How Water Power Shaped Idaho Falls for 125 Years
If you’ve spent any time in Idaho Falls, you’ve probably walked along the Snake River, paused at the falls, or watched kayakers drift past without thinking too much about what’s happening beneath the surface. But for more than 125 years, that same stretch of water has been doing more than just adding beauty to the city; it’s also been helping power it.
Long before Idaho Falls was known for its river walks, recreation, or being a gateway to nearby wild places, residents were finding practical ways to put the river to work. What started as a simple solution to light city streets grew into one of the longest-running examples of community-owned hydropower in the Northwest. Today, that decision still shapes how the city produces energy, plans for the future, and connects its past to modern sustainability goals.
A City Built Around Water Power
“Hydropower is in our blood in Idaho Falls,” said Sarah Wheeler, External Affairs Manager for Idaho Falls Power.
During the 1880s and 1890s, the arrival of the railroad spurred rapid economic growth. Lumberyards, flour mills, livestock auctions, and other industries popped up, while irrigation canals were built quickly to support the region’s expanding agricultural community.
“Canal builders realized that canals had other benefits rather than irrigation, and inventors and entrepreneurs began harnessing the power of falling water,” Wheeler explained.
That realization laid the groundwork for public power in Idaho Falls.
Joseph Clark, elected as the city’s first mayor in April 1900, played a pivotal role. Clark was familiar with public power in America.
“[He] ran on the campaign promise to bring electricity to Idaho Falls,” Wheeler said.
That promise became reality when the city hired a contractor to install its first small turbine generator on the Crow Slough in 1900, powering streetlights and launching a tradition that continues today.
“The city and its community members have been supporting hydropower ever since,” Wheeler added.
Today, the city owns and operates five hydropower projects along the Snake River and works closely with the Bonneville Power Administration to procure most of its remaining power.
A Community-Defined Power Source
What truly sets Idaho Falls apart is ownership.
“While many cities in the northwest purchase power from large federal or private entities, Idaho Falls owns and operates five of our own electric plants,” Wheeler said. “On average, we produce about 33% of our own energy through hydropower.”
That local ownership has shaped how decisions are made.
“Because Idaho Falls Power is a community-owned utility, its relationship with the Snake River is treated as a public trust rather than a corporate asset,” Wheeler said. “This ownership model has fundamentally shifted the utility’s priorities from generating ‘return on investment’ for shareholders to generating ‘community value’ for residents.”
That trust was put to the test in 1976, when the Teton Dam failed, and more than 80 billion gallons of water spilled out of the breached reservoir, killing six people in Rexburg and destroying hundreds of millions of dollars of property. Idaho Falls’ hydroplants were heavily damaged, and the city faced a critical choice: rebuild or abandon local generation entirely.
“With support from the community, the city’s voters voted 9:1 to rebuild,” Wheeler said.
Decades later, that decision was celebrated with a “bond-burning party” in September 2015, marking the retirement and final payment of $98 million in bonds used to build four new hydroelectric plants after the flood.
The aftermath of the Teton Dam failure also sparked innovation.
The Teton Dam flood triggered a major overhaul to the city’s hydropower system, Wheeler said.
Idaho Falls Power installed three European-style bulb turbines, which were rare in the U.S. at that time, placing them horizontally in the river rather than upright.
“This allowed us to more efficiently harness our run-of-river system,” Wheeler added, illustrating how necessity pushed the city toward more advanced, efficient technology.
The River as Culture and Connection
For residents, the Snake River is far more than just an energy source.
“In Idaho Falls, the Snake River is much more than a utility for us to obtain power, it’s our living room, the backbone of our cultural identity,” Wheeler said.
The river walk is also a true community hub.
“Residents exercise, recreate, commute and socialize along this eight mile paved system on both sides of the Snake River,” she added.
The city’s namesake falls blend beauty and function, serving as both a power source and one of Idaho Falls’ most photographed landmarks. Wildlife and recreation thrive alongside hydropower infrastructure, too.
“You will see residents fishing all year long along the corridor,” Wheeler said
Pelicans, ospreys, and bald eagles also live there, and kayaking and paddleboarding continue to grow, offering a natural escape within city limits.
Looking Forward to the Next 125 Years
As Idaho Falls Power enters its next 125 years, the role of hydropower is shifting from being the only solution to being the anchor of a sophisticated, multi-source energy system. While the city’s five hydroprojects can’t meet all energy demands alone, they provide stability that intermittent sources cannot.
A new 20-year contract signed in late 2025 with the Bonneville Power Administration further secures the consistent baseload the Snake River provides, protecting residents from energy price volatility.
“We recognize the importance of hydropower for our community and have been incredibly fortunate to have the support of our civic leaders and community members,” Wheeler said.
After 125 years, water power remains not just part of Idaho Falls’ past, but a steady current carrying the city into its future.