Governor visits Palouse Falls

Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee is surrounded by Washtucna Elementary School students after he signed a bill Tuesday designating Palouse Falls as the official Washington state waterfall.

The measure passed through the House of Representatives and Senate after the idea was suggested by the grade school students.

Palouse Falls is within Palouse Falls State Park about an hour from Colfax.

The falls drop about 200 feet from an upper to lower falls in a 377-foot canyon.

The falls and canyon were created by ice age floods from Lake Missoula that swept across eastern Washington 15,000 years ago, according to the state Parks and Recreation Commission.

The falls were eventually named Palouse Falls to commemorate the Palouse Native American culture.