The concrete dam, built from 1911-1915, provides irrigation water for 170,000 acres of land in the Treasure Valley around Boise. At the time of construction, it was the highest dam in the world and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is the second downstream dam in a four-dam river system on the Boise River.
Jo, who was profiled in our "Outdoor Idaho" program, took some time to keep a diary for a day. It was a day in which the spillway on the side of the dam was opened, to move more water downstream. Her unique perspective provides a window on a lifestyle that is quickly disappearing.
Wednesday, June 23, 1999
7 AM: time to head up the hill and collect the weather data. After reading the high, low and reset temps, the wind gauge and measuring any precipitation, I head for the generator room to get the reservoir elevation. Then it is back to the office where I call Black Canyon Dam for the midnight readings. I then figure flow averages, document all the info and call the Boise area office will all the data.
Four young gentlemen visited me this morning. Their car broke down and they were in need of a phone. They don’t know how lucky they were to be here; generally the gate is locked, but I was expecting company so I opened it early this morning. From here it’s 6 miles to the nearest phone.
Cleaned out the pickup. Managed to get the inside done before company arrived.
I had my first major traffic jam today (major for Arrowrock). First in comes Brent from Black Canyon Dam with the dump truck and backhoe. He is here to help me do a water change and fix a broken irrigation line. Then behind him comes the mother of one of the boys who got stuck needing to use the phone, then behind her comes the mechanic who is going to do a tune-up on the emergency generator. The road is so narrow that it’s hard to maneuver big rigs around but we finally got everyone situated and happy.
It’s now 10:30 AM and we are ready to make our water change. I show Brent which valves to turn on the drum gates. They are extremely hard to turn, so one of the guys has to come up and do them for me. Now 3 folks from the Boise office have joined us. Around here I have found it is either feast or famine. I go for weeks and never seen a soul and then wham everybody I know and a few I don’t know show up at my doorstep.
Back to the water operations. After Brent has closed down an ensign valve he heads back up to the drum gates to lower three of them while I close the rest of the ensign valves. (Producer's note: According to the the Bureau of Reclamation web site, "This type of balanced valve, named after Orville Ensign, is one of the earliest needle valve designs, where the valve is mounted on the upstream face of the dam and the needle points downstream into the inlet. These valves are opened and closed by the regulation of water pressure behind the main piston, the pressure being supplied by restricted leakage past the piston and relieved through a control pipe connected to the cylinder head.")
The operation is finished by noon thirty and water is now flowing down the spillway. All I have left to do is climb out of the dam. By the time I get out everybody from the Boise office is gone.
It is really hard for me to find the words that fit my feelings when watching the water run the spillway,. When dry, it is nothing more than a big concrete ditch. When the water spills it is transformed into a raging river. As I watch the water come around the bend it reminds me of a luge run. I can imagine the water as a sled ascending the bend and then dropping to the bottom again.
Once it hits the end of the spillway, the sled run ends cause the water shoots out twelve feet and then drops in white fury to the water below, creating a spray that lifts 200 fee high. I can remember coming to Arrowrock as a child and seeing the water come over the spillway. It flat scared the beejeevers out of me. It seemed there was so much water coming at us and so little road keeping us from being eaten alive. I begged my parents to let me out of the car so I could walk that stretch of road. Back then I never dreamt I would be the one responsible for releasing all that water.
Whenever I get to see this event I feel that I have truly been blessed with my job. Where elese would I get to see such power and beauty and get paid to do it? I added that paid part just so the big guys don’t get to thinkin I should do it for free.
Now there is a definite need for sustenance. I hear leftover pizza and a banana beckoning. A blue heron provides lunchtime entertainment. He is perched on his favorite spot at the top of the crane. Wonder if anybody ever told him that if he faced the other way he wouldn’t have to keep trying to get the feathers out of his face.
The need for feed is fulfilled and I am now off to the lower bunk house to see if we can get the irrigation line fixed.
I have managed to neglect the mechanic most of the day but he seems to be doing fine without my armchair supervision. I do spend the rest of the afternoon with him, helping, listening and learning.
It is now 4:15 PM and I am back at the house writing in the log book and writing an account of my activities for my supervisor.
My son, Ben, is at the door. He’s caught another snake and wants a picture taken. I think this one is a garter snake; the other was a bull snake. If he ever catches a rattler I’m going to need a telephoto lens that will take a picture from at least a mile away.
My workday is finished and it is now time to sit back and listen to the quiet and enjoy the beauty. Coffee in hand, out the door I go and what do I see but two of the cutest little baby….skunks. Mad rush to get the dogs in the house, then off to convince the babies they really don’t want to hang around here. Even as babies they have no fear. They finally leave. I don’t get sprayed, but think I’ll have my coffee inside.