Is There a Plan to Add a Button So Tourists Can Turn ‘On’ the Shoshone Falls

Some ideas look really good on paper but end up as disasters when implemented. I think this could be one of those. And to fully understand this story, you have to know that the Shoshone Falls are not the Twin Falls.

Anyone who has visited the Shoshone Falls in Southern Idaho during the off-season has been disappointed by the lack of water at the waterfall. As popular as the Shoshone Falls are, since people come from all over the world to see them, it is pretty crazy that, for the majority of the year, they are more like a drip than a fall. That’s why the idea of a button for tourists that would allow them to turn the waterfall on seems brilliant. Keep reading to see what I found out about the plan.

Should Idaho Tourists Have a Button to Turn the Shoshone Falls On

I was down at the Shoshone Falls a few months ago, the waterfall was a trickle, and there was a busload of disappointed tourists in the parking lot. Not long after that, I saw a post on social media about a proposal to add a button for tourists that would allow them to turn on the waterfall. Except it would be at the Twin Falls, not the Shoshone Falls. The post seemed so crazy that I assumed it was a joke.

I get the effort for the world-famous Shoshone Falls, but nobody comes here just to see the Twin Falls Power Plant waterfall, even though it is a pretty waterfall with a nice overlook. Still, the idea was reportedly proposed in October of 2025, and it was the brainchild of a school group from Filer.

WATCH: You Can See the Current Shoshone Falls Condition With This Live Video Feed

According to a story from Idaho News 6, Idaho Power is required by a ‘Visual Resource Plan’ to run a certain amount of water over the falls to maintain a certain aesthetic, which means that water isn’t being used to generate power for the surrounding areas. The button would allow Idaho Power to not have a flow requirement, and the only time there would be a waterfall is if someone pushed the button.

The idea still sounds like an elaborate prank to me, and the only sources I could find referencing the proposal were a story from KIVITV and an article from Capital Press. No follow-up stories came up in our search, and the latest document in the Federal Register is for commenting on the proposal.

READ ALSO: There’s an Adorable Message Under the Shoshone Falls Right Now

I reached out to Idaho Power to see if they have any plans for the waterfall button and to verify that the plan is real. They got back to me, and it is a very real plan, and it is still on the table to happen. Idaho Power is just waiting for federal permission to change the flow conditions of their federal license.

Do you think a switch for the waterfall is a good idea? Should the same thing be implemented at the Shoshone Falls, somehow?