The 1955 Rock Dam Flood

In 1955, “eighteen hours of heavy rainfall last Saturday caused Hay Creek to breach its bank at Rock Dam early Sunday morning, bypassing the dam and the highway bridge cross the old channel. The picture above shows the confluence of the new and old channels, as they meet just below the highway bridge. The torrent boiling through at the right is the new channel, cut across the highway. At the left is the old channel flowing under the bridge. Indications were that the water reached about 20 feet above Monday morning’s flood level on the bank at the extreme left in the picture. The break was 55 yards west southwest from the dam. Water was pouring through the one sluice gate at the dam, as well as through the new cut Sunday night four boys in a boat came too close to the new channel n the lake side. The boat capsized; but the boys made it to safety.
Wild Waters Tear Out New Path Through Road Bank At Rock Dam - The level of one of Clark County’s artificial lakes, at Rock Dam west of Willard, has dropped 6 feet below the top of the dam as a result of a washout at 6 a.m. Saturday after heavy rains resulted in high water and inundation of a road on the west side of the lake. A gorge about 50 feet wide and 20 feet deep was gouged out, channeling the water around the dam. The Clark County Park Commission is studying the situation.”

Source: The Clark County Press