The Hagerman Valley area is the ‘landslide capitol’ of the State of Idaho, United States. Land-use change from sagebrush desert to irrigated cropland has coincided with the development of unnatural groundwater aquifer systems. Snake River water has been pumped up onto the Bruneau Plateau and distributed by canal systems to crops since 1970. Irrigation water percolates down through the unconsolidated sediments and forms human-made unnatural groundwater systems.
These aquifers are the causative agent for six large slope failures since 1979 within the Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument and two others on Bureau of Land Management property. They are damaging natural resources and private property. In 1987, a million-dollar water diversion facility (pump station) on the edge of the Snake River was obliterated by a landslide and two workers had to run for their lives. not having time to get into their vehicle and drive to safety.
The landslide was likely caused by human intervention with the natural system . Fossil sites, American Indian Cultural sites. rare plant species and endangered Snake River aquatic species have been impacted or imminently threatened . Therefore, numerous studies, research and monitoring programs have been implemented since 1984 to gain an understanding of the dynamic groundwater flow systems and the related massive landslides.