One of the worst floods in U.S. history occurred here on 26 February 1972, when the Buffalo Mining Co. impoundment dam for mine waste broke and released over 130 million gallons of black waste water, killing 125 people, causing property losses of over $50 million, and leaving thousands homeless. Three commissions blamed ignored safety practices. The disaster led to the 1973 Dam Control Act and a $13.5 million class action legal settlement in 1974.