News Release Archive

Special Event Recognizes 75th Anniversary of Owyhee Dam

Media Contact: John Redding , (208) 378-5212, 06/29/2007 13:00
Jerry Gregg , jgregg@pn.usbr.gov

For Release: June 29, 2007

Seventy-five years ago, several thousand people gathered to listen to Secretary of the Interior Ray Lyman Wilbur deliver greetings from President Herbert Hoover at the dedication of Owyhee Dam in eastern Oregon.

The vision and engineering foresight that created Owyhee Dam will be remembered at the dam site on July 14, 2007. Activities for the public will begin at 10 a.m. with a special rededication ceremony starting at 1 p.m. The dam is located adjacent to Owyhee Lake Road about 11 miles from Nyssa, Oregon.

Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Bob Johnson will be on hand at the event to honor those who built the dam, as well as those who ensure that it continues to function as a valuable resource for years to come.

"It is an honor for me to take part in this event," Commissioner Johnson said. "Owyhee Dam has such a proud history and it stands as an amazing symbol of American ingenuity and foresight."

"Looking back, looking forward," is the theme of the event that is being hosted by the Owyhee Irrigation District and the South Board of Control. Activities for visitors will focus on the history of the dam and its role in providing water for a variety of purposes. Information booths, food vendors, and activities for children are also planned.

Jay Chamberlin, Owyhee Irrigation District manager; and Ron Kiester, South Board of Control interim manager, are co-committee Chairs for the event.

Gem Irrigation District and Ridgeview Irrigation District, which are in Idaho, and Owyhee Irrigation District and Owyhee Ditch Company, which are in Oregon, receive contract irrigation water from the reservoir.

Owyhee Reservoir irrigates about 120,000 acres of farmland that produces an abundance of crops. The reservoir is also a popular recreation spot economic that offers benefits to several nearby communities. Three hydroelectric power facilities that were constructed between 1985 and 1993 are a reliable source of clean energy.

The dam was also the engineering prototype used for the construction of Reclamation's Hoover Dam in Nevada. Over 500 million cubic yards of concrete were used to construct Owyhee Dam's massive 417-foot structure.

Radio: For audio actualities about the Owyhee Dam 75th Anniversary visit: http://www.usbr.gov/pn/news/owyhee/index.html.

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The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.

Relevant Link:

http://www.usbr.gov/pn/news/owyhee/index.html