City will state its opposition to Geezer Beach ban

The city of Coulee Dam will oppose changes to the operation of a beach upriver from the Third Powerhouse behind Grand Coulee Dam being considered by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

The city council unanimously voted last week to send a letter to that effect.

The bureau is considering restricting people from driving vehicles onto the beach during low drawdowns of Lake Roosevelt, or possibly closing the area to fishing entirely. It is seeking comments to include in its decision-making process.

The spot is popular with older anglers, from whom the beach derives its nickname. But it is also a destination for many anglers who travel from out of town to fish it, including in the winter, local fishermen say.

“We’re trying to promote tourism around here, and that’s just going to shut part of it down,” Councilmember Keith St. Jeor said in response to Mayor Pro Tempore Bob Poch, asking at the Dec. 12 council meeting whether the town should take a stance.

Poch noted people come from as far away as Seattle to fish the area during the winter.

St. Jeor said the area is in essence a handicapped-accessible fishing spot.

Poch said Josephine Ayers, a World War II veteran in her 90s and town resident, fishes there with her son.

“If this happens, there’s no place for her to go,” he said.

When the water line is low, anglers often drive to it, far down the beach. The Bureau worries that stuck vehicles can be a hazard or even be abandoned.

Councilmember Ben Alling noted that the agency had banned fishing from the Third Powerhouse itself for security reasons years ago.

The council unanimously voted to ask the clerk to draft a letter of opposition to be endorse by the council.

The bureau has asked for comments by Dec. 31.

Comments can be mailed to the bureau’s Natural Resource Specialist, at Lon Ottosen, Bureau of Reclamation, Grand Coulee Power Office, P.O. Box 620, Grand Coulee, WA 99133, or emailed to lottosen@usbr.gov.