Recreation
In Grant County, the 58-mile long reservoir created by Wanapum and Priest Rapids dams offer a wide range of recreational opportunities. The landscape is arid, open and dramatically scenic, with deep basalt cliffs along portions of the river. With an average rainfall that rarely exceeds seven inches a year, there are plenty of opportunities for fun in the sun.
Grant PUD places a high priority on public safety on our project. We want visitors to enjoy the reservoirs, but also to be aware of safety hazards and dangerous conditions. The Priest Rapids and Wanapum dam reservoirs are part of a working river. Water levels can fluctuate, exposing submerged hazards and causing reservoir elevation changes.
When boating near either dam, keep a respectful distance from the safety barriers that are installed at the upstream approaches to both facilities.
River Flow Information
The river flow rates and water elevation in the Priest Rapids and Wanapum reservoirs are affected by a number of factors:
- general river water conditions (low, medium or high water year depending on winter snow pack in the mountains)
- seasonal river flows
- power demand
- flows for fish protection
The Priest Rapids Project license allows a 6.5 ft elevation variation of the reservoir at the Priest Rapids Dam (from 481.5 ft. above sea level to 488 ft). At Wanapum Dam there can be 11.5 ft elevation variation (560 ft to 571.5 ft). The reservoirs are usually operated in the upper range of those allowable river elevations. The greatest fluctuations occur from mid-October to late November in aid of salmon spawning down river from Priest Rapids Dam.
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