Landslide on Lake Roosevelt

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Published: Tuesday, 19 November 2024 21:52

A stunning landslide occurred on the west side of Lake Roosevelt across from Colville Flats and downstream of Sherman Creek Hatchery over the weekend. Click here for photos.

The slide cascaded several tons of sediment into the lake, dislodging trees and causing shoreline damage up and downstream. Its sheer force caused waves to cross the river, including one washing over Highway 25.

Fortunately, no injuries and minimal facilities damage were reported by Facebook users and agencies. The National Park Service reported no facilities damage, while the Washington Department of Wildlife reported a dock at Sherman Creek Hatchery and net pens holding triploid rainbow were dislodged and have since been recovered. 

Eric Weatherman, owner of Columbia Navigation, surveyed the damage Monday. He told the Forum the displaced river bottom is extraordinary. “The water depth in front of the slide is now 10 to 15-feet deep where our survey map says it should be 3 to 5-feet deep.”

Downstream, Hannah Frances posted on Facebook that “We were down at Lake Roosevelt today having a beach fire when suddenly the water rapidly rose about a foot and a half and wiped our beach fire out and almost took the picnic table and us with it!”

NPS encouraged all boaters and visitors to use caution in the area, noting, “In the immediate vicinity of the landslide, the land is still moving and will continue to be unstable for the foreseeable future. Debris will also continue to wash downstream for several days.”