Episode 6: To the Brim:
The Dam that Saved Rochester?
In the Summer of 1972, the Mount Morris Dam stood between Rochester and Hurricane Agnes, one of the most devastating storms to ever hit the United States. The storm threatened to flood the Genesee River and send thousands of cubic yards of degree hurtling into the city. Despite the water almost over-topping the dam, the city was protected.
We examine the history of the Mount Morris Dam, Hurricane Agnes' impact on upstate New York, and questions surrounding the continued efficacy of dams in light of climate change.
Max Creamer
Producer
Rose Frank
Sound Engineer
Ronin Ross
Lead Researcher
Works Cited:
Brayle, G. Mt. Morris Dam, Letchworth State Park, New York. Bassett’s Art Shop, 1992.
Demarco, Megan. “June 22 - Hurricane Agnes Rips through Rochester.” Democrat and Chronicle, June 22, 2013. https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/local/blogs/history/2013/06/22/june-22-hurricane-agnes-rips-through-rochester/2448261/#:~:text=Today%20is%20June%2022.,streams%2C%20and%20lakes%20to%20flood.
Digest of Federal Resource Laws of interest to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Flood Control Act of 1944. (n.d.). https://web.archive.org/web/20101203042456/http://www.fws.gov/laws/lawsdigest/FLOOD.HTML
Doty R., Lockwood, ed. History of Livingston County, New York. F.A. Owen Publishing Company; Dansville, NY, 1905.
Gregory, Christine. “It’s Been 49 Years since Flooding Rains from Hurricane Agnes Struck Portions of WNY.” RochesterFirst, June 25, 2021. https://www.rochesterfirst.com/weather/weather-blog/its-been-49-years-since-flooding-rains-from-hurricane-agnes-struck-portions-of-wny/.
“Hurricane Agnes: Fifty Years Later.” U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters Website, July 22, 2022. https://www.usace.army.mil/About/History/Historical-Vignettes/Relief-and-Recovery/153-Hurricane-Agnes/#:~:text=Fifty%20years%20ago%20this%20summer,millions%20of%20dollars%20in%20damages.
Jackson, Leon E., Howard Harding, and John E. Fredericks. The Genesee River Valley and its Relation to the Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation. Rochester, NY, 1943.
New York State Flood Control Commission, United States Department of the Army Corps of Engineers. (1952). Dedication of Mt. Morris Dam. https://www.livingstoncounty.us/DocumentCenter/View/15847/Dedication-of-Mt-Morris-Dam-1952?bidId=
Sweet, Stephen. “The Original Mount Morris Dam.” Allegany County Historical Society, n.d. https://www.alleganyhistory.org/index.php/culture/transportation/waterways/3874-the-original-mount-morris-dam.
“The AGNES Disaster.” The Military Engineer, Vol. 64, No. 422 (November-December 1972), pp. 381-387. https://www.jstor.org/stable/44574579
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: A history. Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of History, 2008.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Buffalo District, Mount Morris Dam. (n.d.). https://web.archive.org/web/20060207161558/http://www.lrb.usace.army.mil/WhoWeAre/MMD/MMD.html