WAUTouchetRiverandDamPH2016_017.xml Guide to the Photographs of the Touchet River Flood, 1964 1950-1965 Photographs of the Touchet River Flood, 1964 Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries © 2016 (Last modified: 1/31/2020)
Seattle, WA 98195
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections PH1231 United States. Bureau of Reclamation. Pacific Northwest Region Photographs of the Touchet River Flood, 1964 1950-1965 26 photographs (1 folder) Collection materials are in English. Photographs documenting the destruction caused by the flooding of the Touchet and Walla Walla Rivers in December 1964, including flooding near Prescott and Waitsburg, Washington

In December of 1964, three severe storms in the Pacific Northwest over the course of less than two weeks caused widespread flooding and destruction in California, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and parts of Nevada. The “Christmas Flood” of 1964 killed 47, displaced thousands, caused over half a billion dollars’ worth of property damage, and remains the most severe flood on record in California. Among those rivers flooded was the Touchet River in southeastern Washington State, running through Walla Walla County.

In response to the flooding, communities along the affected river systems, including the Touchet River, built dikes to confine the floodwaters in the event of future storms. These have not always proven successful, as flooding has occurred on the Touchet since the Christmas Flood, including in 1996 and 2017. Subsequent efforts to confine river waters and prevent further property damage have been met with mixed opinions, on the grounds that such preventative measures come at the cost of fish habitats.

Photographs documenting the 1964 flood and the destruction caused by the flooding of the Touchet and Walla Walla Rivers in December 1964, including flooding near Prescott and Waitsburg, Washington. Also included are two photos of the region prior to the flooding.

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Donor: Senator Henry Jackson, August 12, 1985.

Processed by Michael Lowry Lamble. November, 2018.

Originally accessioned as PH2016-017.

Separated from William Henry Jackson papers.

 Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington) United States. Bureau of Reclamation. Pacific Northwest Region--Archives Touchet River (Wash.)--Photographs Walla Walla River (Or. and Wash.)--Photographs Floods--Washington (State)--Waitsburg--Photographs Floods--Washington (State)--Prescott--Photographs Flood damage--Washington (State)--Photographs Washington (State) Photographs

 

Before the flood 1 1 Orchard along the road, near Wolf Creek April 4, 1950 US Bureau of Reclamation, J.F. Mangan 1 2 Lower Touchet Diversion Dam July 6, 1961 US Bureau of Reclamation, George Talbott Time of the flood 1 3 Two men standing near the wreckage of the Luckenbill Bridge December 23, 1964 Walla Walla County Engineer B. Loyal Smith 1 4 Flooding in Waitsburg city park December 23, 1964 Walla Walla County Engineer B. Loyal Smith 1 5 Touchet River flooding houses at the north shore along the dike December 23, 1964 Dayton Chronicle 1 6 Flooding on Menokon Road toward the west end of Waitsburg December 23, 1964 Walla Walla County Engineer B. Loyal Smith 1 7 Aerial view of flooding at the junction of the Touchet and Walla Walla Rivers at Touchet, WA December 23, 1964 Corps of Engineers 1 8 Flooded homes along Patit Creek near the Touchet River December 23, 1964 Dayton Chronicle 1 9 Hart Road bridge destroyed by flooding above Prescott, WA December 23, 1964 Walla Walla County Engineer B. Loyal Smith 1 10 Flooding of the Touchet River where it meets US 410 in Waitsburg, WA December 23, 1964 US Bureau of Reclamation 1 11 Flooded homes in the east side of Waitsburg, WA December 23, 1964 US Bureau of Reclamation 1 12 Flooded street with tractor near a Walla Walla County building in Waitsburg, WA December 23, 1964 US Bureau of Reclamation 1 13 Flooding in the west business district of Waitsburg, WA December 23, 1964 US Bureau of Reclamation 1 14 Flooded home and orchard of Robert Erbes, North Touchet, WA December 23, 1964 US Bureau of Reclamation 1 15 Car, home, and machinery in mud December 26, 1994 US Bureau of Reclamation

Written on verso: mud was two feet deep at park.

 1 16 Touchet River North Road destroyed by flooding, four miles north of Touchet December 26, 1964 Walla Walla County Engineer B. Loyal Smith After the flood 1 17 Orchard of Robert Erbes, washed away by flooding January 2, 1965 US Bureau of Reclamation 1 18 Road washed away at Bass and Swain bridge on Touchet River North Road January 5, 1965 Walla Walla County Engineer B. Loyal Smith 1 19 Flood damaged orchard near Dayton Damsite March 19, 1965 US Bureau of Reclamation, H.E. Geren

This is the same view as item 1, photographed in 1950.

 1 20 Lower Touchet Diversion Dam and flood-damaged farmland March 19, 1965 US Bureau of Reclamation, H.E. Geren 1 21 Flood-damaged farmland along the road, about nine miles above Touchet March 19, 1965 US Bureau of Reclamation, H.E. Geren 1 22 Flood damaged orchard about 1.5 miles below Dayton dam site March 19, 1965 US Bureau of Reclamation, H.E. Geren 1 23-24 Flood damage on farmlands near Prescott, WA 1965? Merle Brown 1 25 Flood damage to farmland along the river, near Prescott, WA 1965? Merle Brown 1 26 Flood damage to farmland, near Prescott, WA 1965? Merle Brown