The Portneuf River is a 124-mile-long (200 km) tributary of the Snake River in southeastern Idaho , United States. It drains a ranching and farming valley in the mountains southeast of the Snake River Plain . The city of Pocatello sits along the river near its emergence from the mountains onto the Snake River Plain.
43-653: Lava Hot Springs is a city along the Portneuf River in eastern Bannock County , Idaho , United States. It is part of the Pocatello, Idaho metropolitan area . The population was 358 at the 2020 census . Located in the mountainous valley of the Portneuf River on the old route of the Oregon Trail and California Trail , the city has become a popular resort location, noted for its numerous hot springs amenable to bathing and
86-399: A diamond interchange , running concurrently with I-84. Along the way, they serve Sand Hollow with one diamond interchange. Just north of Caldwell , US 20 and US 26 enter the freeway southeastward, joining with the concurrency. Entering Caldwell, they then serve I-84 Business / State Highway 19 (I-84 Bus./SH-19) and 10th Avenue before both US 20 and US 26 leave
129-412: A median income of $ 38,125 versus $ 20,313 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 16,242. About 16.7% of families and 25.1% of the population were below the poverty line , including 33.6% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over. The primary road through the city is U.S. Route 30 (US 30), which passes just north of the majority of the community. On the northeast corner of
172-428: A modified interchange. Both I-86 and US 30 serve more roads and places (including Register Rock , I-86 Bus. , SH-39 , and Pocatello Regional Airport ). At exit 58, US 30 leaves the freeway as it approaches Pocatello. At this point, US 30 travels along a road parallel to the railroad. Along the way near downtown, it then begins to run concurrently with I-15 Bus. and US 91 . Shortly after that,
215-520: A turbulent inner tube run through part of the town. Lava Hot Springs is located at 42°37′10″N 112°0′51″W / 42.61944°N 112.01417°W / 42.61944; -112.01417 (42.619482, -112.014283), at an elevation of 5,020 feet (1,530 m) above sea level . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 0.71 square miles (1.84 km), of which, 0.68 square miles (1.76 km)
258-589: A two-way street. It then comes across I-15 at a diamond interchange. At this point, both U.S. Highways continue southeast along I-15 while I-15 Bus. ends there. The three routes (I-15, US 30, and US 91) then serve even more places such as another I-15 Bus. in Inkom . At exit 47, US 30 leaves the freeway to serve McCammon . At this point, US 30 begins to meander across several mountains. Between Alexander and Soda Springs , SH-34 runs concurrently with US 30. US 30 then serves more towns through
301-472: Is a heavily used and anthropogenically altered system. After a series of heavy floods in the early 1960s the Army Corps of Engineers designed and constructed a concrete channel to control flooding in 1965. The channelization followed the river's route and cut through the west side of Pocatello , drastically altering the natural river processes. One common result of human activity is the loading of nutrients into
344-561: Is a picturesque section of US 30 in southern Idaho between the towns of Bliss and Buhl , dipping down into the Hagerman Valley and a canyon of the Snake River. The highway has four extensive concurrencies with Interstate Highways: Interstate 84 (I-84) twice, I-86 , and I-15 . Outside of its Interstate concurrencies, the route is largely two lanes and rural outside of portions through major towns and cities. After crossing
387-504: Is a related deposit separated by the fact that it is associated with thermal waters. Deposition of tufa is complex, involving processes of dissolution , saturation , subsurface transport , emergence and precipitation . Both versions of precipitated CaCO 3 are present in the Portneuf watershed. Several very different but related processes control the precipitation of CaCO 3 in natural aqueous systems. The chemical processes are driven by
430-449: Is approximately 1,329 square miles (3,442 km ) in area. Its mean annual discharge , as measured by USGS gauge 13075910 (Portneuf River at Tyhee ), is 418 cubic feet per second (11.8 m /s), with a maximum daily recorded flow of 1,730 cu ft/s (49.0 m /s) and a minimum of 32 cu ft/s (0.906 m /s). The Portneuf River was given its name sometime before 1821 by French Canadian voyageurs working for
473-714: Is bounded by Malad Summit to the south, the Bannock Range to the west, the Portneuf Range to the southeast, and the Chesterfield Range to the northeast. Marsh Creek is the only major tributary to the Portneuf River. Other creeks in this watershed include Mink, Rapid, Garden, Hawkins, Birch, Dempsey, Pebble, Twentyfourmile, and Toponce creeks. The total area of the Chesterfield Reservoir is estimated at 1,236 acres (500 ha). The Portneuf River's drainage basin
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#1733092667818516-541: Is land and 0.03 square miles (0.08 km) is water. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Lava Hot Springs has a warm-summer humid continental climate , abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Lava Hot Springs was 102 °F (38.9 °C) on July 14, 2002, while the coldest temperature recorded was −22 °F (−30.0 °C) on February 1, 2023. At
559-417: Is the active role played by the biota. Algae and mosses , along with higher plants and some insects, often trap tiny particles within their sinuous roots, fronds, and shelter/feeding structures, acting as nucleation points for further precipitation. This may explain some of the deposition locations, but the biota plays a larger role as photosynthetic plants remove CO 2 from the water, further concentrating
602-404: Is well known that the geology of the Portneuf watershed contains large thicknesses of limestone and dolomite strata that are mostly Paleozoic . Enrichment of CaCO 3 in the meteoric waters is due to the addition of CO 2 either through interaction with the atmosphere, or infiltrating through organic compound containing soil layers. This saturation of CO 2 in the groundwater allows for
645-453: The 2010 census there were 407 people in 209 households, including 104 families, in the city. The population density was 598.5 inhabitants per square mile (231.1/km). There were 317 housing units at an average density of 466.2 per square mile (180.0/km). The racial makeup of the city was 97.5% White, 0.2% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.2% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.2%. Of
688-424: The 209 households 16.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.2% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 1.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 50.2% were non-families. 44.5% of households were one person and 20.6% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 1.95 and the average family size was 2.74. The median age
731-480: The Ca and CO 3 and driving precipitation. The Portneuf through this reach is rich in plant life not only due to the nutrient accumulation as it travels through farmland but from the warm water inputs that protect the stream from the effects of the harsh cold of winter temperatures. This could be a mechanism for potentially increasing tufa formation through the reach. An interesting study completed in 1972 showed evidence that
774-648: The Montreal-based fur trading North West Company . The valley of the Portneuf provided the route of the Oregon Trail and California Trail in the middle 19th century. After the discovery of gold in Montana and Idaho, it became a significant stage route for the transportation of people and goods. In 1877 the valley was used as the route of the Utah and Northern Railway , the first railroad in Idaho. The Portneuf River watershed
817-523: The Oregon state line and Burley, where it split into two suffixed routes : US 30N through Pocatello and to Montpelier; and US 30S toward Ogden, Utah . Construction of I-80N (now I-84), a freeway that would parallel US 30 between Portland, Oregon , and northern Utah, began in the 1960s under the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 . Various sections of US 30 were relocated onto
860-596: The Snake River, US 30 enters Fruitland as Northwest 16th Street before intersecting US 95 . The route then turns south along US 95 (Whitley Drive in Fruitland). Just north of the I-84 interchange, US 30 turns east toward New Plymouth . In New Plymouth, US 30 bends south, then southeast, and then south again. Just northeast of the Langley Gulch Power Plant, US 30 begins to travel southeast at
903-484: The Soil Conservation Commission, and USDA are developing tools and practices designed specifically to alleviate the nitrogen issues associated with agriculture and its waste. Known as Best Management Practices (BMPs), these methodologies are designed and modified for varying situations and have proven themselves effective through prior implementation projects. The exchange of inorganic carbon between
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#1733092667818946-498: The chemical properties of the elements and molecules involved. The physical processes are driven by characteristics of the watershed system (gradient, flow, substrate, groundwater flow properties). The biotic processes are driven by the activities of living organisms. Calcium carbonate formations are associated with regions where meteoric waters become enriched with calcium carbonate by direct dissolution of CaCO 3 -rich rocks underground only to resurface and re-precipitate calcite . It
989-536: The city is the western end of Old Highway 30 , which is a former routing of US 30 that runs parallel to and just south of the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) tracks (formerly Oregon Short Line ) around the north end of the Fish Creek Range . The current routing of US 30 via Fish Creek Summit reduced the distance between Lava Hot Springs and Soda Springs by about 11 miles (18 km), but bypassed
1032-488: The city of Bancroft . Notwithstanding, the rerouting still created a more direct route between Lava Hot Springs and Bancroft (via Central Road), reducing driving distance between the cities by about 5.5 miles (8.9 km). Portneuf River (Idaho) The river is part of the Columbia River Basin . The Portneuf River rises in western Caribou County , approximately 25 miles (40 km) east of Pocatello, along
1075-479: The city was 96.93% White, 1.15% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 1.34% from other races, and 0.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.30%. Of the 232 households 24.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.8% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.7% were non-families. 39.7% of households were one person and 19.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size
1118-456: The concurrently splits into a one-way pair. The Thousand Springs Scenic Byway is a picturesque section of US 30 in southern Idaho between the towns of Bliss and Buhl , dipping down into the Hagerman Valley and a canyon of the Snake River . The byway takes its name from the numerous streams and rivulets springing forth out of the east wall of that canyon, many of them plainly visible from
1161-403: The development of tufa and travertine filled the interstices normally found on the rocky river. This had implications for some burrowing organisms as well as nutrient cycling. Precipitation of tufa in the Portneuf drainage is produced through the combination of four complex mechanisms: dissolution of limestones by meteoric waters containing carbonic acids, degassing of CO 2 at turbulent sites,
1204-474: The dissolution of carbonate rocks as it drives pH down. As the water reemerges it is exposed to the atmosphere and the concentration gradient of CO 2 associated with it. As the enriched waters attempt to achieve equilibrium they precipitate calcite, through the reaction of Ca + 2HCO ⇔ CO 2 ↑ + H 2 O+ CaCO 3 ↓. The mountains surrounding the Portneuf are characterized by thick Paleozoic limestone deposits rich in carbonates, and many springs do emerge along
1247-683: The eastern side of the Portneuf Range . It flows initially south, passing westward around the southern end of the 60-mile (100 km) range, and then turning north to flow between the Portneuf Range to the east and the Bannock Range to the west. It flows northwest through downtown Pocatello and enters the Snake at the southeast corner of American Falls Reservoir , approximately 10 miles (16 km) northwest of Pocatello. The Portneuf watershed drains 850,290 acres (3,441.0 km ) in southeastern Idaho and
1290-584: The freeway and enters the Thousand Springs Scenic Byway. As US 30 approaches I-84, the route turns south and east, serving Hagerman , Buhl, Filer , and Twin Falls . North of Kimberly , the route then leaves the byway. In Burley , the route then intersects SH-27 and SH-81 . In Heyburn , the route rejoins I-84 while also intersecting SH-24 . They then serve SH-25 / SH-77 at the same interchange. Then, US 30 transitions from I-84 to I-86 on
1333-615: The freeway is situated north adjacent to Boise Airport , with exit 53 serving the main terminal. Also, at exit 54, US 20 and US 26 rejoin the freeway. After leaving Boise, the freeway then serves multiple roads (including SH-21 ) before reaching Mountain Home . In Mountain Home, the freeway serves I-84 Bus. At the next exit, US 20 leaves the freeway alone. The three remaining routes go on to serve several more roads (such as I-84 Bus. and SH-78 ). Then, in Bliss, US 30 leaves
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1376-616: The freeway together on Franklin Road. In Nampa , I-84 and US 30 then serve SH-55 , which then travels eastward concurrently with the two routes. The three routes then serve Northside Boulevard, Franklin Boulevard, and Garrity Boulevard (I-84 Bus.). In Meridian , the freeway concurrency serves SH-69 . At the next exit, SH-55 leaves the concurrency. Then, in Boise, the freeway comes across I-184 which serves Downtown Boise . Between exits 52 and 54,
1419-490: The point of precipitation. This is a phenomenon noticed throughout the world as the development of waterfall tufa and is a relevant explanation for at least some formation through the region, especially through the town site of Lava Hot Springs. The figure below is a schematic representation of the stream gradient of the Portneuf from just below Chesterfield Reservoir and above American Falls Reservoir adapted from Minshall, 1973. The third recognized mechanism for tufa development
1462-427: The reach associated with Lava Hot Springs. Another factor affecting the precipitation of tufa is the physical aspects of the river system. The gradient of the Portneuf through Lava Hot Springs is such that this reach is dominated by a series of riffles with some larger falls. This turbulence and increased surface area caused by aeration facilitate the out gassing of CO 2 , thus increasing the saturation of CaCO 3 to
1505-467: The removal of CO 2 by photosynthetic plants, and the trapping of particles of CaCO 3 by the biota. The complex interactions between these different mechanisms may never be fully understood but offer insight into the occurrence of formations. [REDACTED] Media related to Portneuf River (Idaho) at Wikimedia Commons Old Highway 30 (Bannock and Caribou counties, Idaho) U.S. Highway 30 ( US 30 ) runs northwest–southeast across
1548-607: The rest of the state, especially Montpelier. In Montpelier, US 89 briefly runs concurrently with US 30. US 30 was established in 1926 during the creation of the United States Numbered Highway System , largely along the transcontinental Lincoln Highway , an existing auto trail . The corridor was also preceded by the Old Oregon Trail Highway between Oregon and Utah. The highway crossed southern Idaho by following Route 2 between
1591-555: The road, with the panoramic river in the foreground. These springs are outlets from the Snake River Aquifer , which flows through thousands of square miles of porous volcanic rock and is one of the largest groundwater systems in the world. The aquifer is believed to be fed by the Big Lost River which disappears into lava flows near Arco , about 90 miles (140 km) northeast of Hagerman . The concurrency returns to
1634-453: The route of the river have noticeably increased the nitrate loads in the stream. This is compounded by the addition of treated effluent from the city of Pocatello's wastewater treatment facility and the waste associated with the phosphate processing plant, Simplot. This increased nutrient load supports an increased biomass within the system. The DEQ in collaboration with the City of Pocatello,
1677-400: The solid earth and the atmosphere in the Portneuf watershed has produced deposits of CaCO 3 throughout the system. Known as travertine and tufa , these deposits are formed as a function of the dynamic groundwater and geology of the region. Tufa is known throughout the geologic collective as the soft and porous CaCO 3 deposits associated with moving freshwater environments. Travertine
1720-455: The southern half of lower Idaho for 455.481 miles (733.026 km). US 30 enters the state from Oregon across the Snake River in Fruitland and exits into Wyoming east of Dingle . US 30 runs through the large population centers of Boise , Twin Falls , and Pocatello , as well as a plethora of smaller communities from Fruitland to Montpelier . The Thousand Springs Scenic Byway
1763-475: The water system through both point and non-point sources. The river is subjected to use by four municipalities ( Lava Hot Springs , McCammon , Inkom , and Pocatello) over its length. The dynamic geology of the region and the heavy use by the local populations have produced a unique set of chemical characteristics associated with both the biological processes and the interactions with the local geology. Nutrient runoffs from intensive agriculture and ranching along
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1806-416: Was 2.23 and the average family size was 3.06. The age distribution was 27.4% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.9 males. The median household income was $ 23,472 and the median family income was $ 38,750. Males had
1849-529: Was 50.9 years. 16.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.2% were from 25 to 44; 31.4% were from 45 to 64; and 26.5% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.2% male and 51.8% female. At the 2000 census there were 521 people in 232 households, including 125 families, in the city. The population density was 730.7 inhabitants per square mile (282.1/km). There were 309 housing units at an average density of 433.4 per square mile (167.3/km). The racial makeup of
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