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This June 22, 1972, aerial photo shows Old Forest Road, between Hill Street and Lakeside Drive, flooded from Hurricane Agnes.
In this June 22, 1972, file photo, floodwaters on Concord Road in the Lower Basin have caused many firms, including the Lynchburg Foundry, to suspend business until the water subsides and cleanup operations could begin. Although the James was holding steady at 25 feet — seven feet above normal — officials feared it would rise before cresting.
In this July 8, 1972 file photo, a private bridge across to a home on Fort Avenue is among much private property damaged by the passing of Agnes.
ROANOKE — The flooding caused by the remnants of Hurricane Agnes 50 years ago in June 1972 largely was eclipsed locally by the pre-eminent weather event of the Lynchburg-area weather history 13 years later, the mighty Flood of ’85.
At the time, it was a major disaster in its own right for Roanoke, Lynchburg and Richmond, and on a broader scale it remains one of the most catastrophic flooding episodes on record for multiple Eastern states.
Thousands of homes and businesses were damaged in the wake of Hurricane Agnes in Southwest and Central Virginia, with damage rates at the time totaling in the tens of millions.
The James River at Holcomb Rock crested June 22, 1972 at 32.28 feet — the second highest crest on record at the time, trailing behind only the flooding caused by the remnants of Hurricane Camille on Aug. 20, 1969, when the river crested at 35.5 feet. Weather records for Lynchburg started in 1893 and flood stage for the James is 16 feet.
Today, the flooding from Agnes weighs in at third place, bumped down a notch by the Election Day flood of 1985, when the James reached 42.15 feet.
The rainfall on June 21, 1972, marks the third highest single-day rainfall in Lynchburg with 6.02 inches, trailing behind Hurricane Fran’s rainfall total of 6.05 in 1996 and the so-called Fort Pierce Hurricane’s 7.52 inches in 1928.
Just six years later, a late April 1978 flood, related to a stalled upper-level low and coastal storm that also caused extremely late and deep snowfall along higher elevations of the Blue Ridge, came within a foot of the Agnes flood at the same gauge in Roanoke.
Then, the November 1985 flood, caused by the remnants of Hurricane Juan combining with an inland low-pressure system and a stationary front, took over the record with the 42-foot crest of the James River.
The 1972 flood and 1985 flood were set up in much the same way, with a relatively weak Category 1 hurricane making a Gulf Coast landfall, then its remnant circulation interacting with other weather systems inland, spreading dense tropical moisture northward. In both cases, the region had experienced several days of lighter rain before the tropical deluge arrived.
Agnes’ death toll totaled 128 and it was responsible for more than $2 billion in damage in 1972 dollars, making it, at the time, the costliest hurricane in U.S. history even though it made landfall in the Florida Panhandle with only 85 mph winds, near the low end of the spectrum for hurricanes.
Agnes was more costly in total than Camille had been three years earlier, even though Camille had winds approaching 200 mph at its Mississippi Gulf Coast landfall and then unleashed its horrible second act of destruction in and around Nelson County in Virginia with landscape-altering torrential rainfall measured in feet over a few hours.
Camille, however, was much deadlier, killing 259, split roughly evenly between the Mississippi Coast and central Virginia. Camille’s fury in Virginia, while more extreme than Agnes, was much more localized.
Agnes’ Virginia toll included 13 deaths and $126 million in damage, which adjusts to more than $850 million for inflation in 2022. The James River in Richmond reached its highest modern crest.
June 23, 1972 - Treasure Island - Another view of Treasure Island submerged in the rising James River. Despite the flooding, no major damage was suffered.
June 21, 1972 - Rampaging Piney River Isolates Woodson Community - This stretch of Virginia 666, looking from Virginia 778 north, was underwater today after the Piney River overflowed its banks Tuesday night. Swollen by rains from Hurricane Agnes, the river has flooded about three and a half miles of the secondary road that connects the Woodson Community to Virginia 778. An Amherst County sheriff's deputy said today that about 20 of the 22 families comprising the community were evacuated during the night and housed in the Temperance Elementary School. There was no way of reaching Woodson this morning. Mrs. Ora Campbell, one of the evacuees, said she lived 75 feet from the east bank of the Piney River and when it began flooding shortly after dark Tuesday, she and her son, Mack Campbell, left their home and sought shelter in the school. They were still there mid-morning.
Track map of Hurricane Agnes from a joint USGS-NOAA report on the rainfall and flooding. The storm made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane in Florida's panhandle. The center passed to the east of Virginia at tropical storm intensity, but the very large circulation spread torrential rain all the way into the Appalachian Mountains.
June 23, 1972 - Foundry Closed - Waters that flooded Glamorgan Foundry Co. had barely subsided Thursday, forcing company officials to keep the plant closed. View taken from Amherst County side of James River shows Southern Railway Co. Yard, which was not seriously affected. Lynchburg Foundry, also located in the lower basin, remained closed Thursday as cleanup operations began.
June 21, 1972 - Flooding closes road - This section of Virginia 655 in Nelson County, just south of Virginia 151, was underwater today after the Tye River overflowed its banks as a result of the heavy rains carried by the dying Hurricane Agnes. As a result of the flooding, all southbound traffic from Virginia 151 to Roseland was cut off. However, the Nelson County community could be reached from U.S. 29. Nelson County Sheriff W.M. Harris said no one in Roseland had been evacuated.
June 21, 1972 - A car drives through the flooded 1900 block of Old Forest Road this morning shortly before city police closed the area off to traffic. A number of city streets were closed along with the mountain roads and bridges in surrounding counties as heavy rains continued to drench the area.
June 22, 1972 - Rains cause landslide - Hurricane Agnes, showing no favoritism, did not limit her destruction to areas of the city located directly on the James River. Shown here is a landslide at parking lot at the rear of the 800 block of Church Street - one of many city areas affected by slides and washouts due to heavy rains.
June 21, 1972 - Pond where Pasture Was - Horses appear to be studying the wet situation at hand, or rather at hoof, as they wade the waters of Turkey Branch after it overflowed its banks off Old Forest Road this morning. Heavy rains caused by the tropical depression remains of Hurricane Agnes continued to dump water on the area through the day with flash flood warnings for Lynchburg, and the counties of Amherst, Nelson, Bedford and Campbell.
June 21, 1972, Woodson Community Refugee - Mrs. Ora Campbell, of the Woodson community, fled from her home located along the banks of the Piney River to seek shelter in the Temperance Elementary School Tuesday night when the river, swollen by rains from Hurricane Agnes, overflowed its banks. Amherst County Sheriff's deputies estimated about 20 of the 22 families comprising the Amherst County community where the Campbells live, evacuated their homes during the night. By early morning today three-and-a- half miles of Viriginia 666, which connects the community to Virginia 778, were under water, cutting off all access. A deputy said there were no reports of property damage due to flooding.
No clipping for this photo was found, indicating it may never have been published. All other aerial photos were taken June 22, 1972 by staff photographer George Smith. This one shows a section of U.S. 460 in Campbell County.
No clipping for this photo was found, indicating it may never have been published. All other aerial photos in this set were taken June 22, 1972 by staff photographer George Smith. This one appears to show flooding from Hurricane Agnes near an apartment complex on Sandusky Drive.
No clipping for this photo was found, indicating it may never have been published. All other aerial photos in this set were taken June 22, 1972 by staff photographer George Smith. This shows the entire Lynchburg riverfront; the Williams Viaduct is at the extreme top left, followed by the Carter Glass Bridge with Madison Heights in the top right, and Percival's Island with the rail yard in the center.
June 23, 1092 - Farmville experiences record flooding - The Town of Farmville's business district bordering U.S. 460 was one of the hardest hit areas after the Appomattox River overflowed its banks to set a new flood record.
This June 22, 1972, aerial photo shows Old Forest Road, between Hill Street and Lakeside Drive, flooded from Hurricane Agnes.
June 22, 1972 - James River floods Glamorgan Foundry - The Glamorgan Pipe & Foundry Co. and its rail sidings were submerged under four to five feet of water today after the James River jumped its banks as a result of the heavy rains dropped by Hurricane Agnes. Railroad hoppers, in the center of the photo, were almost completely submerged by the rising waters. At noon the James River was holding steady at 25 feet, which is seven feet over flood stage. As a result of the rise, both the Upper and Lower basins were underwater, forcing the shutting down of the Glamorgan and Lynchburg foundries in addition to other industrial plants located there. The flood also cut off all vehicle traffic on Concord Road. Glamorgan officials said they expect to call in cleanup crews Friday before resuming normal operations.
June 22, 1972 - Hurricane Agnes - A closer view of the Glamorgan Pipe & Foundry Co. shows railroad cars loaded with coal partially submerged in the facility's rail yard. At this point the James River was at 25 feet, or seven feet above flood stage.
June 22, 1972 - Not Venice, but Jefferson Street - Flooding from the rain-swollen James River today made Jefferson Street look more like a canal in Venice. The river covered the street after rising seven feet above flood stage from the rains brought into the area by Hurricane Agnes. Although the James was holding steady at 25 feet at noon, the Weather Service said it may rise to 30 feet before cresting. Because of the submerged conditions along Jefferson Street and throughout the Upper and Lower basins, many firms suspended business until waters subside and cleanup operations can begin.
In this June 22, 1972, file photo, floodwaters on Concord Road in the Lower Basin have caused many firms, including the Lynchburg Foundry, to suspend business until the water subsides and cleanup operations could begin. Although the James was holding steady at 25 feet — seven feet above normal — officials feared it would rise before cresting.
No information was found with this photo, but it was likely taken on June 22, 1972, along with a group of other photos identified as having been taken by staff photographer Jimmy Ripley along the riverfront on that day.
Rainfall totals along the East Coast as a result of Hurricane Agnes and its interaction with another disturbance. The highest totals occurred in Pennsylvania, but some parts of Virginia had more than 1 foot of rain from the storm.
June 24, 1972 - Mopping up - As the James River receded Friday, workers at Glamorgan Pipe & Foundry Co. got busy cleaning up the mess that rolled in with water from Hurricane Agnes. All industries in the Lower Basin were hit hard, although officials said damage would not exceed 1969 devastation brought by Hurricane Camille.
June 23, 1972 - Glamorgan Pipe & Foundry Co. workers waded into the task of cleaning the mud and debris that clogged the river basin site as flood waters of the James River continued to subside. Industry leaders say damage in the basin won't be as great as that in the Aug. 20, 1969 passing of Hurricane Camille.
June 23, 1972 - Cleaning up begins at Glamorgan - An employee of the Trevey Asphalt Paving Co. begins clearing away tons of silt and mud deposited by the James River in the Glamorgan Pipe & Foundry Co. loading yards. The foundry, located in the Upper Basin, shut down operations Wednesday when the heavy downpour of Hurricane Agnes's rains swelled the river above flood level. At 4 p.m. Thursday, the river crested at 26 feet, eight feet above flood level. Today the foundry began cleanup operations.
Level of the James River at the Richmond Westham gauge during the Hurricane Agnes flood of June 1972. The river crested at 28.62 feet on June 23, nearly 17 feet above flood stage. That broke the record set by Hurricane Camille's flood in 1969. Downstream, the gauge at the City Locks also set a record with a 36.5 foot stage.
In this July 8, 1972 file photo, a private bridge across to a home on Fort Avenue is among much private property damaged by the passing of Agnes.
July, 29, 1972 - Approximately 110 feet of city-owned, 42-inch concrete sewer pipe washed away by floodwaters resulting from tropical storm Agnes in June are being replaced along BLackwater Creek in the vicinity of Hollins Mill Dam. Workmen for F.L.Showalter, Inc., are replacing the old line, a part of which can be seen in left background, with heavy cast-iron pipe. A spokesman for the Showalter firm said an access road had to be built to the site before replacement of pipe could begin. The work should be completed within the next week.
June 25, 1972 - Where does the dock begin? - Boaters were confused as to where dock began when they attempted to moor alongside this marina on Smith Mountain Lake at mouth of GIllis Creek. Marina Manager Wayne Blount said, although water came 27 inches above fixed dock at high water mark, no damage was done as Appalachain Power Co. had warned all marinas on lake that water would be rising. Blount noted that water was still 10 inches above normal late Saturday night. When lake level is at 795 feet marina's floating doeck is 1.5 feet below fixed dock.
Satellite view of Hurricane Agnes over the course of six days as the storm spun from the Gulf of Mexico to New York. Virginia received the heaviest rain on June 21, and the river flooding was most severe on June 22 and June 23.
June 27, 1972 - Apco workmen install new flash board, but at least 10 days will be needed to complete installation and treat the new wood. Meanwhile, Apco suggests dock owners above the dam may want to make repairs or improvements while the water is down.
Flooding at Richmond from Hurricane Agnes.
Richmond's Main Street Train Station.
Contact Kevin Myatt at kevin.myatt@roanoke.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevinmyattwx.
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This June 22, 1972, aerial photo shows Old Forest Road, between Hill Street and Lakeside Drive, flooded from Hurricane Agnes.
In this June 22, 1972, file photo, floodwaters on Concord Road in the Lower Basin have caused many firms, including the Lynchburg Foundry, to suspend business until the water subsides and cleanup operations could begin. Although the James was holding steady at 25 feet — seven feet above normal — officials feared it would rise before cresting.
In this July 8, 1972 file photo, a private bridge across to a home on Fort Avenue is among much private property damaged by the passing of Agnes.
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