Palisades Reservoir
“If a society forgets or not longer cares where it lives, then anyone with political power and the will to do so can manipulate the landscape to conform social ideals or nostalgic visions”
— Barry Lopez
My grandparents have friends who live in Jackson Hole. They think it is a shame what the Bureau of Reclamation did to the land by destroying the forest to create a dam. I believe that Palisades Reservoir is an intricate part of Wyoming and Idaho culture. The land, people, and communities would have been very different without this watershed. 
Palisades Dam transformed an area plagued by droughts and floods into an area with a dependable water supply and power.
Palisades was built to sustain Idaho and Wyoming’s thirst for water. Given its many benefits, the Palisades Project may be Reclamation’s most successful project.
Palisades both shelters and accommodates for those communities who live in its shadow.
History
Palisades project included various purposes such as irrigation, water supply, hydroelectric power generation, flood control, and navigation.
- 1920: The very first idea for Palisades Dam but it was not until
- 1931: The search for the location of the damsite. The South Fork of the Snake River proved the best location.
- 1941: The Reclamation of Bureau received authorization for Palisades Project. Palisades Dam was not authorized until the amended Reclamation Project Act of 1939.
- 1945: pre-construction phase but was then delayed because of World War II.
- 1950: Reauthorized and updated to include better flood protection and an improved power plant.
- 1951: Construction fully initiated
- 1957: Dam completed
- 1958: Palisades started producing energy
_________________________________________
Construction of the Dam
Crops started drying out and farmers needed protection from the floods. A demand for the reservoir would be a perfect solution.
Only four other projects constructed by Reclamation have prevented more damage due to flooding than Palisades. Palisades Dam is one of the most massive Earth-filled dam that the Bureau of Reclamation has built.
According to David Hoekema, and Venkatramana Sridharz, two engineers who studied the management of water in the Snake River Basin, an Earth-filled dam is constructed primarily of compacted composite that contains more than 50% of earth.
The materials are usually excavated or quarried from nearby sites, preferably within the reservoir basin.
Hydroelectric Power Plant
The power plant is the largest power facility in Idaho by having a total capacity of 176,600 kilowatts. The power plant furnishes energy needed in the upper valley to serve irrigation pumping units, municipalities, rural cooperatives, and other power users. 
_________________________________________
Purposes of the Reservoir
Due to the combination of floods and droughts, water proved to be inconsistent for farmers. A dam would solve both of the irrigation issues. The location of Palisades Dam was chosen strategically for the water storage capability and easy of access to irrigated lands.
Flood control is another the primary function of the dam. Since its completion in the late 1950s, the project has prevented over $250,000,000 in flood damage along the upper portions of the Snake River.
The Palisades Reservoir stores 1.2 million acre of irrigation water for over 765,000 acres of irrigated lands. Crops include world-famous potatoes, grains, vegetables, sugar beets, and seeds. Palisades Reservoir water serves a source of life for variety livestock industries which are able to produce meat products and dairy to export.
_________________________________________
Possible Threats
Another threat to the reservoir, like many other bodies of water, is the risk of pollution. Water quality of the Palisades Reservoir managed by the State of Idaho under the Clean Water Act (CWA).
Under the act, the state of Idaho must established water quality standards for specific bodies of water which have to be approved by the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
According to the 2008 report, there are no bodies of water that are out of attainment or threatened by pollution. There is no other readily available information regarding pollution in Palisades Dam.
For Additional Information
Additional information would include sources from the Bureau of Reclamation. I would also recommend Thomas Williams, “Miracle of the Desert.” This book has extensive information about watersheds in the West.
Work Cited
Fassett Gordon. (2002). Snake/Salt river basin plan Palisades Reservoir contract. Wyoming State Water Plan. Web. Retrieved From: http:// waterplan.state.wy.us/ plan/snake/ techmemos/palisades.html
Hoekema, David., and Sridhar, Venkataramana. (2013). A system dynamics model for conjunctive management of water resources in the Snake River Basin. Journal of the American Water Resources Association. Vol. 49, No. 6. 2013. 1327-1350. Web EbsoHost.
Palisades Project. (2013). Reclamation Managing Water in the West. Department of the Interior. Web. Retrieved from: http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp? proj_Name=Palisades%20Project
For an aerial view of the confluence of the salt river and Palisades dam.
Even though Palisades Dam was authorized for its overall purposes of helping the community and wildlife, the land that the dam is located was originally suppose to be used for land developments.
Recreation:
The dam also provides fish and wildlife habitats and other outdoor recreation opportunities that can include:
- fishing
- water skiing
- camping
- hiking trails where big horned sheep, bears and moose are available to spot.
The beautiful scenic view and enormous water surface is favored by both tourists and locals alike.
Earthquakes
Palisades is located on the Grand Teton Valley Fault. The fault can be hazardous due to the dangerous force of earthquakes. If the dam was to be destroyed, the failure would cause extensive flood damage to downstream communities and loss of an entire farming infrastructure.
The dangers of earthquakes were considered when constructing the dam as it was carefully designed and operated to withstand earthquake damage.
The figure below shows areas that have been subjected to earthquakes. The red dots indicate the location.
Location
Palisades Dam is on the Snake River about 55 miles southeast of Idaho Falls, Idaho and along the border of Lower Star Valley, Wyoming. Highway 26 runs alongs the reservoir.
Palisades, Rainey, Fall, and Pine creeks are the primary tributaries to the South Fork Snake River. Where as the Snake River and Salt River are the primary tribunary for Palisades Dam.
Palisades Reservoirs covers about 16,000 acres on the floor of the Grand Valley, the northern portion of Lower Star Valley
The figure below represents the first construction on Palisades Dam.
Early picture of an Idaho farmer. 
Earth Filled Dam Advantages:
- Can be constructed on any type of foundation
- Can be built quickly
- Material nearby can be used for construction
- Cheaper
- Height can be raised without difficulty
Earth-Filled Dam Disadvantages:
- More vulnerable to damage by floods
- Cannot be used as overflow dams
- Not suitable for heavy rainfall
- A lot of maintenance is required