

https://www.nps.gov/jofl/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnstown_Flood_National_Memorial Johnstown Flood National Memorial commemorates the approximately 2,200 people who died in the Johnstown Flood on May 31, 1889, caused by a break in the South Fork Dam, an earthen structure. The memorial is located at 733 Lake Road near South Fork, Pennsylvania, about 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Johnstown. The memorial preserves the remains of the dam and portions of the former Lake Conemaugh bed, along with the farm of Elias Unger and the clubhouse of the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club which owned the dam and reservoir. The South Fork Dam failed on Friday, May 31, 1889, and unleashed 20,000,000 tons of water that devastated Johnstown, PA. The flood killed 2,209 people but it brought the nation and the world together to aid the "Johnstown sufferers." The story of the Johnstown Flood reminds us all, "...that we must leave nothing undone for the preservation and protection of our brother men." Take US Route 219 to the St Michael/Sidman exit. At the end of the exit ramp head East on PA 869 (there is a park sign at the end of the exit ramp). Travel approximately 1.5 miles on PA 869 watching for a left turn onto Lake Road at the sign for Johnstown Flood National Memorial. Follow Lake Road 1.5 miles until the visitor center appears on your right. Please park safely in the designated parking lot and not block any emergency access roads. Johnstown Flood National Memorial Visitor Center The Visitor Center has two floors of displays that explain the history of the South Fork Dam, the South Fork Fishing & Hunting Club, and how and why the 1889 Johnstown Flood occurred. There is also a 35 minute film,"Black Friday," shown every :15 past the hour, with the first showing of the day at 9:15 and the last showing at 4:15. Take US Route 219 to the St Michael/Sidman exit. At the end of the exit ramp head East on PA 869. There is a park sign at the end of the exit ramp. Travel approximately 1.5 miles on PA 869 watching for a left turn onto Lake Road at the sign for Johnstown Flood National Memorial. Follow Lake Road 1.5 miles until the visitor center appears on your right. Please park safely in the designated parking lot and not block any emergency access roads. The Lake View Farm Barn and spring house The Lake View Farm Lake View House Farm house Lake View House The Double Cottage Cottage The Double Cottage once served as a structure for the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club The remains of the South Fork Dam Remains of the dam Remains of the South Fork Dam with snow The Lippincott Cottage Cottage The Lippincott Cottage once served as a structure for the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club Park entrance sign Park entrance sign Park entrance sign The remains of the South Fork Dam Dam remains The remains of the South Fork Dam The remains of the South Fork Dam Dam remains The remains of the South Fork Dam South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club Club House Club house South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club Club House The remains of the South Fork Dam Dam remains The remains of the South Fork Dam The Carriage Road Nature Trail can be accessed from the picnic area or near the South Abutment. Trail sign The Carriage Road Nature Trail can be accessed from the picnic area or near the South Abutment. The portalettes near the picnic area. Picnic pavilion The portalettes near the picnic area. A Walk Through the Ruins starts near the South Abutment. Wooden sign A Walk Through the Ruins starts near the South Abutment. Visitor Center theater shows the park film "Black Friday" at :15 past the hour. Theater seats The park movie "Black Friday" play at :15 past the hour in the Visitor Center. The Visitor Center bookstore has many items available for purchase. Bookstore The Visitor Center bookstore NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Johnstown Flood National Memorial, Pennsylvania Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. Links to products from Baseline Geologic and Soil Resources Inventories provide access to maps and reports. railroad tracks and remains of dam Twenty Years of Partnership: The Johnstown Flood National Memorial and Forest Hills Elementary School Team Up to Prepare for the Flood Anniversary Every year on May 31, Johnstown Flood National Memorial lights 2,209 luminary bags that are placed on the remains of the South Fork Dam and behind the Visitor Center for each victim of the flood. Johnstown Flood National Memorial and Forest Hills Elementary School have been teaming up for twenty years to prepare the bags. Each year, the fifth grade students write the name of a flood victim on each bag. Forest Health in a Regional Context Eight Inventory and Monitoring networks have been collaborating on forest health monitoring since 2005. Participants include 61 national parks in the eastern United States. As a result of this collaboration, vegetation data are collected in similar ways, which allows us to compare various parks across the region. One person on the forest floor collecting data, while another records the data So Many Mushrooms! It started as a personal project. Biological technician Sarah Daugherty would be out collecting data for the Eastern Rivers and Mountains Network’s forest health monitoring program, and notice so many cool mushrooms. She started taking photos and jotting down what she saw. Soon, she noticed that many of the species she was finding weren't on park species lists. Discussing her discoveries with her colleagues, everyone agreed that a more formal fungi inventory was in order. Mushrooms of different colors, shapes, and sizes, laid out next to each other on a floor Bat Population Monitoring in western Pennsylvania national parks White-nose syndrome has decimated the populations of several bat species across the Northeast and research indicates that bat populations in western Pennsylvania national parks have been affected by the disease. Many species that were once common, are now rare. In order to better protect bats, the National Park Service continues to study how bat populations are changing. A northern long-eared bat showing symptoms of white-nose syndrome. Western Pennsylvania Virtual Junior Ranger Learn about the everyday heroes at five western Pennsylvania National Park Sites who rose to the challenges that faced them and made history. Answer questions and learn about Allegheny Portage Railroad national Historic Site, Flight 93 National Memorial, Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Friendship Hill National Historic Site and Johnstown Flood National Memorial to become a Virtual Junior Ranger. A collage of employees and kids and the question 2019 Weather In Review: Johnstown Flood National Memorial It was warm and wet in 2019. In all, it was the 20th warmest and 22nd wettest year on record for the park. Dark storm clouds gathering over fields. Forest Health Monitoring in Johnstown Flood National Memorial The forests of Johnstown Flood National Memorial are critical park resources that perform many important functions. They create habitat for hundreds of plant and animal species, maintain soil stability, and protect water quality. Besides providing a beautiful setting for people to recreate in, forests also influence our weather and reduce some gases that contribute to climate change. The Eastern Rivers & Mountains Network has been monitoring forest health here since 2007. Small yellow flower on the forest floor. Silent Witnesses, Old Trees are Hiding in Our Midst An article about old trees in Eastern Rivers and Mountains Network (ERMN) parks. ERMN scientists have collected cores from two "average" looking canopy trees adjacent to every permanent long-term forest health monitoring plot in network parks. Of the 700 trees cored, over 60 of them hovered near 200 years old. A woman uses an increment borer to take a core sample from a tree. Celebrating soils across the National Park System First in a series of three "In Focus" articles that share insights into the near-universal and far-reaching effects of soils on the ecology, management, and enjoyment of our national parks. Fossil soils at Cabrillo National Monument reveal marine deposits Goats assist with the Lakebed Rehabilitation Project The Lakebed Rehabilitation Project at Johnstown Flood National Memorial continues to move forward. One of the goals of the project is to restore the view to what the lakebed looked like shortly after the dam broke on May 31, 1889. This area was cleared about thirty years ago, but vegetation has since grown back. There are many places that machine and man cannot clear with safety. That is where Allegheny Goatscape and a herd of twelve goats come in. National Park Service Commemoration of the 19th Amendment In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment the National Park Service has developed a number of special programs. This includes online content, exhibits, and special events. The National Park Service’s Cultural Resources Geographic Information Systems (CRGIS) announces the release of a story map that highlights some of these programs and provides information for the public to locate and participate. Opening slide of the 19th Amendment NPS Commemoration Story Map 2020 Weather In Review: Johnstown Flood National Memorial Like much of western Pennsylvania, the weather during 2020 at Johnstown Flood National Memorial was very warm but precipitation was near normal. The year ended as the 5th warmest and 58th driest on record. Red barn and a white house in a green field. All Hope is Not Lost – Parks plan strategically to treat invasive plants Managing invasive plant species can seem like an endless and insurmountable challenge, but parks are using a new strategic collaborative tool to protect their most valuable resources. Four photos show invasive plants spreading over an area during 12 years 2021 Weather In Review: Johnstown Flood National Memorial The year 2021 was very warm and was also wetter than normal at Johnstown Flood National Memorial. In all, the year ended as the 5th warmest and 30th wettest on record. The Lake View House Resilient Forests Initiative - Managing Invasive Plants & Pests Park forests are threatened by invasive plants and pests. Strategically tackling invasive plants to protect park’s highest priority natural resources and planning around forest pests and pathogens are important actions in managing resilient forests. Forest Regeneration Series: Managing Resilient Forests Initiative for Eastern National Parks Forests in the northeastern U.S. are in peril. Over-abundant deer, invasive plants, and insect pests are negatively impacting park forests, threatening to degrade the scenic vistas and forested landscapes that parks are renowned for. With regional collaboration, parks can manage these impacts and help forests be resilient. This article series explores tools available to park managers to achieve their goals. Healthy forests have many native seedlings and saplings. I&M Networks Support Resilient Forest Management NPS Inventory and Monitoring Networks have been tracking forest health in eastern national parks since 2006. This monitoring information can guide resilient forest management and support parks in adapting to changing conditions through the actions described below. Forest health monitoring Managing Resilient Forests. A Regional Initiative Forests cover tens of thousands of acres in eastern national parks and these critical resources face a range of interacting stressors: over-abundant white-tailed deer populations, invasive plant dominance, novel pests and pathogens, among other threats. The Resilient Forests Initiative will help parks address these issue collectively. Forest health monitoring 2022 Weather in Review: Johnstown Flood National Memorial The year 2022 was warmer and wetter than normal at Johnstown Flood National Memorial. In all, the year ended as the 42nd warmest and 36th wettest since 1895. A farmhouse and barn under a blue sky 2023 Weather in Review: Johnstown Flood National Memorial The year 2023 was very hot at Johnstown Flood National Memorial. In contrast, total annual precipitation was close to normal. In all, the year ended as the 4th warmest and 59th driest since 1895. A beige house (the Unger farmhouse) with reddish-brown trim. Updated Species Database Will Help Boost Amphibian Conservation Across the National Park System To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation. A toad sits on red sand, looking into the camera. Inventory & Monitoring Partnerships Aim to Improve Park Forest Health from Coast to Coast From coast to coast, the NPS Inventory and Monitoring Division is helping park managers improve the health and function of forest ecosystems. From promoting resilient forests in the Northeast, to conserving whitebark pine in the West, to protecting Hawaiian forest birds from avian malaria, scientific partnerships are helping parks to share information, leverage funding sources, and work together for outcomes that extend beyond what any park could accomplish on its own. Four people, one in NPS uniform, stand in a forest. Three look upward through binoculars. Project Profile: Managing Resilient Eastern Forests The National Park Service will improve the ecological health of eastern forests in 38 parks using an array of management techniques. The NPS has selected forest ecosystems of high ecological and cultural value across multiple parks from Virginia to Maine that are at greatest risk of forest loss due to chronic and interacting stressors. Person gazes up at a tall tree