Popular beach at Steamboat Rock closing permanently

A popular beach at Steamboat Rock State Park, located northeast of the boat launch, is being closed permanently due to erosion, authorities say.

"The Bureau of Reclamation in cooperation with Washington State Parks will permanently close a beach area located in Steamboat Rock State Park in order to provide resource protection," a legal notice published throughout December 2020 in the Columbia Basin Herald states. "The closure will take place on January 1, 2021. Washington State Parks will clearly post the closure with signage and enforce it through officer patrols."

The signage will be placed soon, according to Denis Felton, area manager of state parks in the Coulee Corridor, including Steamboat Rock, Sun Lakes-Dry Falls, and Potholes. 

Felton described the area being closed as being from the boat launch to the boat-in campsites north of there, including the land between the beach and a dirt access road that leads to the camp sites from the hillside behind them.

A map Felton made showing the closed off area also shows where a fence will be placed to prevent people from entering the area.

A log boom or buoy line placed in the water along the beach will prevent boats from accessing the beach.

Unable to elaborate on what specific "resource protection" the closure was for, Felton said that all he could disclose is that the area is being closed "because of sensitive issues."

The Star received an email response on Tuesday from Michael A. Coffey, regional public affairs officer for the Bureau of Reclamation, offering more on the topic. 

Asked if the resources being protected were cultural or natural resources, Coffey didn't offer a clear answer but said the resource protection the beach closure provides is "related to unacceptable levels of shoreline erosion."

Coffey explained that "during beach monitoring efforts, significant shoreline erosion was discovered in the closure area," which has "undercut large rocks and boulders along the soil embankment of the shoreline, accelerating erosion and damaging the shoreline resources."

"Reclamation has started the planning process to stabilize the shoreline in this area," she continued. "Implementation of stabilization activities will depend on available project funding. ... Reclamation is committed to operating and maintaining our facilities responsibly to protect the public and environment."

The Bureau began addressing the issue as early as March 2020, Coffey said, "considering solutions to address issues in that beach area."

Prior to taking action, an environmental review was conducted under the National Environmental Policy Act process.  A categorical exclusion was signed in July 2020, preventing the need for a more elaborate environmental assessment. 

The beach closure comes after a busy year for the park, which saw 474,699 visitors including day users and overnight campers in 2020. It was the busiest year since 2016, which saw 535,720 visitors, total. 

An additional 30 full-hookup RV sites and a full restroom with showers are being built at the park in a campground called Cove Loop. They are anticipated to be ready for campers in June. 

The park currently has 26 standard campsites, 136 full-hookup sites, and three cabins.