Asotin Creek shooting range won’t reopen

The shooting range on the Asotin Wildlife Area won’t reopen.

The popular spot near the confluence of the north and south forks of the Asotin Creek was blown out during a spring flood event and has been closed since that time.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife determined it is impractical to make repairs.

“Water continues to flood the field where the target backstop and shooting bench were located,” said Wildlife Area Manager Bob Dice in a news release. “It is not feasible or environmentally possible to move the creek back into the original channel. Instead, it’s meandering and forming new channels.”

Agency spokesperson Staci Lehman at Spokane noted the purpose of the wildlife area is to provide habitat for fish and wildlife. The shooting range, which began as an informal spot where people gathered for target practice and eventually was expanded, sits in the creek’s floodplain.

“It’s unfortunate the two items didn’t work very well together,” she said.

Workers have already begun to remove infrastructure like a shed and backstop. Other places of the Asotin Wildlife Area are seasonally closed to target shooting in an effort to prevent accidental fires.