New Grant PUD Visitor Center Opens
Grant PUD’s new visitor center, The Power of the Columbia River, opened December 1st.
Located adjacent to Wanapum Dam, about seven miles south of the Vantage Bridge, The Power of the Columbia River provides an opportunity for visitors of all ages to experience firsthand how Grant PUD operates its dams on the Columbia. Displays highlight the balancing act between hydropower, fish passage, recreation, and natural resource management.
There are many interactive exhibits within the 2,000 square foot facility that 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 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 as an educational resource,” said Grant PUD Commission President Dale Walker.
The visitor center will be open from 9 a.m. to 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. Once on Highway 243, head south and follow the highway for approximately 4 miles and then turn onto Wanapum Dam Road. Admission is free. The center is a component of Grant PUD’s federal license requirements to provide educational opportunities and access to customers.
For further information, contact Chuck Allen at (509) 754-5035, publicaffairs@gcpud.org.