Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1911-11-10
FROM A VISIT TO THE
MINiDOkA DAM

A recent visit TO the dam of the
Mnidoka segregation proved
so interesting that the suggestion
naturally arose to the effect that
few items of a statistical nature
might prove acceptable to the
readers of the Journal. Especially
as the Journal poses as the expo
nent of Irrigated Idaho.,' gov
ernment reclamation project, the
greater portion of which is located
In Lincoln county, should claim a
due share of its attention. The
statistical items were furnished by
Barry Dibble, electrical engineer in
charge of the plant, while the sight
seeing desires of the visitor were
ministered to by Mr. w. H. Gibbs
chief clerk of the engineers office.
AS the visit was not premeditated
and lasted only the forty minutes
the team was engaged in eating
oats, the data obtained was cor
respondingly brief.
The dam proper, spanning the
original bed Of the river, is OF the
rock and earth filled type and is
800 feet in length. Beyond this
is cement spiIlway 2600 feet III.
lenggth extending the dam to the
south over what was once dry lava
rock. The depth of water behind
the dam is 10 feet. This height
of dam backs the river nearly to-
american Falls and makes reser-
voir that holds $4,000 acre feet OF
water. Another reservoir for the
Minidoka project when completed
by the government, will hold $685.
600 acre feet. This year it held
100000 acre feet but much water
was wasted or lost. 1t is located
in Wyoming and is known as the
Jackson Lake reservoir At the
north end Of the dam diversion
channel was blasted out of the
solid rock and here is located q
large cement power house where
10000 horse power Of electric ener-
gy is generated, Just half the ca
pacity of the plant when completed
There are five units installed and
in operation and five more pen-s
stock openings are left in the dams
for another five units. Each OF
the five turbine water wheels or,
runners is fed by penstock ten
feet in diameter with head OF
46 feet and each develops 2000
horse power which is transformed.
into electrical energy by the dyna-
mo attached to the shaft on which
the turbine acts As the current
comes from the generators at POO
Volts ii is stepped up to $4,000 volts
and sent out on the powerllnes to
every town and lifting plant on th =.
project At the lifting plants 220o
VOLTS are used, but in the towns
transformers step the powerful
current down to 220 and ii0 volts.
Much of the project on the south
side of the Snake river is a pump
ing proposition. This consists of
three lifts of 80 feet each, and
the powerful lifting pumps are
driven by electricity from the pow
er lines. The first lift is located
eleven miles from the dam and
its capacity is 1000 acre feet a day.
There are 40 miles of transmission
lines now built and in operation.
IS a reminder of former conditions
a battery of three big water wheels
..e moored in the river some dis
tance below the dam where they
lifted water for mining purposes
till the government works chang
ed the current of the river and
LnreW them out of commission. No
body seems to know who will own
the dam and power plant when the
project is turned over to the set
Tiers. but a notion seems prevalent
that Uncle Sam will hold them in
trust for the benefit of the settlers
for many years to come.