Idaho Falls and Hydroelectric Power

As many times as we have been to Idaho Falls, we had never been to the falls and the city park that surrounds the section of river. It’s near the Latter-Day Saints Temple that was completed in 1945.

The Falls are actually a series of rapids and small falls which was dammed as part of a hydroelectric project. After the Teton Dam Failure and resulting disaster in 1969, The City of Idaho Falls was able to procure funding to rebuild the three Hydro Plants.

The new dam and plants provide a third of the electricity needed by Idaho Falls. The project uses Bulb Technology, a European design which is quite different from how most hydroelectric dams operate in the United States.

The Falls and Rapids originally formed as the Snake River eroded through a vesicular basalt, (think lava with bubbles or holes in the flow). As many of the worlds falls, it eroded until the water found a softer layer underneath the cooled lava flow. It then formed a drop as the softer materials eroded faster leaving a cliff, (similar to Niagara Falls but different materials and much smaller).

We parked and then enjoyed a forty-five-minute walk along the northern side of the river. The park is a nice greenway contrasting with surrounding dry area . If you are ever in the area be sure stop and enjoy the scenic place. Clear skies