Bridge Creek is a 28 miles (45.1 km) tributary of the John Day River

John Day River

The John Day River is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately long, in northeastern Oregon in the United States. Undammed along its entire length, the river is the third longest free-flowing river in the conterminous United States. There is extensive use of its waters for irrigation. Its...

 in the U.S. state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of Oregon

Oregon

Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...

. Part of the drainage basin of the Columbia River

Columbia River

The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...

, its watershed covers 267 mi2 in Wheeler County

Wheeler County, Oregon

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,547 people, 653 households, and 444 families residing in the county. The population density was 1 people per square mile . There were 842 housing units at an average density of 0 per square mile...

.

From its headwaters in the Ochoco Mountains in central Oregon, the creek flows generally northeast for about 13 miles (20.9 km) from Mount Pisgah in the Bridge Creek Wilderness

Bridge Creek Wilderness

Bridge Creek Wilderness is a wilderness area located in the Ochoco Mountains of central Oregon, within the Ochoco National Forest. It was established in 1984 and comprises , making it one of the smallest Wilderness areas in the state.-Topography:...

 to the small city of Mitchell

Mitchell, Oregon

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 170 people, 75 households, and 42 families residing in the city. The population density was 144.6 people per square mile . There were 91 housing units at an average density of 77.4 per square mile...

 on U.S. Route 26

U.S. Route 26 in Oregon

In the U.S. state of Oregon, U.S. Route 26 is a major cross-state state highway, connecting U.S. Route 101 on the Oregon Coast near Seaside with the Idaho state line east of Nyssa. Local highway names include the Sunset Highway No. 47, Mount Hood Highway No. 26, and John Day Highway No...

. From Mitchell, it flows generally northwest for about 15 miles (24.1 km), passing through the Painted Hills

Painted Hills

Painted Hills is one of the three units of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, located in Wheeler County, Oregon.It totals and is located northwest of Mitchell, Oregon and east of Bend....

 unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is a U.S. National Monument in Wheeler and Grant counties in east-central Oregon. Located within the John Day River basin and managed by the National Park Service, the park is known for its well-preserved layers of fossil plants and mammals that lived in the...

 before meeting the John Day River.

Bridge Creek is subject to occasional flash flood

Flash flood

A flash flood is a rapid flooding of geomorphic low-lying areas—washes, rivers, dry lakes and basins. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a storm, hurricane, or tropical storm or meltwater from ice or snow flowing over ice sheets or snowfields...

s, which have affected Mitchell as well as rural areas nearby. Surging water along the creek, which flows parallel to Main Street in Mitchell, caused great damage in 1884 and 1904. A third flood occurred on July 13, 1956, shortly after an intense thunderstorm in the Ochoco Mountains. The creek is usually less than 12 inches (30.5 cm) deep in Mitchell during July. Minutes after the thunderstorm, a sudden surge of water destroyed or heavily damaged 20 buildings in the city and several bridges over Bridge Creek. An observer from the United States Geological Survey

United States Geological Survey

The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...

estimated that about 4 inches (101.6 mm) of rain had fallen in about 50 minutes at the storm's center. Total damage from the flood, which also caused extensive damage to crops and roads, was $709,000.