History

Hayden Lake Irrigation District began as the Interstate Irrigation Company, a privately funded venture of Spokane investors. The area served by the Irrigation Company and now the District was platted in 1910 as the Hayden Lake Irrigated Tracts. In 1910, the Interstate Irrigation Company laid out, and dedicated to the public, the main roads we use today, such as Hayden and Prairie Avenues, Ramsey Road and others. The Irrigation Company was reformed as Hayden Lake Irrigation District in late 1913.

The original source of water was from Hayden Lake. A pumping plant was constructed in Berven Bay and a 24” wooden water main transported the water to a wooden storage tower. From there, wooden water mains and open concrete ditches distributed the water for agricultural and domestic uses.

Due to deterioration of the wooden mains, in 1949 the Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Department of Interior, completed a project to replace the wooden transmission main from the lake with a 25” concrete lined and coated steel main. That main is still in use between our current water tower and U.S. 95. All other wooden mains were replaced during the 1949 improvements. Additional improvements, at that time, included rebuilding the pumps and motors used to pump the water from the lake to the distribution system.

In 1957, the Bureau of Reclamation constructed our current water tower. This 75,000 gallon storage tower continues to provide gravity pressure and minor storage to the District. In 1962, the Bureau replaced some of the steel water mains due to concerns over deterioration of the steel mains. As it turns out, our soils must be pretty good because steel main exposed today shows very little corrosion and in some spots still has a shine after nearly 40 years! The Bureau of Reclamation has been very helpful over the years but with all loans received from the Bureau now paid in full, the District is in the process of cutting the ties with the Bureau that began in 1922.

The District used Hayden Lake as the water source, until the 1980’s. In 1978, a well was constructed and in 1989 two additional wells were drilled into the Rathdrum-Prairie aquifer. Beginning in the early 1990’s, the District moved away from the lake as a source to using the wells. In 2004, the District had 4 distribution wells. In 2017, the District added another 300 HP motor, with new pump, to the Dakota well field. In 2018, the District upsized the existing Larix well to a larger pump and motor to accommodate the demand. Also, that year, the District awarded the bid for the Carrington well and the project was completed in 2019. In 2020, the District started a contract to purchase another well on the southside of Hayden. This well will be usable in the future.

2019 brought exciting news to the District. The District finally received approval to begin a major upgrade to the District’s infrastructure; a two million gallon reservoir. This project will be completed and functionable by the end of 2022. This infrastructure was made possible by the District’s patrons and a low interest State revolving fund from IDEQ.

In 2021, the District began the new distribution main project to abandon the aging infrastructure located in our neighbors’ fields and backyards. This project will take several years and several million dollars but will be a huge asset to the District’s system.

The District has grown quite a bit in the past 20 years.  In 2008, the District began the multi-year plan for replacing the remaining distribution system installed over 60 years ago and will proceed with the plan until all concrete and steel mains are upgraded and located in public right-aways. The District has progressed quite a bit in the last 100 years, celebrating a century of service in 2010, and we look forward to being of service for the next 100 years.