Dolgarrog Dam Disaster Memorial Walk - Conwy, North Wales, UK
Posted by: 
Dragontree
N 53° 11.521 W 003° 50.624
30U E 443628 N 5893963
This memorial walk lies in an area in Dolgarrog dedicated to the memory of those who died in the Dolgarrog Dam Disaster.
Waymark Code: WM6PYD
Location: North Wales, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 07/05/2009
Views: 8
Llyn Eigiau, the higher reservoir above Dolgarrog to the south west of the village, gave way when its dam burst at 8.45pm on Monday 2nd November 1925. The hundreds of gallons of water which gushed out of Llyn Eigiau rushed down the mountainside into Llyn Coedty below. This reservoir was already full and the force of this extra water caused Llyn Coedty's dam to burst too.
Now the water had a free path to thunder down the mountainside unrestricted. It hit Dolgarrog village with a fifty foot high flood taking Machno Terrace first followed by the church, church house, sweet shop, butcher's shop and water mains. The force of the water caused the furnaces at the aluminium works to explode and Reverend Williams Evans was hailed a hero for bringing rescue workers to them.
The only surviving building from the area hit by the flood is the old Porth Lwyd hotel. Sixteen people died which was very lucky as most of the villagers were attending the local theatre watching a film elsewhere in the village.
The disaster was the advent of the 1930 Reservoirs Act brought about by the government to prevent such an event happening again.
There is a wide road with parking by the side of the memorial. A slate plaque is fixed to a boulder which was one of many which crashed down the mountainside with the flood water. Next to this is an information board in Welsh and English and the Memorial Walk starts here leading you through the area.
Disaster Date: 11/02/1925
Memorial Sponsors: Dolgarrog Community Group
Disaster Type: Natural
Relevant Website: [Web Link]
Date of dedication: Not listed
Parking Coordinates: Not Listed
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