| Abstract |
On February 26, 1972, a coal refuse dam, owned and operated by the Buffalo Mining Company, failed near Saunders, W. Va. The resulting flooding of the Buffalo Creek Valley had national ramifications. The immediate consequences of the flooding were the deaths of 118 persons and 7 reported missing, the loss of over 500 homes, and extensive flood damage to other property in Buffalo Creek Valley. Several investigations were started immediately after the disaster. They relied primarily on personal observations, and eyewitness reports, although the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Geological Survey undertook limited field and laboratory testing. These original investigations contributed to an understanding of the Buffalo Creek Flood. The study presents a comprehensive view of the failure with essential data integrated from many sources, and an analysis of the failure based on a thorough program of subsurface exploration and sampling, field and laboratory testing, and engineering analyses. (Author) |
