Christmas flood of 1964

Last updated
Christmas flood of 1964
Christmas flood of 1964-65 (15366998573).jpg
An aerial view of the flood, showing Willamette Falls and Oregon City
Date20 days
December 18, 1964 (1964-12-18) – January 7, 1965 (1965-01-07)
Location California, Oregon, and Washington states

The Christmas flood of 1964 was a major flood in the United States' Pacific Northwest and some of Northern California between December 18, 1964, and January 7, 1965, spanning the Christmas holiday. [1]

Contents

Considered a 100-year flood, [2] it was the worst flood in recorded history on nearly every major stream and river in coastal Northern California and one of the worst to affect the Willamette River in Oregon. It also affected parts of southwest Washington, Idaho, and Nevada. [1] [3]

In Oregon, 17 or 18 people died as a result of the disaster, and it caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage. [3] The flooding on the Willamette covered 152,789 acres (61,831.5 ha). [4] The National Weather Service rated the flood as the fifth most destructive weather event in Oregon in the 20th century. [5]

California Governor Pat Brown was quoted as saying that a flood of similar proportions could "happen only once in 1,000 years," and it was often referred to later as the Thousand Year Flood. [1] The flood killed 19 people, heavily damaged or completely devastated at least 10 towns, destroyed all or portions of more than 20 major highway and county bridges, carried away millions of board feet of lumber and logs from mill sites, devastated thousands of acres of agricultural land, killed 4,000 head of livestock, and caused $100 million in damage in Humboldt County, California, alone. [6] [7]

History

The freeze of December 1964 that occurred before the flood Freeze of December 1964 (15799336860).jpg
The freeze of December 1964 that occurred before the flood

An atypical cold spell began in Oregon on December 13, 1964, that froze the soil, and it was followed by unusually heavy snow. [3] [8] Subsequently, an atmospheric river brought persistent, heavy, warm rain. [3] [8] The temperature increased by 30 to 40 °F (17 to 22 °C). This melted the snow, but left the soil frozen and impermeable. [8] Some places received the equivalent of a year's rain in just a few days. Albany, Oregon, received 13 inches (330 mm) of rain in December, almost double its average December rainfall of 7 inches (200 mm). [3] Detroit, Oregon recorded an extra 18 inches (460 mm) of rain, and at Crater Lake, where the average normal December rainfall is 12 inches (300 mm), there was over 38 inches (970 mm) of rain.[ clarification needed ] [3] As rivers and streams overflowed and the soil became saturated, mudslides occurred, roads closed, and reservoirs overflowed. [3] Many towns were isolated. [3] By the end of the flood, every river in Oregon was above flood stage, and more than 30 major bridges were impassable. [3]

Late January

Heavy warm rain and melting snow caused more flooding in late January 1965, after the waters had begun to recede from the December flood. [1] More mudslides occurred in places that had withstood the December flooding, and there were more deaths. [1] Many streams in the northern San Joaquin Valley reached higher flows than they had in December. [7]

Effects and aftermath

Oregon

The Steel Bridge during the flood Steel Bridge Christmas Flood 1964.jpg
The Steel Bridge during the flood

The Christmas flood of 1964 was "the most severe rainstorm to ever occur over central Oregon, and among the most severe over western Oregon since the late 1870s", according to the National Weather Service office in Portland. [5]

Some of the worst mudslides occurred in the Mount Hood Corridor, and one man died in a mud and debris avalanche near Rhododendron that destroyed 15 houses. [3] Other deaths occurred from drowning and electrocution, and one man died when the new John Day bridge collapsed. [1] [3]

Yamhill County was severely affected. [3] The Highway 219 bridge between Newberg and St. Paul, and Wilsonville Road between Newberg and Wilsonville were closed, trapping hundreds of people. [3]

On the Oregon Coast, downtown Reedsport was flooded with 8 feet (2.4 m) of water, and in Coos Bay, a massive logjam contributed to severe flooding. [3] The ports at Gold Beach and Brookings were destroyed. [3]

At Oregon City, Willamette Falls was unrecognizable as a waterfall, and the city was flooded by several feet of water. [3] In Portland, the lower deck of the Steel Bridge was underwater and had also been hit by a log raft consisting of around 1,000 logs. [3] The impact of the raft severely damaged the Hawthorne Bridge, closing it for a year. [3] At 12 feet (3.7 m) above flood stage, the flooding of the Willamette River at Portland in 1964 was second only to the 1948 flood that wiped out Vanport City. [3] At its peak, the water was at the top of Downtown Portland's seawall. [1]

Salem Memorial Hospital (now Salem Health) had to be evacuated [9] after waters from nearby Shelton Ditch and Mill Creek flooded the hospital's basement. Hospital staff, parks department employees, and inmates from the Oregon State Penitentiary placed sandbags around the hospital to prevent floodwaters from coming in. Eventually, the flooding coupled with a loss of power led to the decision to evacuate patients to Salem General Hospital on Center Street. 121 patients were evacuated from Salem Memorial by hospital staff, doctors, ambulance crews, and the National Guard. The hospital was able to reopen five days later after extensive work to repair the flooding damage. [10]

The Southern Pacific (SP) rail line between Portland and San Francisco was out of service for eighteen days as crews repaired damage from landslides near the 4,885-foot (1,489 m) Cascade Summit; and the parallel Willamette Pass highway was blocked for several days. Salt Creek washed out 25 miles (40 km) of Oregon Route 58 and undermined the SP viaduct footings. Landslides covered 700 feet (210 m) of SP track near Oakridge, and swept away 130 feet (40 m) of the Noisy Creek bridge 20 miles (32 km) north of Crescent Lake. The Willamette River washed out 300 feet (91 m) of SP track between Portland and Albany. [11]

California

Map of California showing the 34 counties declared disaster areas during the flood. The six red counties sustained more damage than the other 28 counties combined. California Disaster Areas, 1964.svg
Map of California showing the 34 counties declared disaster areas during the flood. The six red counties sustained more damage than the other 28 counties combined.

Starting on December 21, intense downpours across Northern California caused numerous streams to flood, many to record-breaking levels. California Governor Brown declared 34 counties in the region disaster areas. [1] [7] Together, Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, Siskiyou, Trinity, and Sonoma counties sustained more damage than the other 28 counties combined. [7] Twenty-six U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) stream gauges were destroyed. [7]

North Coast

The Eel, Smith, Klamath, Trinity, Salmon, and Mad rivers, as well as other rivers and large streams, all went well beyond flood stage and peaked nearly simultaneously around December 21 and 22, breaking previous records (notably those set in the "hundred year" flood of 1955 in most cases). [1] [7] Sixteen state highway bridges were destroyed in California's 1st congressional district, most of them on Highway 101, and another ten county bridges were destroyed in Humboldt County. [7] The flood destroyed 37 miles (60 km) of track with multiple stream and river crossings of the Northwestern Pacific Railroad through the Eel River canyon, the region's only major railroad. [12]

Many communities of Del Norte and Humboldt counties suffered extensive power outages and were left isolated or cut off from the rest of the state for a period, including the region's larger populated areas around Humboldt Bay, such as Eureka and Arcata, despite the fact that those cities were located on higher ground and not in the path of raging rivers. Riverside communities like Klamath, Orleans, Myers Flat, Weott, South Fork, Shively, Pepperwood, Stafford, and Ti-Bar were completely destroyed by flood waters; some of them were never rebuilt and none regained their former status. Metropolitan, Rio Dell, and Scotia were significantly damaged. [7] The Pacific Lumber Company sawmill at Scotia lost 40 million board feet (94,000  m3 ) of logs and lumber washed downstream. [12] Crescent City, still recovering from the tsunami created by the 1964 Alaska earthquake only nine months earlier, also suffered from the floods. [7]

Over 22 inches (550 mm) of rain fell on the Eel River basin in a span of two days. By December 23, 752,000 cubic feet per second (21,300 m3/s) of water rushed down the Eel River at Scotia (still upstream from the confluence of the Van Duzen River), [6] 200,000 cubic feet per second (5,660 m3/s) more than the 1955 flood, and more than the average discharge of the entire Mississippi River basin. [13] Just under 200,000 cubic feet per second (5,660 m3/s) of water flowed down the South Fork Eel River alone, causing severe damage along its entire length. [6] Every stream gauge on the Eel River was destroyed [7] except the one at Fernbridge [14] where the bridge survived the flood. The flood crest at Miranda was 46 feet (14 m). Signs were later placed on top of tall poles to mark the unusual height of the water. [15]

The Smith River, located in Del Norte County near the Oregon border, reached flows of 228,000 cubic feet per second (6,460 m3/s) at Hiouchi, [16] easily surpassing the 1955 flood's previous record of 165,000 cubic feet per second (4,670 m3/s). [7] The town of Gasquet received 26.6 inches (676 mm) of rain over an eight-day period, and Crescent City received 9.2 inches (230 mm). [7]

The Klamath River reached flows of 557,000 cubic feet per second (15,800 m3/s), [17] submerging the town of Klamath under 15 feet (4.6 m) of water. [7]

The Trinity River, one of the Klamath's largest tributaries, also flooded and wrought destruction along its length. The Trinity, however, did not break the 1955 flood's records because of the newly constructed Trinity Dam, which stored 372,200 acre-feet (459,100,000 m3) of runoff from the storm. [7] Nonetheless, 231,000 cubic feet per second (6,540 m3/s) of water rushed down the river at Hoopa. [18]

Between December 20 and December 26, 10,390,000 acre-feet (12.82 km3) of water flowed into the Pacific Ocean from the combined rivers and streams on the North Coast (of California). [7]

Central Valley and beyond

In the California Central Valley, the Yosemite Valley was flooded, and residents of Yuba City were evacuated. [1] Many streams reached record flood stages, including the Feather River, Yuba River, American River, Cottonwood Creek, and Butte Creek. The flood caused the uncompleted Hell Hole Dam on the Rubicon River to fail, sending even more water downstream. [7] In total, 375,000 acres (152,000 ha) of the Central Valley was flooded. [7]

Elsewhere

In southwest Washington, rising rivers threatened Centralia and Longview–Kelso [1] and closed Interstate 5 and all railways at flooded Kalama for over a week.[ citation needed ] In Nevada, the Truckee River threatened Reno. [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willamette River</span> 187-mile Columbia River tributary in northwest Oregon, US

The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is 187 miles (301 km) long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States. Flowing northward between the Oregon Coast Range and the Cascade Range, the river and its tributaries form the Willamette Valley, a basin that contains two-thirds of Oregon's population, including the state capital, Salem, and the state's largest city, Portland, which surrounds the Willamette's mouth at the Columbia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trinity River (California)</span> River in northern California

The Trinity River is a major river in northwestern California in the United States and is the principal tributary of the Klamath River. The Trinity flows for 165 miles (266 km) through the Klamath Mountains and Coast Ranges, with a watershed area of nearly 3,000 square miles (7,800 km2) in Trinity and Humboldt Counties. Designated a National Wild and Scenic River, along most of its course the Trinity flows swiftly through tight canyons and mountain meadows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eel River (California)</span> River in northern California, United States

The Eel River is a major river, about 196 miles (315 km) long, in northwestern California. The river and its tributaries form the third-largest watershed entirely in California, draining a rugged area of 3,684 square miles (9,540 km2) in five counties. The river flows generally northward through the Coast Ranges west of the Sacramento Valley, emptying into the Pacific Ocean about 10 miles (16 km) downstream from Fortuna and just south of Humboldt Bay. The river provides groundwater recharge, recreation, and industrial, agricultural and municipal water supply.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willamette National Forest</span> United States national forest in Oregon

The Willamette National Forest is a National Forest located in the central portion of the Cascade Range of the U.S. state of Oregon. It comprises 1,678,031 acres (6,790.75 km2). Over 380,000 acres are designated wilderness which include seven major mountain peaks. There are also several National Wild and Scenic Rivers within the forest. The forest is named for the Willamette River, which has its headwaters in the forest. The forest's headquarters are located in the city of Springfield. There are local ranger district offices in McKenzie Bridge, Detroit, Sweet Home, and Westfir.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bull Run River (Oregon)</span> Tributary of the Sandy River in Oregon, United States

The Bull Run River is a 21.9-mile (35.2 km) tributary of the Sandy River in the U.S. state of Oregon. Beginning at the lower end of Bull Run Lake in the Cascade Range, it flows generally west through the Bull Run Watershed Management Unit (BRWMU), a restricted area meant to protect the river and its tributaries from contamination. The river, impounded by two artificial storage reservoirs as well as the lake, is the primary source of drinking water for the city of Portland, Oregon.

Floods in the United States are generally caused by excessive rainfall, excessive snowmelt, and dam failure. Below is a list of flood events that were of significant impact to the country during the 20th century, from 1900 through 1999, inclusive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Applegate River</span> River in Oregon, United States of America

The Applegate River is a 51-mile (82 km)-long tributary of the Rogue River in the U.S. state of Oregon. It drains approximately 698 square miles (1,810 km2). Rising in northern California, it soon crosses the border and flows northeast then northwest to meet the Rogue about 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Grants Pass. It drains forested foothills of the Siskiyou Mountains along the Oregon–California border.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnson Creek (Willamette River tributary)</span> Creek in Oregon, USA

Johnson Creek is a 25-mile (40 km) tributary of the Willamette River in the Portland metropolitan area of the U.S. state of Oregon. Part of the drainage basin of the Columbia River, its catchment consists of 54 square miles (140 km2) of mostly urban land occupied by about 180,000 people as of 2012. Passing through the cities of Gresham, Portland, and Milwaukie, the creek flows generally west from the foothills of the Cascade Range through sediments deposited by glacial floods on a substrate of basalt. Though polluted, it is free-flowing along its main stem and provides habitat for salmon and other migrating fish.

Weott is a unincorporated community in Humboldt County, California. It is located 233 miles (375 km) north of San Francisco and 25 miles (40 km) due east of the Pacific Ocean. Lower Weott is situated at an elevation of 330 feet (100 m) along the Avenue of the Giants scenic highway and in the flood plain of the South Fork of the Eel River. The population was 288 at the 2010 census. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Weott as a census-designated place (CDP).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fanno Creek</span> River in Oregon, United States

Fanno Creek is a 15-mile (24 km) tributary of the Tualatin River in the U.S. state of Oregon. Part of the drainage basin of the Columbia River, its watershed covers about 32 square miles (83 km2) in Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas counties, including about 7 square miles (18 km2) within the Portland city limits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Balch Creek</span> Tributary of Willamette River in Oregon, United States

Balch Creek is a 3.5-mile (5.6 km) tributary of the Willamette River in the U.S. state of Oregon. Beginning at the crest of the Tualatin Mountains, the creek flows generally east down a canyon along Northwest Cornell Road in unincorporated Multnomah County and through the Macleay Park section of Forest Park, a large municipal park in Portland. At the lower end of the park, the stream enters a pipe and remains underground until reaching the river. Danford Balch, after whom the creek is named, settled a land claim along the creek in the mid-19th century. After murdering his son-in-law, he became the first person legally hanged in Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Fork Eel River</span> River in north-central California

The South Fork Eel River is the largest tributary of the Eel River in north-central California in the United States. The river flows 105 miles (169 km) north from Laytonville to Dyerville/Founders' Grove where it joins the Eel River. The South Fork drains a long and narrow portion of the Coast Range of California in parts of Mendocino and Humboldt counties. U.S. Route 101 follows the river for much of its length.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Fork Trinity River</span> River in California, United States

The South Fork Trinity River is the main tributary of the Trinity River, in the northern part of the U.S. state of California. It is part of the Klamath River drainage basin. It flows generally northwest from its source in the Klamath Mountains, 92 miles (148 km) through Humboldt and Trinity Counties, to join the Trinity near Salyer. The main tributaries are Hayfork Creek and the East Fork South Fork Trinity River. The river has no major dams or diversions, and is designated Wild and Scenic for its entire length.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Course of the Willamette River</span> River in Oregon, United States

The Willamette River is a 187-mile (301 km) tributary of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Oregon. The upper tributaries of the Willamette originate in mountains south and southeast of the twin cities of Eugene and Springfield. Formed by the confluence of the Middle Fork Willamette River and Coast Fork Willamette River near Springfield, the main stem meanders generally north from source to mouth. The river's two most significant course deviations occur at Newberg, where the stream turns sharply east, and about 18 miles (29 km) downriver from Newberg, where it turns north again. Near its mouth, the river splits into two channels that flow around Sauvie Island. The main channel enters the Columbia about 101 miles (163 km) from the larger stream's mouth on the Pacific Ocean, and the smaller Multnomah Channel enters the Columbia about 14.5 miles (23.3 km) further downstream near St. Helens in Columbia County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Flood of 1862</span> Flood in California, Oregon, and Nevada

The Great Flood of 1862 was the largest flood in the recorded history of California, Oregon, and Nevada, inundating the western United States and portions of British Columbia and Mexico. It was preceded by weeks of continuous rains and snows that began in Oregon in November 1861 and continued into January 1862. This was followed by a record amount of rain from January 9–12, and contributed to a flood that extended from the Columbia River southward in western Oregon, and through California to San Diego, as well as extending as far inland as the Washington Territory, the Utah Territory, and the western New Mexico Territory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willamette Valley</span> Valley in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States

The Willamette Valley is a 150-mile (240 km) long valley in Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The Willamette River flows the entire length of the valley and is surrounded by mountains on three sides: the Cascade Range to the east, the Oregon Coast Range to the west, and the Calapooya Mountains to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fernbridge (bridge)</span> Bridge in California, United States

Fernbridge, originally Eel River Bridge, is a 1,320-foot-long (402.3 m) reinforced concrete arch bridge designed by American engineer John B. Leonard which opened on November 8, 1911 at the site of an earlier ferry crossing of the Eel River. Fernbridge is the last crossing before the Eel arrives at the Pacific Ocean, and anchors one end of California State Route 211 leading to Ferndale, California. When built, it was referred to as the "Queen of Bridges" and is still the longest functional poured concrete bridge in operation in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Creek (Linn County, Oregon)</span> River in Oregon, United States

Thomas Creek is a stream, about 35 miles (56 km) long, in Linn County in the U.S. state of Oregon. Beginning in Willamette National Forest on the western slopes of the Cascade Range, the creek flows generally west through Santiam State Forest and farmland to meet the South Santiam River west of Scio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cottonwood Creek (Sacramento River tributary)</span> River in Shasta County, United States

Cottonwood Creek is a major stream and tributary of the Sacramento River in Northern California. About 68 miles (109 km) long measured to its uppermost tributaries, the creek drains a large rural area bounded by the crest of the Coast Ranges, traversing the northwestern Sacramento Valley before emptying into the Sacramento River near the town of Cottonwood. It defines the boundary of Shasta and Tehama counties for its entire length. Because Cottonwood Creek is the largest undammed tributary of the Sacramento River, it is known for its Chinook salmon and steelhead runs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1996 Pacific Northwest floods</span> 1996 floods in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, United States

The 1996 Pacific Northwest floods were a series of floods in Washington, Oregon, and the Idaho Panhandle in the United States. Large portions of the Columbia River and Puget Sound watersheds were impacted, including the Portland, Yakima, and the Palouse region. The flood was largely caused by warm temperatures and heavy rain falling on significant snowpack and caused an estimated $800 million in damage.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Lucia, Ellis (1965). Wild Water: The Story of the Far West's Great Christmas Week Floods. Portland, Oregon: Overland West Press. OCLC   2475714.
  2. ↑ "Lower Columbia River Basin" (PDF). United States Army Corps of Engineers. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 16, 2011. Retrieved December 31, 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Dresbeck, Rachel (2006). "The Willamette River Flood". Oregon Disasters: True Stories of Tragedy and Survival. Guilford, Connecticut: Insiders' Guide. pp. 89–96. ISBN   978-0-7627-3993-6. OCLC   69680034.
  4. ↑ Gregory, Stan; Ashkenas, L.; Jett, S.; Wildman, R. (2002). Willamette River Basin Planning Atlas – Flood Inundations/FEMA Floodplains (PDF) (2nd ed.). Corvallis, Oregon: Oregon State University Press. p. 28. ISBN   978-0-87071-542-6. OCLC   50591046. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 9, 2017. Retrieved April 27, 2018. Lock-green.svg
  5. 1 2 "Oregon's Top 10 Weather Events of 1900s: Floods of December 1964 to January 1965". Portland, Oregon: National Weather Service Forecast Office. Retrieved December 31, 2010.Note: Surpassed only by the Heppner Flood of 1903, the Vanport Flood of 1948, the Columbus Day Storm of 1962, and the Tillamook Burn of 1933, 1939, 1945, and 1951.
  6. 1 2 3 "11477000 Eel River at Scotia, California" (PDF). United States Geological Survey. pp. 11-1–11-2. Retrieved July 18, 2011.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 California Department of Water Resources (January 1965). Flood! December 1964 to January 1965 (Report). Sacramento, California: California Department of Water Resources. OCLC   8135568 . Retrieved July 26, 2011.
  8. 1 2 3 "1964 Christmas Flood". Oregon Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on January 2, 2012.
  9. ↑ "125 Years of Care | Salem Health". SalemHealth. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
  10. ↑ Center, Heritage (14 December 2015). "Christmas Flood Evacuation of Salem Memorial Hospital". Willamette Heritage Center. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
  11. ↑ "Record Floods Ravage the Railroad". The Western Railroader. 28 (302). Francis A. Guido: 2–9. 1965.
  12. 1 2 Nervo, Edward H. (1965). "The Northwestern Pacific". The Western Railroader. 28 (301). Francis A. Guido: 11.
  13. ↑ Kammerer, J. C. (May 1990). "Largest Rivers in the United States". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved July 18, 2011.
  14. ↑ California. Dept. of Water Resources (1965). Flood! December 1964-January 1965. University of California Libraries. [Sacramento].
  15. ↑ "The Eel River Floods of 1955 and 1964". California Department of Parks and Recreation. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  16. ↑ "11532500 Smith River Near Crescent City, California" (PDF). United States Geological Survey. 2005. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  17. ↑ "11530500 Klamath River Near Klamath, California" (PDF). United States Geological Survey. 2005. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  18. ↑ "11530000 Trinity River At Hoopa, California" (PDF). United States Geological Survey. 2005. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.