DEQ's Twin
Falls Region in southcentral Idaho includes the Wood River and Magic
Valleys. The region's major cities include Ketchum, Hailey, Gooding,
Jerome, Twin Falls, Burley, and Rupert. This region encompasses
14.3% of the state's geographical area and is home to about 12.9%
of the state's population.
The Twin
Falls Region is well known for the Sun Valley ski resort, the Middle
Snake River, Shoshone Falls, and the Thousand Springs area. The
Snake River Plain is hydrogeologically unique, with a ground water
supply that feeds numerous springs and streams. This is one of the
most productive agricultural areas in the country, producing sugar
beets, corn, potatoes, and drybeans. The Magic Valley has a large
number of dairy farms and related cheese and whey processing facilities,
and over 80 fish hatcheries that produce approximately 70% of the
commercially produced hatchery trout in the U.S. With the use of
such exceptional water resources come exceptional water quality
challenges. |
