Pioneer dam
Pioneer
Pioneer is a privately owned irrigation structure located in King Hill, Idaho, on Clover Creek and the Snake River. Built in 1910 by AandE and USDA NRCS, this earth dam stands at a height of 14.6 feet and has a hydraulic height of 8.6 feet, serving its primary purpose of irrigation. With a normal storage capacity of 844 acre-feet and a surface area of 220 acres, Pioneer plays a crucial role in water resource management in the region.
Managed by the Idaho Department of Water Resources, Pioneer is regulated, inspected, and enforced to ensure its safety and functionality. The dam has a spillway type of Controlled with a width of 203 feet and a maximum discharge capacity of 3080 cfs. Despite being assessed as in fair condition during its last inspection in April 2018, Pioneer has a significant hazard potential due to its location and capacity, necessitating regular monitoring and risk assessment to prevent potential disasters.
As a key component of the irrigation infrastructure in Gooding County, Idaho, Pioneer serves as a vital resource for water supply and agricultural activities in the region. With its historical significance dating back over a century, this earth dam continues to play a crucial role in water management and climate resilience efforts, highlighting the importance of maintaining and monitoring such structures for sustainable water resource management in the face of changing climate conditions.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Pioneer -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Snake River At King Hill Id | 5,980 cfs | → |
| Malad River Nr Gooding Id | 109 cfs | → |
| N Channel Snake R @ Upper Salmon Falls Nr Hagerman | 79 cfs | → |
| Salmon Falls Creek Nr Hagerman Id | 51 cfs | → |
| Snake River Nr Buhl Id | 1,580 cfs | → |
| Sf Boise River At Anderson Ranch Dam Id | 1,580 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Pioneer.
Campgrounds
- Emigrant Reservoir Dispersed Recreation Site
- Three Island Crossing State Park
- Blair Trail Reservoir
- Morrow Reservoir Dispersed Recreation Site
- Gooding City Of Rocks Dispersed Area
- Little City Of Rocks Dispersed Area
Paddle runs
- Snake River
- Box Canyon
- Bruneau (Indian Hot Springs To Bruneau)
- Anderson Ranch Dam To Confluence With Mennecke Creek
More reservoirs
Track Pioneer in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Pioneer
Where does the data for Pioneer come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the Significant hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Pioneer.