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Medford Station 8: A Bridge Over Flooding Water

BEAR CREEK HAS FLOODED many times in recorded history.

• There are reports of flooding in 1861 and again in 1888 when the Main Street bridge, at this location, was washed away. Resourceful citizens of the time rigged a temporary cable crossing. The construction of Emigrant Lake on Emigrant Creek, and Reeder Reservoir on Ashland Creek have helped to reduce some of the potentially damaging floodwaters from entering Bear Creek, but the possibility of flooding still exists.

• In 1927, Medford reported flooding, with two feet of water flowing on Riverside and Main Streets.
• In 1962, after three inches of rain fell in 24 hours, the water level in Bear Creek was two feet below the level of the 8th Street bridge, which you can see directly upstream.
• In December 1964, 11 inches of rain was recorded at the Medford airport. By Christmas week, water from Bear Creek was eating away at these pillars holding up the I-5 viaduct. The spot upon which you are standing was also under water. The holding capacity of Emigrant Lake reportly reduced the actual damage this flood potentially could have caused.