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    Capital Hill Reservoir

    Online Open House

  • This online open house is no longer accepting submissions. If you have questions, please contact yvette.finstad@medfordwater.org. Thank you for participating!

  • Welcome

  • Welcome to Capital Hill Reservoir
    Online Open House.

    In this online open house, you can learn more about the need to replace the reservoirs, why they are being replaced at the current location on Capital Hill, the general size and shape of the new reservoir, limited construction impacts and timeline, potential haul routes in and out of the neighborhood, a project timeline, and next steps. In addition, we will share a project timeline for the separate project of relocating the communications tower on reservoir property.

    This open house will accept comments through March 4, after that time you can still read through the information. 

    We have held two previous in person open houses in June of 2023 and 2024. At those open houses we learned about your concerns with potential construction impacts and the desire to save as many trees as possible on the property, and to not attract others to the neighborhood with any park-like amenities. For more of what was covered in the previous open houses,
    see our Frequently Asked Questions.opens in a new tab

  • project area map(opens in a new tab)opens in a new tab

    (project area map in the context of Medford)

  • People engaging at an open house People engaging at an open housePeople engaging at an open house

    (Images of engagement at prior open house events)

  • Introduction

  • Medford’s drinking water depends on the Capital Hill Reservoirs as the hub of our distribution system, but they have had nearly 100 years of use and weren’t built to withstand a major earthquake. Replacing the three aging reservoirs with larger, modern tanks is key to providing a seismically resilient backbone to our water system that will help us recover quickly from natural disasters and continue to serve our growing region long into the future.

  • Medford Water operates and maintains the water system that delivers high-quality drinking water to around 150,000 Rogue Valley residents.

    The utility is an autonomous agency of the City of Medford, Oregon, established through a change in the city charter on November 7, 1922, and is governed by the Board of Water Commissioners. As the Rogue Valley’s trusted municipal water provider for over 100 years, this project is part of ensuring Medford Water can serve customers for the next hundred years as well.

    Capital Hill Reservoir replacement is part of the Rogue Valley Water Supply Resiliency Program, a ten-year effort. It’s largely funded by a low-interest federal loan through the EPA’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA), but the money must be used by 2030.

    Rogue Valley Water Supply Resiliency Programopens in a new tab

    The public safety communications tower relocation, a separate project through the City of Medford, is underway. Our timeline is contingent on this process before construction can begin. The new emergency safety tower must be constructed and properly tested before the existing tower can be removed.

    Public Safety Tower relocationopens in a new tab

  • photograph from history of Capital Hill Reservoir

    photograph from history of Capital Hill Reservoir

  • The New Reservoir Design 

  • Why Here?

    The new reservoir will be located on the northern edge of the Capital Hill Reservoirs property. This location will allow the demolition of one of the current reservoirs and construction of a new reservoir to happen while keeping one of the existing reservoirs operational throughout construction. In addition, the location of the new reservoir maximized space on the property to be able to construct another reservoir in the future when demand for the future reservoir is needed.

    What Will it Look Like? 

    Currently the new reservoir is at the 60% design mark. While exact details are still being worked on, engineers know the size, shape, and location of the new reservoir. The storage volume of the new reservoir will be 12 million gallons. The reservoir will be approximately 270′ in diameter and approximately 32′ tall, much of which will be below ground. The height above ground when completed may vary between approximately 15′ and 25′.

  • project area

    (diagram of the Capital Hill Reservoir site with layout of the new reservoir)

  • Graphic renderings of what the future reservoir may look like

    Rendered image of aerial view from the north

    (Treeline view from the west)

     

    Rendered view from Valley View and Ridge Way Street

    (View from Valley View and Ridge Way Street)

     

    Rendered image of aerial view from the northtext

    (Aerial views from the SE and NW)

  • Construction Timeline

    With any large infrastructure project, timelines can shift depending on many factors. We expect to finish full design this spring. Construction is expected to begin in late summer or early fall of this year and continue for roughly two years. We will host a “Meet the Contractor” open house before construction begins and share more detailed information including construction sequencing (what happens when) and what to expect during construction.

    project timeline

  • Potential Haul Routes 

  • While the goal of the project team is to minimize the impact of the project on the local neighborhood, any construction project of this size and importance will have some temporary impacts. Including:

    • Noise
    • Increased truck traffic with designated haul routes

    We’ve worked with the City of Medford to identify the best routes to haul construction materials to and from the site, shown on the following map. We are also working closely with the City to ensure safety in the neighborhood and will let you know when construction plans are made what steps will be taken to make sure everyone knows what to do. 

     

    map of potential haul routes

    (map of potential haul routes)

  • Next Steps

  • Our timeline is contingent on the separate process to relocate the public safety communications tower to a different area on the reservoir property. The new emergency safety tower must  be constructed and properly tested before the existing tower can be removed. Find out more about the Public Safety Tower relocation.opens in a new tab

    We will return in later summer or early fall when design is complete and we have a project contractor on board. We will host a “meet the contractor” open house in the neighborhood so you can get to know your new neighbors and learn how we can all work together to improve your water system with the least impacts possible.

  • Rendered image of aerial view from the north

    (Aerial view from the northwest)

  • project timeline

  • Questions

  • Should be Empty: