1936 Northeastern United States flood

The winter of 1935–36 was particularly cold, and more snowfall than usual fell in the Northeast. When March arrived, along with warmer temperatures, this snow began to melt, causing water levels in rivers to rise. This was aggravated by several precipitation-heavy storm systems, which hit the region back to back in early to mid March. The first of these storm systems hit the region starting on March 9, associated with a warm front which stalled over the area. Significant amounts of rain fell, with amounts as high as reported in Northern New England. A second storm system arrived around March 18, which produced even more rain than the previous one. Pinkham Notch in New Hampshire recorded of rain between March 18 and 19. In its report on the flooding, the United States Geological Survey described March 1936 in no uncertain terms: "The depths of rainfall mark this period as one of the greatest concentrations of precipitation, in respect to time and magnitude of the area covered, of which there is record in this country." == First flood ==

Starting on March 12, flooding was observed across the Northeast, from Maine to Pennsylvania. Significant damage was caused by ice jams on numerous rivers, including the Hudson River. Twenty people were confirmed dead from flooding on March 13. The flooding was somewhat arrested by a freeze starting on March 13. Massachusetts The Holyoke Dam had a section ripped out by an ice jam. Connecticut In what was hailed as the "worst Connecticut floods in years", major damage occurred to transportation links, industries, and homes alike. The New Haven Railroad and Central Vermont Railway both reported numerous washouts along their tracks, while houses were carried away along the flooded Housatonic River in the western part of the state. Across the state, evacuations were ordered in low-lying areas near rivers, with some families being rescued from their homes by rowboats. == Second flood ==

In the immediate aftermath of the March 18 storm, catastrophic flooding began. In addition to every state in the Northeast, flooding also occurred in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Washington, D.C., West Virginia, and Ohio. Many of the rivers were filled with ice, which served to further increase the damage. Across New England, and especially in the northernmost states, ice jams and floating ice destroyed numerous bridges and caused damage to buildings. Maine The Kennebec River was the scene of major flooding, resulting in multiple bridges being destroyed by floating ice. The same day, a dam broke in Uxbridge, causing a high wall of water to flow down the Blackstone Valley. The Merrimack River crested at a record in Lowell, while the Connecticut River reached a maximum depth of in Montague, records which both stand as of 2015. The city lost nearly all power and telephone communications, while more than 300 National Guardsmen deployed in the city to patrol the flooded streets and rescue those stranded by floodwaters. In Middletown, the entire city ground to a halt after power was knocked out by flooding. The bridge across the river to Portland was shut down, leaving the city "virtually isolated". Rhode Island The Blackstone River rose dangerously high in Rhode Island, with major flooding observed in Woonsocket, where some streets became navigable only by boat. In Pawtucket, water rose nearly as high as the city's bridges across the river. Pennsylvania Pennsylvania experienced particularly devastating floods in Pittsburgh and Johnstown. In Johnstown, site of an infamous flood in 1889, residents feared a repeat of the dam failure that caused the previous flood. Fortunately for the region, the dam survived the flooding, but this did not stop the city's rivers from overflowing their banks and covering much of Johnstown in of floodwaters. The Potomac River crested at in Hancock, breaking the previous record set in 1889 by . Virginia The Potomac and James Rivers suffered severe flooding during mid-March 1936. Great Falls experienced what were, as of July 2014, its highest floods on record. Washington, D.C., saw its airport, Washington-Hoover Airport in Arlington, Virginia, flooded. Washington, D.C. . Flooding reached the nation's capital on March 20. The Potomac River crested at under Key Bridge, which was the only bridge connecting the district to Virginia to remain above the waters. Large portions of the National Mall were flooded, but there was enough warning for the Capitol Park Service to protect the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial by building a barrier of stone and sandbags, with the help of more than 3,000 men and multiple steam shovels. Hains Point was impossible to see due to flooding, which was as high as the tops of trees. == Legacy ==

The massive scope of devastation led to monumental changes in the way the United States protected against flood damage. The Flood Control Act of 1936 was a direct result of the floods, and led to significant investment in flood protection, funding the construction of levees, dams, reservoirs, and other methods of mitigating or preventing floods. == References ==