Most Wanapum Reservoir open, some parts remain closed

Good news for those who use Wanapum Reservoir for recreation. Most of the Wanapum Reservoir has reopened for public use, but some areas have not. Read on.

Most of the Wanapum Reservoir on the Columbia River will reopened for public use on Wednesday, two boat launches and some shorelines owned by Fish and Wildlife in the upper basin will remain closed until spring.

Most areas of the 37-mile reservoir have been closed to the public since last March, when Grant County Public Utility District greatly lowered water levels to repair a fractured spillway at Wanapum Dam, which is downstream from Vantage.

Since stabilizing the dam, the utility has raised water levels behind the dam to a point where access can be reopened to the southern end of the reservoir.

But water levels farther north in the West Bar and Quilomene areas remain too low to open to the public.

Fish and Wildlife-owned lands scheduled to remain closed at least until March 31 include: The Sunland Estates and Yo Yo boat ramps, north of Vantage and portions of the shoreline upriver from Sunland Estates marked by closure signs.

In addition, all off-road vehicles are currently prohibited on all exposed Fish and Wildlife shorelines and beaches along the Wanapum Reservoir, whether or not they are posted as closed.

Fish and Wildlife made major improvements to the Sunland Estates and Yo Yo boat launches while water levels were low, installing armor matting at the end of those ramps to prevent boat trailers from "bottoming out." Using those ramps under current low-water conditions could damage the new matting as well as boats and trailers.

Fish and Wildlife has also posted signs prohibiting access to portions of the northern reservoir to protect recovering vegetation, riparian habitat, and cultural sites exposed by the low-water conditions.