Powell, Wy
A view of some of the first water flows in the Shoshone Project irrigation canals, providing water to the Powell Valley.
Some of the first water flows
in the area irrigation canals,
providing water for area
farmland.
Photo provided by the
John Hinckley Library at
Northwest College in Powell.
Modern day irrigation canal passing through the Powell Valley.
The modern day irrigation canal
passing through Powell.
John Wesley Powell
Powell, Wyoming is named for John Wesley Powell. Many considered J. W. Powell an adventurer, however he always maintained he was not; nor did he see himself as an explorer. J. W. Powell always held up that he was a scientist, motivated by a thirst for knowledge and a firm belief that science was meant to further the progress of humankind.
John Wesley Powell did, however, explore rivers throughout the Rocky Mountain Region. Those explorations led to the formulation of some of the fundamental principles of geology. Powell went on to develop an understanding of the natural conditions that control society in the arid lands of the Western United States and he developed guidelines for the orderly development of the region.
The development of Powell began when workers came to the area to create a flood irrigation system in the valley now known as Powell Valley. Homesteading began and agriculture became the driving economic force for Powell with the availability of the irrigation water for farm lands. The Shoshone Project oversees irrigation for approximately 88,406 acres surrounding Powell. The water supply for Shoshone Project is obtained from surface runoff, mainly snow melt, above Buffalo Bill Reservoir. Buffalo Bill Dam, situated in a steep narrow canyon between Cedar Mountain and Rattlesnake Mountain, impounds flood waters of the Shoshone River and thereby provides regulation of stream flow for irrigation, flood control, sediment retention, power generation, recreation and fish and wildlife propagation.
The soils of the irrigable area are divided into two broad categories: (1) residual soils underlain with shale and sandstone containing moderate to excessive amounts of soluble salts which are located in the northeastern par of the Shoshone Project; and (2) modified alluvial soils underlain by gravel deposits which are predominant in the remainder of the project.
Annual consumption use of irrigation water in the driest years is approximately 2.5 acre-feet per acre. The historical diversion requirement to meet these demands for water has been about 7.6 acre-feet per acres annually for full irrigation supply.
Agricultural products from the Shoshone Irrigation Project are widely distributed, and include: beans, peas, oats, barley, wheat, sugar beets, corn for silage, alfalfa, other forage, and seeds are the principle crops grown under irrigation in the area.
Recreational activities have become an added benefit of the irrigation system, and the Buffalo Bill Reservoir created to support and supply the water. Situated at the eastern gateway to Yellowstone National Park, Buffalo Bill Reservoir is located on the eastern slope of the Absaroka Mountain Range and is bounded by spectacular Rattlesnake Mountain and Cedar Mountain. The Shoshone River has carved a narrow and precipitous gorge nearly 3,000 feet deep through granite. The combination of canyon scenery, mountain backdrop, and reservoir activities attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.
Water related activities constitute the basic recreation attraction. Fishing is popular in the reservoir. Deer, elk, game birds, and waterfowl abound within the Shoshone Project area.
And you guessed it! Powell was also the name of a lite Pickup and early SUV manufactured in California in the mid 1950's, actually based on used 1941 to 1952 Plymouth chassis.
Powell Motor Company (PMC) of southern California had reasonable success as a manufacturer for over 30 years. Best known for their line of motor scooters that peaked in popularity between WW II and the Korean War, they also produced pickup trucks and station wagons in the mid 1950s, returning to scooter/mini-bike production in the 1960s.
There are no known remaining business records from PMC; however, some history has been assembled from available fragments. The company struggled sporadically, and ceased to exist sometime around 1970. The most widely accepted production numbers for Powell vehicles are 1,020 pickup trucks, 300 station wagons, three motor homes, and tens of thousands of scooters and industrial/delivery vehicles.