On September 30, 1911, a holiday, after a week of rainstorms which raised the level of the reservoir to only two feet below the overflow level, the dam failed. Part of the structure slid down approximately , while another opened like a door, allowing the impounded water to flow freely down the narrow valley. The wall of water destroyed the paper mill, as well as much of the town of Austin, which was so deeply covered by water in places that only church steeples could be seen. Due to the slope of the valley, the east side of the town received more damage.