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On March 17 and 18, 1936, the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, witnessed the worst flood in its history when flood levels peaked at 46 feet (14 m). This flood became known as The Great St. Patrick’s Day flood, and also affected other areas of the Mid-Atlantic on both sides of the Eastern Continental Divide. On St. Patrick’s Day, the rising rivers reached the North Side and washed into the streets of Downtown, wiping out historic businesses within hours. River levels reached a peak of 46 feet at the Point, more than 20 feet over flood stage, leaving more than half of Downtown businesses underwater. The St. Patrick's Day Flood of 1936. The worst flood in Pittsburgh history occurred in March 1936 when melting snow, combined with 48 hours of steady rain, sent the rivers and streams of the Allegheny Watershed overflowing their banks. River stages at the Point exceeded flood level (25 feet) between 8:00 and 9:00 AM on St. Patrick's Day. N early 2 inches of rain fell in Pittsburgh on March 16, 1936. Combined with melting snow, the rain caused massive flooding; a day later, the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers rose to a peak of 46 feet at the Point, more than 20 feet over flood stage. More than half of the businesses Downtown ended up underwater. The flood levels of The Great St. Patrick’s Day Flood surpassed both figures, the water levels in 1936 peaked at 46 feet. “Not within the memory of the oldest citizen, or in the records of the weather bureau has such a flood struck the Pittsburgh district,” The Pittsburgh Press wrote at the time. — Mila Sanina Reminders of the Great Flood of 1936 remain in Pittsburgh to this day. Markers still show the height of the flood waters on some downtown buildings. The St. Patrick's Day Flood in Pittsburgh in 1936 is only one of many unforgettable historical moments. Click here to read about 10 unusual historical facts about the Burgh you might not know. The St. Patrick’s Day flood of 1936 in Pennsylvania was devastating – more than 100 people died and damage was estimated at $300 million. Pittsburgh, Johnstown, Williamsport, The Great St. Patrick’s Day Flood of 1936. The Great St. Patrick’s Day Flood of 1936 stands as the most devastating flood in Pittsburgh’s history, leaving an indelible mark on the city’s landscape and its people. This catastrophic event reshaped the city’s approach to flood control and urban planning. St. Patrick’s Day Flood Causes The St. Patrick's Day Flood of 1936 was the worst flood ever to hit the region. Within the Ohio Valley, 153 people died, 69 of them within the Pittsburgh region, 45 of them within the city. Muddy waters crested at 46 feet at the city's Point, flooding steel mills and putting 60,000 workers out of work for a week. The flood levels of The Great St. Patrick’s Day Flood surpassed both figures, the water levels in 1936 peaked at 46 feet. “Not within the memory of the oldest citizen, or in the records of the weather bureau has such a flood struck the Pittsburgh district,” The Pittsburgh Press wrote at the time. A harsh winter with nearly 63 inches of snow, a sudden spring thaw and little to no water regulation combined to cause the worst flooding in Pittsburgh history: the St. Patrick’s Day flood of in its history when water levels at the Point reached 46 feet. This flood became known as The Great St. Patrick’s Day Flood, affecting the entire Pittsburgh area including Montour Junction in Coraopolis. Previous floods had reached a mark of 38.7 feet at the Point in 1907 and 44.1 feet in 1783. The 1936 flood surpassed both those figures. That [SPOILER ALERT!] turned to be a marker for the most famous rising of the waters in Pittsburgh’s history–the 1936 St. Patrick’s Day flood. We’ve found a handful more of them around downtown and on the North Side, but surprisingly few considering the immensity of the event and the age of our building stock. 85 years ago: St. Patrick's Day flood in PittsburghSubscribe to WTAE on YouTube now for more: more Pittsburgh news: On St. Patrick’s Day, 1936, however, usually warm temperatures resulted in a rapid thaw of the winter ice and the city was engulfed in 46 feet of water. We’ll talk with Heinz History Center Wednesday marks 85 years since the Pittsburgh flood of 1936 on St. Patrick's Day. It was one of the worst natural disasters in the city’s history. Rapidly melting snow and heavy rains forced "The Historic St. Patrick's Day Flood of 1936: Two Eyewitness Accounts" Universal Newsreels Video: "Floods Sweep Cities In Western PA - 1936/03/18" Wikipedia: Pittsburgh Flood of 1936. On a personal level, my great grandfather Jayson Patrick Ferns was an Electrical Inspector for the City of Pittsburgh at the time of the historic Pittsburgh March is the month of floods for residents of Western Pennsylvania. The Leader Times, February 28, 1956 mentioned that since 1762, the Pittsburgh district encountered 116 floods. Of those, 30 occurred during the month of March. The record flood has become known as the “The Great St. Patrick’s Day Flood”. Rescuers transport people through the floodwaters at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Lock Street in Tarentum after the St. Patrick’s Day Flood of 1936 wreaked havoc across the Alle-Kiski The St. Patrick's Day Flood of 1936 marked a pivotal moment in Pittsburgh's history. The devastating flood led to significant changes in flood control policies and infrastructure, highlighting the
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