Now that I have your attention, there’s a 20th Century story I’d like to tell that may assist those coping with flooding disasters in the 21st Century. The title of the diary refers to a promise citizens of Dayton, Ohio made to themselves while trapped by floodwaters in the tops of their homes.
I've posted some of this information in comments to diaries related to the current flooding situation in Iowa. But I thought it important to put it all together so anyone interested in how a community might protect itself from flooding could explore an option that doesn't include being completely dependent upon the Federal government.
The 1913 flood in Ohio and Indiana was an epic one. Dayton was its New Orleans and its Cedar Falls - ground zero for illustrating the worst of the disaster’s impact. In fact, an astrologer at the New York Times made an ominous prediction for New York City the following winter based on Dayton’s flood disaster and Omaha’s F-4 tornado spawned by that same system of storms.
The ancients believed that the entrance of the sun into the four cardinal signs, marking the commencement of the seasons, was to be noted as of great importance, holding that the condition of the heavens at such times could be used in the prediction of weather, unusual phenomena, and many matters of national import. It is therefore interesting to note that at the Vernal Equinox, 1913, the planet Saturn, always held to be a malefic influence, was exactly setting at Dayton, Ohio, and that his position in the figure for this ingress at Omaha was similarly powerful. We well know what followed at those places.
Moving from the astrological, the meteorological factors leading up to the flood included a spell of unusually warm days followed by a line of storms and strong winds topped by a coating of ice. The wind and ice disabled communications in many areas, thus reducing warning and preparation capability. Over Easter weekend, a low pressure trough stalled and sent a series of storms over Ohio and Indiana dropping ten or so inches of rain over a four day span. I’m sure Iowans can relate to these conditions.
Dayton was built along the Great Miami River. Its downtown sits at its confluence with two other major waterways – the Mad River and the Stillwater River. The runoff from the massive storm was all funneled into Dayton by the three rivers and disaster ensued. A swift current of water ran through downtown at a depth of 10 feet. You can find a brief rundown here.
After the flood, business and community leaders set up many relief efforts. But there was also a committee set up to see that such a disaster would never happen again in Dayton. Arthur Morgan was hired to draw up a plan for flood control. Arthur Morgan used a systems approach in solving the problem. At first, the project focused only on Dayton, but it was soon realized that a comprehensive project encompassing the entire river basin was necessary to effect a proper solution.
Within 60 days, 23,000 individuals and many businesses contributed to the campaign to protect the community from flooding. Sound familiar to you here in 2008?
When we reached the Old Court House lawn, where a huge replica of a Cash Register indicated the grand total of $2,150,000.00, then from the throats of the tens of thousands of our people gathered in the streets that night there went up such a roar of jubilation and enthusiastic approval as could leave no doubt of the ultimate consummation of the great project, and the touching slogan of the campaign, displayed on a huge banner mounted across the upper front of the classic old structure, "REMEMBER THE PROMISE YOU MADE IN THE ATTIC" seemed to have found its way into the hearts of our people to the end that a great and good work was already well begun.
The $2 million dollars was but the start of a project that led to the building of five dams. The citizens of Dayton did remember the promises they had made, and the city has benefited ever since from their generosity.
George Smith - Dayton Chamber of Commerce
A comprehensive project encompassing the entire river basin was a massive undertaking. A workable institutional solution for ensuring the buy-in and cooperation of the entire river basin and its myriad of communities and governments was needed.
The Miami Conservancy District is a political subdivision of the State of Ohio established June 28, 1915, under the provisions of the Conservancy Act of Ohio. The District exists for the purpose of building and maintaining flood control works in the Miami Valley. It includes portions of nine counties, namely: Montgomery, Shelby, Miami, Clarke, Greene, Warren, Preble, Butler, and Hamilton. The power to organize a District is vested in a court made up of one common pleas judge from each county. The executive direction is in the hands of three directors, appointed by this court and reporting to it. The directors in turn employed a secretary, an engineering and construction organization, sold bonds to provide the necessary funds, and proceeded to build the works...
C. N. Philips - Miami Conservancy District
Construction began in 1918 and completed in 1922. Final cost was $32 million and construction costs were amortized in 1947. The flood control system was "over-engineered" so a flood larger than the one that devastated the region could be accommodated. The system prevented a potential disaster locally during the devastating state-wide flood of 1959. That year, heavy rains fell on snow-covered frozen ground to produce a flood rivaled only by the one in 1913.
The Miami Basin flood control plans for protecting the valley against floods 40% greater than that of 1913 chiefly involved improving the carrying capacity of the Miami River and constructing earthen dams with concrete outlets and spillways. The dams created detention reservoirs, not lakes, that hold water only in times of flood.
The dams and channel enlargement were completed in 1922. By 1968, the project had retained flood waters 720 times, providing benefits in excess of costs by two to one.
US Army Corps of Engineers
Today, land behind the dams is used for park preserves, agriculture and, in the case of Huffman Dam, the flying field portion of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
The Miami Conservancy District (MCD) is a special unit of government created by the State of Ohio to operate and maintain the flood management system along the Great Miami River and its tributaries. MCD’s primary purpose is related to flood control, but the agency has been a key partner in the Dayton region’s open space, recreational trail and aquifer protection programs.
Hope this information is helpful to any community thinking about flood protection options. Dayton gave you workable airplanes, electric car starters, pop-tops for soda cans, and cash registers. Maybe it can give you a way to live peacefully beside your rivers in urban areas.
Godspeed to all of you dealing with floods right now. Hang in there. And remember all the promises you're making to yourself after this is over.