header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
September 18
1962 - Articles of incorporation filed for Golden State Memorial Hospital on Lyons Avenue [story]
Golden State Hospital


Hosted by SCV Historical Society and CSUN Anthropology Dept.; Keynote address from Dr. J. David Rogers, Missouri University of Science and Technology.
| Monday, Feb 16, 2015

lw2642mIt was the second largest disaster to ever occur in the recorded history of California. Its aftermath was steeped in controversy, some of which remains to this day.

The St. Francis Dam ruptured unexpectedly (some would say otherwise) just before midnight on March 12, 1928, sending a huge wall of water down San Francisquito Canyon and the Santa Clara River Valley to the Pacific Ocean. In its wake, the flood left at least 431 deaths, along with massive destruction of homes, farms, railroads, livestock and agriculture.

The disaster forever left its mark on dam safety in the United States and worldwide, and endangered the proposed construction of the Boulder Dam on the Colorado River.

The Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society and Anthropology Department of California State University, Northridge are pleased to announce their first-ever joint symposium on the St. Francis Dam Disaster.

ej2801The two-part symposium will consist of an open roundtable discussion titled, “Current research issues on the St. Francis Dam Disaster,” to be conducted by a distinguished panel of St. Francis Dam experts at Heritage Junction in William S. Hart Park in Newhall on Saturday, March 28, from 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., to be followed by a series of talks at the Old Town Newhall Library starting at 2 p.m.

The keynote speaker at the library will be Dr. J. David Rogers of the Missouri University of Science and Technology, who will be speaking on “St. Francis Dam: What Mulholland did that led to the tragic disaster.” (He will also participate in the earlier roundtable discussion.)

There will also be short talks on the proposed St. Francis Dam National Memorial legislation and CSUN’s Forgotten Casualties Project.

The Saugus Train station is located at 24101 Newhall Avenue, Newhall, inside William S. Hart Park. The Old Town Newhall Library is located at 24500 Main St. in Newhall, California.

 

jdavidrogersAbout Dr. J. David Rogers

Dr. J David Rogers, a world-renowned expert on the St. Francis Dam disaster, is the Karl F. Hasselmann Chair in the Geological Engineering, Geological Engineering Program, Department of Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, Missouri’s premier technological research university, in Rollo, Mo.

Among many other research accomplishments, his 1992 article on the Reassessment of the St. Francis Dam Failure published by the Association of Engineering Geologists was recognized for the Rock Mechanics Award of the U.S. National Committee on Rock Mechanics and the E.B. Burwell Jr. Award of the Geological Society of America. After publishing “A Man, a Dam and a Disaster ” in 1995, his contributions to the emerging field of geoforensics were recognized by the 1996 R.H. Jahns Distinguished Lectureship in Engineering Geology Award jointly sponsored by the Association of Engineering Geologists and Geological Society of America. In 1998 he was named to the Society of Sigma Xi College of Distinguished Lecturers for the term 1999-2001. In 1994 his design of a reinforced rock cliff face on Telegraph Hill in San Francisco was recognized with the Distinguished Project Award of the Northern California Chapter of the American Public Works Association.

Dr. Rogers has 25 years of experience in evaluating the stability of natural slopes, embankments, stream channels, highways and hydraulic structures. From 1979 to 2001, he managed more than 500 projects in the western United States, Hawaii, Taiwan, the Philippines and the Middle East. He has served as principal investigator for scientific research funded by the National Science Foundation, U.S. Geological Survey, Federal Highway Administration, Department of Defense and the California and Missouri Departments of Transportation.

Dr. Rogers has served on a number of panels, which currently include the Technical Advisory Committee on Grading Standards for the California Geological Survey, the Building Codes and Dam Safety Committees of the Association of Engineering Geologists and serves as a peer reviewer for GeoHazards Research for the National Science Foundation. Dr. Rogers is a frequent lecturer to professional and academic organizations and has taught numerous short courses for universities, including the National Short Courses on Slope Stability and Landslides and Practical Slope Restoration Methods sponsored annually by the University of Wisconsin (1983-92).

Dr. Rogers’ publications on the St. Francis Dam disaster include:

* The 1928 St. Francis Dam Failure and Its Impact on American Civil Engineering;

* Impacts of the 1928 St. Francis Dam Failure on Geology, Civil Engineering, and America;

* The St. Francis Dam Failure: Worst American civil engineering disaster of the 20th Century (A Reassessment of the St Francis Dam Failure)’

* Mapping the St. Francis Dam Outburst Flood with Geographic Information Systems;

* Lessons Learned from the St. Francis Dam Failure.

The Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society and the CSUN Anthropology Department are pleased to present this joint symposium on the St. Francis Dam disaster. The public is welcome to attend. Admission will be free.  For more information on this and other upcoming programs from the SCV Historical Society, call Dr. Alan Pollack at 661-254-1275 or visit www.scvhs.org.

 

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

Leave a Comment


SCV NONPROFIT LINKS

NONPROFIT HEADLINES
Tuesday, Sep 17, 2024
The Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center welcomes back Jim Curry for an evening concert celebrating the music of John Denver on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 5 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom at Bella Vida.
Tuesday, Sep 17, 2024
The California Institute of the Arts will present the "NAACP Santa Clarita Masquerade Ball", Friday, Oct. 4, 7-11 p.m. at 24700 McBean Parkway, Valencia, CA 91355.
Friday, Sep 13, 2024
The 30th Annual Hart of the West Pow Wow will be held at William S. Hart Regional Park on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 5-6.
Thursday, Sep 12, 2024
The Acton Agua Dulce Arts Council is hosting “Spooktacular”, a Halloween-themed art exhibition, at the TAADAA Art Gallery, Saturday, Sept. 14 through Sunday, Oct. 27.
Thursday, Sep 12, 2024
The Santa Clarita Elks Lodge is hosting a Car and Bike Show Saturday, Sept. 14, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. at the lodge in Canyon Country.

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
The Master's University cross-country teams continued their successful 2024 campaigns with strong finishes at the BIOLA Invitational on Friday, Sept. 13 at Craig Regional Park in Fullerton, Calif.
TMU Women Win, Men Place Second at XC Invitational
Sheriff’s Department Announces New Law Enforcement Gang Policy
Sheriff’s Department Announces New Law Enforcement Gang Policy
The biology department at California State University, Northridge has stayed committed to promoting STEM research carried out by K-12 students and teachers in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
CSUN Student Research Journal Celebrates 28 Years of Inspiring Scientific Imagination
Did you know the SCVEDC has an interactive, online tool that provides themed virtual tours of the amazing features the community has to offer? 
Take a Virtual Tour of the Santa Clarita Valley
California Institute of the Arts alum and visionary filmmaker Tim Burton (Film/Video 1979) was honored with the 2,788th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
CalArts Alum Tim Burton Receives Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
1962 - Articles of incorporation filed for Golden State Memorial Hospital on Lyons Avenue [story]
Golden State Hospital
The Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center welcomes back Jim Curry for an evening concert celebrating the music of John Denver on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 5 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom at Bella Vida.
Oct. 5: SCV Senior Center Welcomes Jim Curry ‘Take Me Home’
As part of the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency's ongoing commitment to ensuring local groundwater quality and reliability, the SCV Water recently began construction on a new treatment facility to remove perchlorate and volatile organic compounds at Well 205 in Valencia.
SCV Water Begins New Water Treatment Project in Valencia
Get ready to set sail at the Pirates SENSES Block Party, presented by the city of Santa Clarita, Thursday, Sept 19 from 7-10 p.m. on main street in Old Town Newhall.
Sept. 19: SENSES Pirate Block Party
No. 21 College of the Canyons football team knocked off No. 5 Fullerton College 29-13 on Saturday night behind a stifling defensive effort and five field goals from Luis Rodriguez.
No. 21 Canyons Knocks Off No. 5 Fullerton 29-13
Six of the seven Foothill League Varsity football teams begin league play Friday night, Sept. 20.
Foothill League Football Begins for SCV Teams
The California Institute of the Arts will present the "NAACP Santa Clarita Masquerade Ball", Friday, Oct. 4, 7-11 p.m. at 24700 McBean Parkway, Valencia, CA 91355.
Oct. 4: NAACP Santa Clarita Masquerade Ball at Cal Arts
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is investigating two human cases of a rare parasitic infection, Baylisascaris procyonis, also known as raccoon roundworm.
Public Health Investigating Disease Spread from Animals to Humans
1879 - First official Newhall School building erected near Walnut & Ninth streets [story]
First Newhall School
The city of Santa Clarita is hosting Make A Difference Day on Saturday, Oct. 26 and is looking for enthusiastic residents to volunteer for various projects that benefit local nonprofits, as well as the city.
Oct. 26: Volunteers Needed for Make a Difference Day
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital and PathPoint announced the graduation of Aiden Land and Andrew Mendence from the Project SEARCH internship program.
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, PathPoint Celebrate Grad Interns
The William S. Hart Union High School District has announced upcoming community information meetings about Learning Post Academy Independent Study School, Thursday, Sept. 18 and Friday, Sept. 19.
Sept. 18-19: Learning Post Academy Online Information Meetings
The Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting Wednesday, Sept. 18, 5 p.m. in open session to interview and appoint a new trustee for Area 5.
Sept. 18: COC Board to Interview, Appoint Area 5 Trustee
The city of Santa Clarita wants to remind residents that volunteer registration is open for the 29th Annual River Rally Cleanup and Environmental Expo scheduled for next Saturday, Sept. 21, from 8 to 11 a.m. at the William S. Hart Pony Baseball and Softball Complex, 23780 Auto Center Drive, Santa Clarita, CA 91355.
Sept. 20: Last Chance to Register for the River Rally
The California Highway Patrol is dedicating Sept. 15-21 to promoting child passenger safety across California, focusing on the protection of the state’s youngest road users.
CHP Emphasizes Child Safety for National Child Passenger Safety Week
The regular meeting of the Saugus Union School District Governing Board will take place Tuesday, Sept. 17 beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 17: SUSD Regular Board Meeting
West Ranch High School’s Studio A Jazz Band will be the opening act for the Huntertones, a Brooklyn-based sextet, who are coming to the Santa Clarita Valley for a one-night performance.
Sept 30: West Ranch Jazz Band to Open for Huntertones
An exclusive Ransomeware webinar "Ransomeware, Don't Be the Next Victim!" will be hosted Wednesday, Sept. 25, 11 a.m.- noon by Shield IT Networks, in partnership with Lucas Insurance Services. It will be free for VIA members.
Sept. 25: Free Ransomeware Webinar for VIA Members
As part of the Third Annual Business for Artists Conference on Saturday, Oct. 19, Judith Modrak will lead the Imaginary Fossils Sculpture Making Workshop.
Oct.19: Business for Artists Fossils Sculpture Making Workshop
SCVNews.com