Boise River Diversion Dam

The Boise River Diversion Dam is a diversion dam on the Boise River in the U.S. state of Idaho, 7mi southeast and upstream of Boise in Ada County. Completed in 1909, it is operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The diverted water fills the concrete New York Canal, the primary irrigation channel for Ada and Canyon counties.ConstructionIn March 1906, the Utah Fire Proofing Company began work on the Boise River Diversion Dam with the provision that the structure would be completed within one year. It soon became apparent that the dam would not be finished on time. With little experience in such endeavors, Utah Fire Proofing failed to provide adequate foremen for the project. At least nineteen superintendents worked on the dam and their incompetence led to an extraordinary turnover in labor. Inclement weather and flooding caused at least two months' worth of delays and forced the crews to rebuild part of the structure. By April 16, 1907, the dam was only 41% complete. It would take another year and a half before the diversion works were ready to unload into the New York Canal. The company eventually lost $90,000 on the contract. And to make matters worse in March 1909, a log foreman "maliciously" removed the boom above the dam and allowed timber roll over the embankment causing $73,000 worth of damage. Yet when the structure was completed it worked famously. The Diversion Dam is 68ft high and 500ft in length with an overall capacity of 42815ft3/s.