Wanapum is ready for summer rec

EPHRATA - Grant PUD has completed several renovation projects to enhance public recreation on the Wanapum Reservoir. They are ready for the folks to enjoy.

The work included extending boat launches, improving campsites, enhancing day-use facilities, and increasing amenities and accessibility to the reservoir for all.

The enhanced recreation sites now open to the public include:

• Crescent Bar Boat Launch - This facility at the popular recreation area has a new deeper and wider boating channel and an extended launch pad.
• Frenchman Coulee Boat Launch - The boat launch at the end of the old Vantage Highway features a new deeper and wider boating channel, extended launch and new boarding float and improved amenities, including a one-mile shoreline trail, picnic area and vault toilet.
• Rattlesnake Cove Day Use Area - This recreation site south of Sunland has a picnic area, vault toilet, parking area and swim beach.
• Rocky Coulee Recreation Area - This campsite and day use area near Vantage has 10 walk-in tent campsites ($10 a night, drop-in), picnic areas, vault toilets and a hand boat launch.
• Sand Hollow Recreation Area - Has 40 campsites ($15 a night, reservations taken online) on the Wanapum Reservoir near the junction of highways 26 and 243. Amenities include a picnic areas, swim beach, and double vault toilets.
• Vantage Boat Launch - Just off I-90 in Vantage, this recreation site as a new deeper and wider boating channel, extended launch and new boarding float and improved amenities, including picnic area and restrooms.

Much of the work on these recreation sites was accelerated during last year's drawdown of the Wanapum Reservoir. By accelerating the work during dry conditions, Grant PUD was able to ensure that the projects would be completed by the start of the summer recreation season.

One way that Grant PUD is highlighting the start of the recreation season is with a Sunglass Selfie photo contest. This contest will be all online and submissions can be posted on the Grant PUD Facebook and Twitter pages. The contest starts May 22 and will end after Labor Day on September 8.

Participants are encouraged to wear sunglasses with the Grant PUD logo on them for the photo contest. Participants can find these sunglasses at Grant PUD offices.

Some of the basic rules include:

• Sunglasses must be worn. Grant PUD Sunglasses are preferred.
• Photos or video must have the #sunglassselfie hashtag.
• Photos and video may be altered and edited (filtered, cropped, etc.).
• There is no limit to the amount of posts by a person, but your name will only be entered into the drawing once.
• Entries need to be appropriate:

Grant PUD will follow the current Facebook guidelines. It reserves the right to remove any photo it deems not appropriate for the contest. A lifejacket needs to be worn if photo is taken on the water.

This year's prize will be a guided boat tour on the Wanapum Reservoir for four people for four hours this fall on an agreed upon date. Winners for the contest will be selected through a random drawing after the contest has closed. For a complete set of rules, see grantpud.org.