Springdale High Water Mark from Hurricane Hazel (1954) - High Level Marks on Waymarking.com

The Holland Marsh was flooded when between 1.2 and 6.1 meters [4 and 20 feet] of water backed up into it from Lake Simcoe. The south and west ends experienced the worst flooding when between 6.1 and 9.0 meters [20 and 30 feet] of water backed up from the bordering Holland River and Schomberg Creek into the marsh. Highway 400, which dissects the marsh, was under 1.5 to 3.0 meters [5 to 10 feet] of water and the hamlet of Ansnorveldt was inundated. Approximately 1000 people were rescued from the north end of the marsh towards Bradford, while hundreds more were stranded throughout the night on high ground until rescue boats could be launched. Severe economic losses were experienced because while much of the year’s crop had been harvested, it had not been brought in and was submerged by floodwaters.

A CBC broadcaster described the scene in the Holland Marsh when he arrived: “It was unbelievable, the Marsh was just one vast lake. All you could see in the distance sticking out of the water was the steeple of the Springdale Christian Reformed Church. In Bradford itself it was like a war zone. The flood victims had been taken into people’s homes and the town was bursting at the seams. The town hall was full of people sleeping, crowded so close together you thought that they were almost sleeping standing up.”

Most of the properties were inundated with water, destroying or seriously damaging the homes and contents. John Van Dyke describes the damage in the marsh: “Many too were either ruined or badly damaged and furniture beyond repair. This was especially true on the Springdale side, west of Highway 400, where the water rose as high as fifteen feet, flowing clean over the highway. Two or three homes were lifted off their foundations and set afloat. They travelled for about a mile, coming to rest against a highway. One of these homes even contained an entire family.”

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The brass plate marking the high water level (over my left shoulder in the picture) reads:

Holland Marsh
Hurricane Hazel Flood
Elevation ----------
October 15, 1954
Department of Public Works Ontario

Natural or man made event?: Natural What type of marker?: Brass plate marker When did this occur?: October 15, 1954 Website related to the event..: [Web Link]

Visit Instructions:
A picture showing the level along with any markers telling of what had occurred can be used. Better yet would be a picture of you or someone standing next to the high level mark, that would show if you would have been just wading or completely submersed.

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Date Logged Log User Rating   05/26/2015 SweetPea57 visited it 03/04/2012 InGodsHands visited it

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