Milner Dam
Encyclopedia
Milner Dam is a rockfill dam
near Burley
in south central Idaho
. It impounds the Snake River
in a reservoir
named Milner Lake. The dam spans the river across two islands, with three embankments.
Milner Dam was authorized for construction as a privately-capitalized venture under the 1894 Carey Act
, a precursor to the 1902 Reclamation Act. Ira Burton Perrine
, a local rancher, chose the site and recruited financial backers, including Salt Lake City banker Stanley B. Milner and eastern investors Frank H. Buhl and Peter L. Kimberly. The Buhl-Kimberly Corporation built the dam and the Twin Falls Canal in 1903-1905. Milner Dam's primary purpose is irrigation
but it also produces hydroelectricity
. It is currently owned and operated by Milner Dam, Inc.
The dam is 73 feet (22.3 m) high and 2160 feet (658.4 m) long. The storage capacity of its reservoir, Milner Lake, is 36300 acre.ft. The lake covers 4,000 acres (16 km²).
Inspections in 1988 indicated a high risk of dam failure in an earthquake. In order to pay for the $11 million cost of rebuilding the dam, the operating companies contracted with Idaho Power to build a 57.5 megawatt hydroelectric powerplant 1.5 miles (2.4 km) downstream from the dam, with Idaho Power in return loaning funds for the dam's reconstruction. The powerplant has 46 and 11.5 MW generators, with a small 800 KW generator for low-flow conditions. Water for the powerplant is drawn from the Twin Falls Canal during seasons when water is not needed for irrigation.
Milner Dam was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
on July 10, 1986.
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
near Burley
Burley, Idaho
Burley is a city in Cassia and Minidoka counties in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Idaho. The population was 10,345 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Cassia County....
in south central Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. It impounds the Snake River
Snake River
The Snake is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean...
in a reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
named Milner Lake. The dam spans the river across two islands, with three embankments.
Milner Dam was authorized for construction as a privately-capitalized venture under the 1894 Carey Act
Carey act
The Carey Act of 1894 allowed private companies in the U.S. to erect irrigation systems in the western semi-arid states, and profit from the sales of water. The Carey Act was enacted into law by Congress by the Act of August 18, 1894 , as amended...
, a precursor to the 1902 Reclamation Act. Ira Burton Perrine
I. B. Perrine
Ira Burton Perrine was an Idaho farmer, rancher and businessman. Perrine is generally credited as the founder of Twin Falls and other towns in the Magic Valley region....
, a local rancher, chose the site and recruited financial backers, including Salt Lake City banker Stanley B. Milner and eastern investors Frank H. Buhl and Peter L. Kimberly. The Buhl-Kimberly Corporation built the dam and the Twin Falls Canal in 1903-1905. Milner Dam's primary purpose is irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
but it also produces hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
. It is currently owned and operated by Milner Dam, Inc.
The dam is 73 feet (22.3 m) high and 2160 feet (658.4 m) long. The storage capacity of its reservoir, Milner Lake, is 36300 acre.ft. The lake covers 4,000 acres (16 km²).
Inspections in 1988 indicated a high risk of dam failure in an earthquake. In order to pay for the $11 million cost of rebuilding the dam, the operating companies contracted with Idaho Power to build a 57.5 megawatt hydroelectric powerplant 1.5 miles (2.4 km) downstream from the dam, with Idaho Power in return loaning funds for the dam's reconstruction. The powerplant has 46 and 11.5 MW generators, with a small 800 KW generator for low-flow conditions. Water for the powerplant is drawn from the Twin Falls Canal during seasons when water is not needed for irrigation.
Milner Dam was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on July 10, 1986.
External links
- Milner Dam at the Twin Falls Canal Company