Uploaded January 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
The St. Francis Dam Disaster was the worst manmade disaster in California history. On March 12, 1928, the St. Francis Dam completely failed, sending owe twelve billion gallons of water downstream, in a wall of water over 100 feet tall.
As the water made its way across Southern California, it left a path of destruction like nothing ever seen before, with entire communities being wiped out.
Constructed between 1924 and 1926, the St. Francis Dam was built to help store water for the rapidly growing city of Los Angeles. When the reservoir was full, it held enough water for Los Angeles to use for two years. All of that water flooded out of the reservoir in an instant.
In this video we visit the site of the dam, explore its ruins, and see evidence of just how powerful the wave of water on that day was.
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The St. Francis Dam Disaster was the worst manmade disaster in California history. On March 12, 1928, the St. Francis Dam completely failed, sending owe twelve billion gallons of water downstream, in a wall of water over 100 feet tall.
As the water made its way across Southern California, it left a path of destruction like nothing ever seen before, with entire communities being wiped out.
Constructed between 1924 and 1926, the St. Francis Dam was built to help store water for the rapidly growing city of Los Angeles. When the reservoir was full, it held enough water for Los Angeles to use for two years. All of that water flooded out of the reservoir in an instant.
In this video we visit the site of the dam, explore its ruins, and see evidence of just how powerful the wave of water on that day was.
○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures
►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures
►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1
►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures
►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
