The Boise citizen. (Boise, Idaho) 1906-1910, 1910-09-09
Facts About MaCkay Dam


The Big Lost River irrigation enterprise doomed to 1r a n
through negligence the state land board "
which Governor James H Brady is chairman ,r.ct.,
The board permitted the construction OF the dam ABOVE
contrary specifications and despite the reports from us
representative Engineer S Roberts inspector IN charge lo m
This dam has been pronounced absolutely worthless ~ ~
gneer Lppncot Angeles the engineer having in charge the
big 900 system for Los Angeles Whcn position
guarantees ability integrity After exhaustive exa
Macay pronounces the dam itself as faulty ana
the itself be abandoned Impossible 10 connect
dam there with bed rock or solid resting upon bed rock
Mr. Lppncott paid for his services by citizens OF Maey who
secured him make the investigation they felt that their yes ana
pronertv were endangered bv the dam which completed
The Brady land board knew the unsafe condition OF the dam ana the
of its construction but took move to protect those vng
below until forced by the publicity of the LppncoH report TO
stop the work
April 27th 1910 Engineer Roberts, the employ OF the
land board state engineer reported the latter and the report
duly presented to the land board, as follows
"The rocks controlling valves which support the spill
way chanel badly cracked and fed The water flowing out
Of the controlling valves will erode this bank and undermine the
splway channel would suggest that the retaining wall
Of this side of the controlling valves be extended some
so feet to prevent this erosion
What done about this? Why attention was paid
to the matter than if this recommendation had been much blank
Again same report Engineer Roberts This
crete of poor quality but sufficiently good to the purpose
tended"
And again "On April goth the water in the reservoir had
covered of 60 70 and the tunnel and controlling
valves flowing full The along the face of the dam had
covered the apron for distance of 80 feet measured along
the slope AS The the steadily rising will cover
and of this apron preventing the placing of another layer
of concrete TO increase he thickness Of the as recommended
Horizontal cracks have developed this the
line and extend along the entire face of the apron At the corner
of the apron where back along the portal of the tunnel
there vertical crack extending from the water line down the
face of the The the dam side of this crack has
settled about inches below that the portal side This due to
the fact that the water getting under the apron the bottom of the
dam caused the material the dam settle the
however, do consider this cracking and local setting of the facing
along the dam excepting that indicates the necessity of
making this facing inches thick recommended Mr.. Fes
report of April 1910 Nothing has been done this
And nothing was done the matter evidenced by
letter from Mr. Roberts State Engineer Martin under of
July 8th follows The reinforced apron the face
Of the dam being built the second lift of the banen
This section the thickness inches section previous
y built understood from conversation of May 24h you
here that the thickness of this to be changed but
have received no further Instructions"
To return Mr. Roberts April 27th he continues
Nothing has been done toward removing the brush and large
from the reservoir site understand that this of the require
entS OF the state Under the present conditions of high this
will be difficult to do but unless is done much trouble arise
with the coggng the tra-rac and controlling
lalveS.'
Reporting the canals of the enterprise Mr. Roberts
inder the date April 2h said The is being put
without reinforcement Parts of the cracks
ue to too rapid drying instructed the engineer this work to
eep the concrete moist allowing to dry slowly and prevent
ng called Mr. Drmmond attention the fact the con
ree was being put without reinforcement and he that he
lad sent reinforcing material to the with
e used on the work The concrete being placed solid
ground without any provision being made for drainage gravel
oundaton should be placed first and the then placed
lso called the engineers attention to this matter
Then again: The drop No 9 very door
1t IS rough and patched and will easily cumb the foot in
ONE places
These but sample the statements contained in the reo,
II monthly reports of the Inspector charge of the work and Ger
AMY should have been sufficient have the land board TO
ave made thorough investigation of the work being One
ne controlling factor the land boards management Noto
as been done about this etc And that the why the great
rgaton enterprise doomed to failure The Brady land board
loeS III te matter until Its hands forced by citizens
Mackay employing an engineer of national reputation who m
sangy pronounces the dam complete failure and dangerous 70
te and property. o