Fish and Wildlife Meetings Planned

DAYTON – The public will have two opportunities to ask questions and provide comments to officials with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife about the Wooten Floodplain Management Plan and Rainbow Lake closure, planned for this summer.

Meetings will be held on Tuesday, from 4-6 p.m. at the Walla Walla Community College Water & Environment Center, at 500 Tausick Way, and on Wednesday, from 4-6 p.m. at the Benton PUD Auditorium at 2721 W. 10th Ave. in Kennewick.

This year, the WDFW plans to increase the depth and size of Rainbow Lake by removing accumulated sediment and a spit in the middle of the lake, and expanding the lake to the south, as well as installing a settling basin and supply pipeline. These actions will improve fish and wildlife habitat, water quality, storage capacity, and access for anglers. Dam safety and reduced lake seepage will also be addressed by these actions. The local fishing experience should be much improved in future years, with the ability to stock more fish and increase the number of fishing areas around the lake.

The WDFW has received funding for the 2017 improvements through the state legislature, and future funding requests are currently being considered.

Additional information is available online at: wdfw.wa.gov/lands/wildlife_areas/wt_wooten/

For more information, contact Kari Dingman, Assistant Wildlife Area Manager, at (509) 843-1530 or Kari.Dingman@dfw.wa.gov.