From deadly weather like hurricanes and tornadoes to devastating wildfires, there have been a number of horrific disasters in Georgia history. One incident that took place in the 1970s was particularly tragic, taking dozens of lives and living in infamy for those who live in the area. The Kelly Barnes Dam was located just outside of Toccoa and its collapse in the fall of 1977 was one of the worst disasters in the history of the Peach State. Let’s take a look back in time at this catastrophic event:

Kelly Barnes Dam was constructed in 1899 and improvements were made in 1933. The dam created a reservoir that was used to power a small hydroelectric power plant for the city of Toccoa. After World War II, the dam was raised again, enlarging the reservoir to become the 40-acre Barnes Lake.
Vernon B. Sauer/Wikimedia Commons
In 1957, power production was stopped at the site, but Barnes Lake was a popular recreation site, so the dam remained.
The dam was primarily made of earthen materials like residual soils and silt, with a rock foundation. It stood tall for decades until one tragic day in 1977.
Federal Investigative Board, Kelly Barnes Dam/Wikimedia Commons
November 1977 saw heavy rains in the area, with more than seven inches falling in just three days. In the middle of the night on November 6, the dam finally burst after Barnes Lake had swelled to nearly twice its usual volume.
Vernon B. Sauer/Wikimedia Commons

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The dam's burst caused 24,000 cubic feet of water to storm downstream each second.
Federal Investigative Board, Kelly Barnes Dam/Wikimedia Commons
The flood was immensely destructive, killing 39 people, destroying dozens of homes, two bridges, and multiple buildings at nearby Toccoa Falls College.
Mr. Glenn Schwartz/Wikimedia Commons
In all, $2.8 million in damage took place in a single day.
A federal investigation took place after the accident, but no specific cause was found.
Vernon B. Sauer/Wikimedia Commons
Today, Toccoa Falls College has a memorial to those who died in this tragic accident, and the event will live on forever in the minds of those who lived in the area at the time.

Do you remember this historic accident in Georgia? Share your memories in the comments!

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