Milner Dam is a rockfill

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, aqua ...

near Burley in south central

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain states, Mountain West subregions of the Western United States. It borders Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington (state), ...

. It impounds the

Snake River The Snake River is a major river in the interior Pacific Northwest region of the United States. About long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, which is the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean. Begin ...

in a

reservoir A reservoir (; ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam, usually built to water storage, store fresh water, often doubling for hydroelectric power generation. Reservoirs are created by controlling a watercourse that drains an existing body of wa ...

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 Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. It is the county seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in the state. The city is the core of the Salt Lake Ci ...

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 (also referred to as watering of plants) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow crops, landscape plants, and lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,000 years and has bee ...

but it also produces

hydroelectricity Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is Electricity generation, electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies 15% of the world's electricity, almost 4,210 TWh in 2023, which is more than all other Renewable energ ...

. It is currently owned and operated by Milner Dam, Inc. The Snake River below Milner Dam is often allowed to run dry during periods of low flow as water is diverted to agricultural uses. Snake River Dam https://www.idahoconservation.org/our-work/snake-river access date 25 April 2024 The dam is high and long. The storage capacity of its reservoir, Milner Lake, is . 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 Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is Electricity generation, electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies 15% of the world's electricity, almost 4,210 TWh in 2023, which is more than all other Renewable energ ...

powerplant downstream from the dam, with Idaho Power in return loaning funds for the dam's reconstruction. The 1992 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 The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

on July 10, 1986.

References

External links

Milner Dam
at the Twin Falls Canal Company * {{Authority control 1905 establishments in Idaho Buildings and structures in Jerome County, Idaho Buildings and structures in Twin Falls County, Idaho Dams completed in 1905 Dams on the National Register of Historic Places in Idaho Dams on the Snake River Energy infrastructure completed in 1992 Historic American Engineering Record in Idaho Hydroelectric power plants in Idaho Industrial buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Idaho National Register of Historic Places in Jerome County, Idaho National Register of Historic Places in Twin Falls County, Idaho

See also

References

External links