In 1910 Idaho was growing rapidly, the need for power, flood control and irrigation water to fuel the states budding agricultural economy was growing more by the year. The Boise River, being the life blood to so many small farms was only maintained by one diversion damn located at Barber Park. At times the barber park diversion with its limited capacity seemed overwhelmed and many people began to feel the need for additional damns in the upper reaches of the Boise River in order to deal with increasing demand. One such organization was the United States Reclamation Service, they began to toy with the idea of creating a dam further up the Boise River valley, a Large concrete dam in order to accommodate a growing population. After several surveys a location on the convergence of two of the Boise Rivers forks: the main and the South Fork were selected. This endeavor was to be one of the most adventurous and groundbreaking to ever take place within Idaho borders. The Arrowrock Dam as it would come to be known would require its own rail line[i], thousands of men and once completed it would be the tallest concrete arch dam in the world. [ii]
One of the most interesting points of note is the amenities and services that were available to workmen and visitors. At no point in Idaho history had such lengths been made to accommodate and comfort weary workers. The spectacular Boise River valley views notwithstanding the camp boasted a slew of amenities that not many in Boise were even accustomed. Not only was Arrowrock workman’s camp fully powered, but it had a central heating facility, running water and sewage maintained a fully staffed hospital, post office, ymca, school and dance hall [iii] . At the peak of construction, some 1,400 people had called Arrowrock home, including some 200 families, [iv] that is more than some towns in Idaho have today.
On October 4, 1915 the Arrowrock Dam was finally dedicated[v]. It was at the time, the cutting edge of dam construction; engineers utilized several new technologies that up until this time were unheard of. Dam instrumentation such as, internal thermometers[vi] emplaced in wet concrete monitored drying temperatures, ensuring a solid and strong dam wall. The water pressure behind the dam wall was serviced by twenty-five outlets, some of which regulated themselves; another unique feature to Idaho’s tallest concrete dam[vii]. Within the first few days of Arrowrock operation, an estimated 12,000 visitors braved the canyon in order to see the dam[viii], both putting Idaho’s engineering spectacle on the front page across the world and giving the farmers of Idaho an increasingly stable means of resources. The Arrowrock dam was important to Idahoans and the country as a whole. It demonstrated the vast opportunity man could pull from nature and helped create the Idaho we all know today.
[i] Idaho State Historical Society, “Bureau of Reclamation Building.” Accessed November 19, 2012. http://history.idaho.gov/bureau-reclamation-building
[ii] USBR, "Boise Project, Arrowrock dam." Accessed November 19, 2012. http://www.usbr.gov/projects//ImageServer?imgName=Doc_1261497242949.pdf.
[iii] Engineering and Contracting, (Chicago: The Myron C. Clark Publishing Co., 1915)http://books.google.com/books?id=HanmAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA118&lpg=PA118&dq=arrowrock dam pool hall ymca&source=bl&ots=Yrs27WRaXp&sig=OdhceX16dm-rAdzKUpKANjoQAds&hl=en&sa=X&ei=GrmyUMeJB-jhiwLA6IGwCg&ved=0CEAQ6AEwBA
[iv] Boise Architecture Project, "Arrowrock Dam." Accessed Novemebr 19, 2012. http://boisearchitecture.org/structuredetail.php?id=1412.
[v] USBR, "Boise Project, Arrowrock dam." Accessed November 20, 2012. http://www.usbr.gov/projects//ImageServer?imgName=Doc_1261497242949.pdf.
[vi] Value Engineering, “Arrowrock outlet.” Accessed November 20, 2012.
http://www.value-eng.org/pdf_docs/conference_proceedings/1998/9841.PDF
[vii] Boise Architecture Project, "Arrowrock Dam." Accessed November 20, 2012. http://boisearchitecture.org/structuredetail.php?id=1412.
[vii] Summer in El-wyhee. "Elmore County." Accessed November 20, 2012.http://www.elmorecountypress.com/summer1.htm
