Natural Area FAQs

The natural recreation area is a unique public-private partnership between the Chelan Douglas Land Trust, a Grant County couple and Chelan County Public Utility District. The partnership became official when a private citizen through the Land Trust, and Chelan PUD struck an agreement to share the cost to purchase the property in exchange for a conservation easement. Chelan PUD signed an agreement with Washington State Dept. of Transportation (WSDOT) on Nov. 21, 2016, for the purchase of 26 acres located in Douglas County just south of the Odabashian Bridge between the Apple Capital Loop Trail and the Columbia River. The transfer of ownership from WSDOT to the Chelan PUD is planned to occur by the end of March 2017. WSDOT acquired the property in the early 1960s and early 1970s for a then-proposed highway, but was declared surplus to state needs when the highway plan was changed.

The property will be managed for passive recreation and environmental education through a conservation easement, meaning the area will be maintained largely as a natural area.

The area will be held in a conservation easement and designated "natural area." This means the property will remain largely primitive. Chelan PUD is planning to add a meandering trail through a small portion of the area, some interpretive and informational signs, garbage receptacles, and a small restroom.

Chelan PUD’s purchase will be approximately 26 acres. There will be no change to the local property tax base since it is a transfer of lands from one public entity to another.

The Chelan PUD’s Natural Recreation Area is being developed as a separate project, but is being coordinated with the proposed North End Master Site Plan. Douglas County, in partnership with the City of East Wenatchee and the Port of Douglas County has started the scoping process for a subarea plan, referred to as the East Wenatchee UGA North End Master Site Plan, associated with approximately 283 acres near Odabashian Bridge. The Port of Douglas County is heading a multi-year and multi-agency effort to create a development plan for other WSDOT lands near Odabashian Bridge.

Some of the land considered surplus by WSDOT, and within the Douglas County North End Master Site Plan, is located within Chelan PUD’s Rock Island license project boundary and designated for potential future recreation. To assist county planning efforts for economic development to occur inland of the Rocky Reach and Apple Capital Loop  trails, approximately 11 acres of land north of the Odabashian Bridge and approximately 4.3 acres to the south, but all of which extend outside Chelan PUD’s ownership, is being proposed to be removed from Chelan PUD’s license project boundary. These changes will not affect existing flowage easements. Chelan PUD is required to submit an application for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approval to remove lands from the project boundary.

Chelan PUD’s natural recreation area does not include the sandy beach.  The beach and much of the shoreline area north of the beach is owned by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and has been since statehood.  

Chelan PUD expects to select a name for the future natural recreation area during spring 2017. Chelan PUD has already narrowed down a potential list of names. The public is welcome to vote for one of the names online through Feb. 28.

The list of possibilities includes five names that capture the unique environmental characteristics of the area. In addition, two names were brought forward that would honor persons who contributed greatly to the effort: Cliff and Mary Bates, who live near Quincy. Mr. Bates served for 25 years as a system operator and chief operator at Rock Island and Rocky Reach dams and retired from Chelan PUD in 2002. The couple was among the original supporters of the proposal to keep the area natural and the riverfront open for recreation, rather than building a highway. The Bates contributed financially to the purchase and conservation easement on the property. Joan Vandivort, a local citizen encouraged the community to focus on the unique beauty of the Columbia River and construction of the Chelan PUD parks that exist today.

Parking will be analyzed during planning for the natural area.

No, hunting is not allowed in the natural area.

The conservation easement means the property will be publicly held as a recreation/conservation area in perpetuity. The conservation easement will be held by the Chelan–Douglas Land Trust and through this agreement means that no further development will occur.

Chelan PUD is evaluating whether there will be a seasonal closure to the restroom. It is anticipated the trail will be open year-round.

Construction of the new trails and restroom is anticipated to occur in 2019.

Some of the land considered as surplus by WSDOT, and within the Douglas County North End Master Site Plan, is located within Chelan PUD’s Rock Island license project boundary and designated for potential future recreation. To assist county planning efforts for economic development to occur inland of the Rocky Reach and Apple Capital Loop trails, Chelan PUD is proposing to remove from the Rock Island Project Boundary approximately 11 acres of land north of the Odabashian Bridge and approximately 4.3 acres to the south, all of which extend outside Chelan PUD’s ownership.

The land is in Chelan PUD’s Rock Island Hydro Project boundary, so federal regulators must approve the change in the project boundary, conservation easement, and proposed recreation use design for the area. The application seeking FERC approval is planned to be filed late this spring.

Trails associated with the natural area will be linked to the Apple Capital Loop Trail.

Crushed rock.

Yes.

General inquiries

Email: ContactUs@chelanpud.org
Phone: (509) 663-8121
Toll-free: (888) 663-8121
Hearing impaired TTY: (509) 661-4621
 
Direct contact
Jeff Osborn (509) 661-4176, jeff.osborn@chelanpud.org