History
The river was called "Reed's River" in the early 19th century, explored during 1811 Astorian Expedition. The river is diverted to canals for irrigation on the plain west of Boise. The dams that form the mountain reservoirs were constructed as part of the Bureau of Reclamation's "Boise Project" to provide agricultural irrigation, hydroelectricity, drinking water, and flood control to Boise and the Treasure Valley.
The major projects' initial completion dates were:
- 1909 - Boise River Diversion Dam & New York Canal
- 1915 - Arrowrock Dam
- 1950 - Anderson Ranch Dam - (S. Fork)
- 1955 - Lucky Peak Dam - (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)
Read more about this topic: Boise River
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