Wanapum Visitor Center to celebrate opening

The blue on the floor of the visitor center is an artist's depiction of the Columbia River with fish and other Wildlife. It winds through the entire center.

Learn about the battle to restore larger salmon runs (right) and how to generate power (left).

by Sun Tribune Editor & Ted Escobar
| November 29, 2015 5:00 AM

Learn about the battle to restore larger salmon runs (right) and how to generate power (left).

BEVERLY — The grand opening for The Power of the Columbia River, Grant PUD’s new visitor center, will be celebrated on Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 10 a.m., PUD publicist Chuck Allen has announced.

Following a ribbon-cutting ceremony, the center will be open to the public with new displays that highlight the balancing act between hydropower, fish passage, recreation, and natural resource management, Allen said

The Power of the Columbia River is located adjacent to Wanapum Dam, about seven miles south of the Vantage Bridge, It will provide an opportunity for visitors of all ages to experience firsthand how Grant PUD operates its dams on the Columbia.

There are many interactive exhibits within the 2,000 square foot facility. They allow visitors to travel through time as they see how the Columbia River shaped Grant County. A theater features several videos that describe how the Columbia Basin was formed and how Wanapum Dam works.

Visitors will also be able to generate their own electricity, learn about fish in the river, as well as where to enjoy recreation along the Columbia River.

“We want this to be a center where schools, families and members of the community can visit and use it as an educational resource,” said Grant PUD Commission President Dale Walker.

The visitor center will be open from 9-4 p.m. Monday through Friday in October through April and open daily (including Saturday, Sunday and holidays) in May through September.

The Power of the Columbia River is located south of Interstate 90 on Highway 243. Admission is free. The center is a component of Grant PUD’s federal license requirements to provide educational opportunities and access to customers.