Irrigation of the Snake River

8 Locations | Curated by Josh Franzen, Brigham Young University

Driving through Eastern Idaho, you pass what seems like an endless stretch of large green farms, often with massive sprinklers spreading thousands of gallons of water over dozens of different types of crops. However, this land only recently became like this. Before the 1900’s, this part of Idaho was a mix between a desert and grassy plains, better suited for grazing a few animals than farming. By the beginning of the 20th century, homesteaders began spreading across the entire country, and needed to farm to survive and earn money. While the nearby Snake River provides water, the water comes too fast during the spring, with the winter run off flooding large sections of farmland. During the fall, not enough water reaches the farmland to sustain the crops and the crops die before the harvest. In 1902, with the passing of the Newlands Reclamation Act, the Federal Government, under Theodore Roosevelt, set aside money to create dams and irrigation canals across the US in order to store the water and allow more people to farm successfully. The main project that affected this area of the Snake River was the Minidoka project. It entailed the Minidoka, American Falls, Jackson Lake, Island Park, and Grassy Lakes Dam. The Palisades Dam and the Teton Dam were completed in separate projects much after the completion of the original five dams. The Minidoka Camp was originally an outpost for reclamation workers, and was converted into an internment camp for a few years during World War 2. The creation of these dams mirror the further settling of Eastern Idaho. As the dams were completed, hundreds of thousands more people moved to Idaho to begin farming the now irrigated land. This tour tells the story of the creation of these dams and illustrates the story of the settling of the Snake River Plain.

Helping to turn a desert into farmland, this dam is an important element of the modern ecosystem of the area. It provides a home for much of the local wildlife, as well as life-giving water for farmers who rely on the water stored here to irrigate their fields. It was an important pioneer in hydroelectricity and spurred the creation of thousands of miles of irrigation canals throughout the state.
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When the temporary dam burst, and lake water flooded the plains, construction began in earnest on the Jackson Lake Dam. It expanded the natural Jackson Lake and harnessed the water to be used for agriculture in the area. The creation of this dam brought thousands of people into the surrounding area who were attracted by the new farming opportunities. A previously uninhabited area of Wyoming…
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Underneath this massive reservoir lies the remains of the original town of American Falls. Located in the best spot for a dam, the entire town had to be moved by cart uphill. The cement grain silo deemed too difficult to move can still be seen poking out of the dam, and during an extremely low tide, you can walk on the old sidewalks where the city used to be.
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The debate between conservation and reclamation postponed the creation of this dam. The original dam site was going to be off the Yellowstone Lake, but was split into two separate dams. One, the Grassy Lakes Dam, is the smallest reservoir created by the Minidoka Project. While is it very close to the Jackson Lake, it is uphill from the other lake and provides water to farmers whose fields are…
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After two decades of fighting between local farmers and national conservationists, this dam served as a compromise between the desire to settle Idaho and the need to preserve the natural beauty of Yellowstone. Its unique location also experiences some of the most drastic temperature changes in the state of Idaho.
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During the Second World War, thousands of Japanese Americans were imprisoned in camps, suspected of forming a fifth column of Japanese soldiers within the US. The vast majority of these people were completely innocent and loyal citizens of the country, but were interned in these camps regardless. This camp housed thousands of people during its 3 years of existence, and illustrates a painful moment…
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Erupting one peaceful Saturday morning, the failure of this dam destroyed several towns, killed 11 people, drowned over 15,000 heads of livestock, and damaged over $2 billion of property in the area. The fallout of this disaster led to the creation of many oversight groups and committees, dedicated to maintaining the integrity of dams all across the country to ensure that tragedies of this…
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This giant dam is an important structure in the economy of this area. It prevents millions of dollars of flood damage every year and provides water for the farmers in the area. It also fosters the recreation industry that is very strong in this area. It is both an incredible landmark and a symbol for the success of the region.
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Sources:

Bureau of Reclamation, from Projects and Facilities. “Minidoka Project,” available at
https://www.usbr.gov/projects/index.php?id=361

Stene, Eric A. Minidoka Project. Report. Bureau of Reclamation. 1997. Available at
https://www.usbr.gov/projects/pdf.php?id=137

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