In late March of 1913, a large rain event moved over Ohio, bringing high wind and heavy rain, with some reports showing up to 11 inches falling in only a few days. From Cleveland to Columbus to Cincinnati, much of Ohio was under water. Nearly 500 lives were lost and $300 million in damage was done, estimated at nearly $7.5 billion in today's dollars. In 1914, following the flood, lawmakers passed the Vonderheide Act, also known as the Ohio Conservancy Law, allowing the establishment of watershed districts as a first step to prevent epic flooding in Ohio from happening again. In 1933, the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District was created. Between 1933 and 1938, it contracted the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to build 14 dams. In 1939, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers assumed responsibility for operating all 14 dams and continues to operate them, while the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District operates recreation facilities upstream of the dams.