News Release

Russell Tree Experts

NPS Photo

News Release Date: November 17, 2020

Contact: Elizabeth Shope, 814-449-4125

The Lakebed Rehabilitation Project at Johnstown Flood National Memorial continues to move forward. Russell Tree Experts, based out of Ohio, are on site to clear areas of the lakebed. This portion of the project includes manual clearing of trees in the lakebed and at the abutments. The lakebed once held back approximately 20 million tons of water that was unleashed on the Conemaugh Valley on May 31, 1889 causing the Great Johnstown Flood. The work will continue throughout the winter. Visitors may experience temporary closures on the North and South Abutments as this work progresses. This does not impact Visitor Center hours of operation.  

Throughout the Lakebed Rehabilitation Project, special care will be taken to protect wetland areas and the stream in the lakebed. The project will restore areas of the lakebed to what it looked like shortly after the flood, enhancing the visitor experience at the memorial. The secondary goal of the project is to have areas outside of the wetlands and stream flourish with low lying vegetation and native grass and plants that can be maintained by the National Park Service. Rehabilitation was done in the lakebed in the 1980s, but the vegetation has since grown back.