Idaho government launches project to modernize Ridgenbaugh Diversion Dam

Idaho officials have initiated construction on a two-year, $20 million project to upgrade and modernize the Ridenbaugh Diversion Dam on the Boise River. The dam, nearly 100 years old, currently serves irrigation and water diversion purposes under the auspices of the Nampa and Meridian Irrigation District (NMID), which is leading the modernization effort in partnership with state officials.

The project is a component of broader regional water infrastructure modernization efforts in Idaho. The Idaho Water Resource Board (IWRB) is actively involved in guiding sustainable water projects statewide, though the Ridenbaugh upgrade is not currently listed in its published Regional Water Sustainability Priority List (source: Idaho IWRB document).

The modernization of Ridenbaugh Diversion Dam may also dovetail with other water infrastructure initiatives in Idaho, such as groundwater-to-surface water conversion projects endorsed by IWRB, which aim to reduce aquifer depletion by replacing groundwater irrigation with surface water systems (source: IWRB news release.