Irrigation







Without dams, reservoirs, and canals the Treasure Valley would be much different
First Irrigation on Boise River was for crops to feed soldiers at Fort Boise
Small canals were dug at various points on river
o Named after original developer
Early on, water was only available as long as the stream flows stayed high
Arthur Foote proposed building the New York Canal
o Could irrigate thousands of acres south of Boise
o Unsuccessful in obtaining funding
The Bureau of Reclamation was authorized by Congress in 1902 to “reclaim” the western US
The Bureau of Rec completed Foote’s project, the Boise Diversion Dam, and Lake Lowell
Dams






Diversion Dam
o Controls the flows into New York Canal
o Supply hydroelectric power for Arrowrock Dam construction
o Still is a source of hydroelectric power
Arrowrock Dam
o Completed in 1915
o Built to store water for irrigation and hydroelectric power
Anderson Ranch Dam
o Completed by Bureau of Rec in 1945
o Built for irrigation, hydroelectric power, and flood control
Lucky Peak Dam
o Army Corps of Engineers in 1954
o Built for Flood control, hydroelectric power, and irrigation storage
Combined Arrowrock , Anderson Ranch, and Lucky Peak can store 950,000 acre-feet of water
The three dams were designed to save Boise from a hundred year flood event
o 100 year flood would have 16,000 cfs at Glenwood bridge
o Flood stage is considered 7,000 cfs at Glenwood bridge
o In spring 1943, flows in Boise reached 14,000 cfs
Other Info



Agriculture is still the biggest use of the Boise River
Most of the water supply comes from snowpack
Idaho delivers water on “first in time, first in right” principle. Water must be put to beneficial use
Web Resources:
Bureau of Reclamation http://www.usbr.gov/
Bureau of Reclamation Pacific Northwest Region http://www.usbr.gov/pn/
Major Storage Reservoirs ‘teacup diagram’ http://www.usbr.gov/pn/hydromet/boipaytea.html