Columbia River Public Access to be Announced in January

Grant County officials plan to announce in January whether they will be able to reopen any part of the Columbia River Shoreline between Wanapum Dam and Rock Island Dam for public use sometime this spring.

The shoreline has been closed since the discovery of a crack in a spillway pillar at the Wanapum Dam in late February. The closure has affected 90 miles of shoreline.

The Columbia Basin Herald reports (http://www.columbiabasinherald.com) officials want to reopen the shoreline to normal operation, including opening the river for recreation, as quickly as possible.

A spokesman for the Grant County Public Utility District says the review process involves many federal and state agencies as well as Native American tribes.