Granite Point cleaned up

The jutting rock of Granite Point on the Snake River three miles upstream from Wawawai County Park is back open after closing in the aftermath of a crowd of hundreds leaving litter and graffiti April 27.

After an initial cleanup by the Walla Walla District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and an assist from WSU and University of Idaho students, the corps re-opened the Granite Point recreation area May 11.

It had been closed to the public since May 2 due to health and safety concerns after a day of heavy partying April 27. It took the Corps more than a week to clean up the trash and remove the vandalism in the affected area.

After announcing the closure, the Corps received offers of cleanup assistance from the college students, and Corps officials expressed appreciation for help with a subsequent clean-up last Thursday, May 10.

"An organized group of more than 25 student volunteers from Washington State University and the University of Idaho helped clean up Granite Point. The Corps would like to thank students from WSU and U of I who participated. We continue to ask visitors to help keep the Granite Point area and other Corps 'pack it in, pack it out' recreation areas and wildlife units clean," Corps officials said.

Overall, more than 800 pounds of trash were removed from the recreational area.

Corps staff will now monitor Granite Point visitors' ongoing actions such as "pack it in, pack it out" removal of trash. The Corps provides free bags for trash collection and removal.

The Corps will also monitor how well visitors keep glass containers off the beach at all times, consume alcohol responsibly, use provided restrooms, preserve the natural landscape on Corps lands, and enjoy their visit without breaking any laws or offending other visitors.

In this way, visitors will help determine future recreational usage of the area.

Future options available to the Corps include an alcohol ban. Alcohol is currently allowed to be consumed at Granite Point by visitors in a responsible manner, but can be prohibited by the Corps.