BOATING -- Wanapum reservoir and shoreline will remain closed to the public through the Memorial Day weekend and beyond because of the drawdown and work being done on the damaged Wanapum Dams. 

The Grant County PUD and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife have closed the shoreline, beaches, boat launches and all shoreline access points to the reservoir, which runs about 37 river miles between Wanapum Dam and Rock Island Dam on the Columbia River in central Washington.

PUD sites that are closed include Vantage Recreation Area, Kittitas County Boat Launch, Rocky Coulee, Sand Hollow, The Cove, Apricot Orchard, Crescent Bar Boat Launch and shoreline area, Wanapum Upper Boat Launch and Wanapum Heritage Center.

WDFW shoreline sites that are closed include Yo Yo Rock, Old Vantage Highway, Sunland Estates Boat Launch and Frenchman Coulee/Climbing Rocks water access sites

WDFW also has closed the lower ends of roads that lead into the reservoir at the Colockum and L.T. Murray wildlife areas in Kittitas and Chelan counties, and at the Columbia Basin Wildlife Area in Grant County. The upland portions of the wildlife areas above the ordinary high-water level remain open to the public.

Washington State Parks has closed the Wanapum State Park near Vantage.

The shoreline was closed after the reservoir was drawn down in response to a fracture found Feb. 27 on the Wanapum Dam spillway. The shoreline is expected to be closed at least through the July 4^th weekend.

Open recreation sites on the Priest Rapids reservoir on the Columbia River downstream of Wanapum Dam include Priest Rapids Recreation Area, and the Wanapum Lower Boat Launch. The utility also plans to open the Huntzinger Boat Launch on Friday, May 23, which will provide access to the Priest Rapids reservoir.

A full list of sites that are open and closed, along with directions and information, can be found on Grant PUD’s website.

• See a map showing open and closed areas is available