Bateman Island is no longer reachable on foot after causeway removal

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ project to remove the Bateman Island causeway in Richland has reconnected the Yakima River’s flow around the island. The 550-foot causeway had blocked water movement for decades, warming the water west of the island and creating conditions that harm migrating salmon, steelhead and lamprey.

Practical effect: the island can no longer be reached by walking from the Columbia Park West trailhead. Shoreline trails in Columbia Park West and the Chamna Natural Preserve remain good nearby options.