Bílá Desná dam failure anniversary commemorated

A memorial event will be held on September 19 to commemorate the 110th anniversary of the Bílá Desná dam failure, one of the greatest natural disasters in the Jizera Mountains.

On Monday, September 18, 1916, the dam collapsed after workers noticed water leaking from the structure. A massive wave of water, debris, trees, and stones surged into the valley, reaching flow rates of 150 cubic meters per second. The disaster claimed between 62 and 67 lives and destroyed numerous buildings, including homes, glassworks, and a sawmill.

While historical theories blamed poor construction materials, modern geotechnical research suggests the collapse was caused by insufficient geological surveys. The dam was built on compressible gravel deposits with a deep tectonic fault, leading to internal erosion that caused the structure to collapse into itself.