Shoreline costs, closure irritates some

A Friday Columbia Basin Herald article story detailing the expenses Grant PUD is incurring to patrol the exposed shoreline behind Wanapum Dam upset some readers. They weighed in on our Facebook page.

They are understandably concerned about the $450,000 to $600,000 per month that it's costing to pay for security. We are concerned too because in the end, ratepayers end up footing the bill.

We can understand their concern and wonder if there is a cheaper way. According to a March 19 Herald article, the district is paying local sheriff's deputies and a private security firm for the work. Hourly rates for the patrols range from $21.50 per hour (a private firm) to $85 per hour (Douglas County Sheriff's Office).

We are pleased to see they're using one private firm. But the bulk of the work appears to be done by four sheriff's offices (Grant, Kittitas Douglas and Chelan), which is more expensive per hour.

Would it be possible to use more private firms to reduce the security bill? We're not sure if the issue is because of the lack of available firms nearby or lack of appropriate equipment to do the job. Perhaps there is a peace of mind knowing the job will be done by local deputies who know the lay of the land.

At any rate, the questions are worth asking, especially because the district's goal appears to be about education and not having deputies write citations. Of the thousands of people contacted, there have been three citations written, according to PUD spokesman Chuck Allen.

"The goal when it comes to patrolling the shoreline is for the officers to inform and educate the public about the shoreline closure," Allen wrote in an email to the Columbia Basin Herald. "The officers have been giving people an opportunity to comply with their requests to leave the no trespassing area."

We can also understand the district's concern and why they closed the shore. We backed the district on its decision in a March 20 Herald editorial "Wanapum Dam crack prompts access issues."

When the Wanapum Dam fracture was found in February, the reservoir was lowered to relieve pressure on the dam. But some health and safety issues cropped up once the water levels were reduced. People from across the state and region visited the river to explore because the water hadn't been that low in at least 50 years.

One woman walking and exploring the shore sank in mud up to her waist, according to a previous Herald article.

Human remains, believed to be archeological, and an old pineapple style grenade (later detonated) were found. There were also concerns about American Indian artifacts being disturbed.

Overall, we still agree the shoreline should be closed for the public's health and safety. In the bigger picture, it's quite possible hefty personal injury lawsuits are being prevented. That's a cost that is also borne by ratepayers.

- Editorial Board