| The natural hot springs in Blaine County are the
Condie, near Carey, Hailey, Clarendon, Guyer, Warfield, Easley, and
Russian John. These springs are favorite resorts for bathing.
Several well-to-do people have built summer homes near Warfield and
Easley Hot Springs. The Baptists have a camping ground for their
meetings and summer vacation near the latter spring. There are two
dams in Blaine County that are worthy of special mention, the Fish
Creek and the Magic. The former is situated about 14 miles in a
northeasterly direction from the town of Carey. It was commenced in
1916 and completed in 1920. It is built entirely of concrete, of the
multiple arch type, is 190 feet high and about 1600 feet long, and
is said to be the longest dam in the world of this type. It cost
about $1,000,000 and impounds 13,000 acre feet of water when full.
The Magic Dam is situated about 23 miles in a southwesterly
direction from Hailey, at the confluence of the Malad and Wood
Rivers, which supply it with water. Construction was started in 1907
and practically completed in 1910, when water was first stored for
irrigation purposes. It is an earthen dam, maximum height above the
floor of the tunnel, intake end, 114 feet; top width is 10 feet and
the main dam is approximately 1800 feet long, upstream slope is
three to one, and the downstream slope is two to one, making the
bottom width of the dam 580 feet; the upstream face is heavily
riprapped. At the time of its construction it was considered the
highest dam in the world. The top of the dam is at an elevation of
4940, and the top of the concrete spillway is 4930, but the high
water elevation, when the reservoir is full, is at an elevation of
4935. The maximum impoundage, or storage, at the 4935 elevation is
191,500 acre-feet. The reservoir and system were built to irrigate
about 125,000 acres of land, but under decree of the court this has
been cut to 75,000 acres net. When full, the water backs up
approximately seven miles, and at this stage the area submerged is
practically 3,800 acres. The total cost of the dam, reservoir and
machinery was approximately $2,000,000.00. Trout weighing from four
to 12 pounds are caught in the back waters of the dam.
Blaine County |
