The St. Francis Dam Failure
The St. Francis Damcase concerns the dangers of concentrating technical authority in one highly respected engineer. The California dam, designed under the leadership of William Mulholland, failed shortly before midnight on March 12, 1928, releasing a destruction flood that killed more than 400 people. The site contained unstable geological formations, and the dam had experienced cracking and seepage before its collapse. Mulholland inspected the structure on the day of the failure but concluded that it remained safe. The main question is whether major public works should ever depend primarily on the judgement of one expert, regardless of that person’s reputation and experience. The disaster contributed to stronger dam-safety oversight and professional licensing in California. It illustrates the ethical need for independent review, careful attention to geological uncertainty, and institutional procedures that allow other engineers to challenge a dominant authority.