The Malad Springs

The Malad Springs. One of the Largest in the Country. Few places in Idaho or the United States show evidence of spring water more clearly than in Malad Gorge. These springs flow from the vast Snake River Aquifer through porous pillow basalts. On the opposite side of the canyon, where the river widens, is a concentrated spring flow measuring 600 cfs (cubic feet per second). This amounts to 300,000 gallons of water each minute that enters the Malad River. , , From the waterfall upriver to the Snake River below, approximately 1200 cfs of spring water issues form the base of the canyon equaling thirty-six million gallons of water each hour, making the Malad Springs one of the largest in the country. , , The Snake River Aquifer - An Underground Reservoir , , Flowing under the surface and through the Snake River Plain lavas is a vast underground reservoir of water underlying approximately 10,000 square miles of south-central Idaho called the Snake River Aquifer. Experts estimate that there is enough water in the aquifer to cover the entire state of Idaho in one and a half inches of water. , , Melting snow and rain water feed the aquifer from a large basin 35,000 square miles in size. Following permeable layers of basalt, water flows in a southwestern direction until it reaches the Snake River Canyon, where it emerges as springs. The Thousand Springs area near Hagerman, Idaho contains 11 of the 65 largest cold springs found in the United States.