Ringold Springs Columbia River access improved

OLYMPIA - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has improved the Ringold Springs water access site on the Columbia River, popular with Hanford Reach fall salmon and steelhead anglers.

Located southwest of Basin City in Franklin County, the Ringold access site now has expanded parking and two designated camping areas. The camping areas are downstream and upstream of the irrigation return, and each provides about 15 camping sites. The improvements are meant to provide a better experience for day use and overnight stays, but they also come with new use rules.

Camping is limited to three days in a seven-day period and campers must register at the site. There is no fee for camping but vehicles must display a WDFW vehicle access pass (which comes with a fishing or hunting license), or a Discover Pass. Camping and boat launches are primitive with vault toilets on site.

WDFW habitat biologist Mike Ritter said that the changes also provide better protection of riparian or streamside area fish and wildlife habitat.

A map of the newly designated areas is available on the Ringold Springs access site webpage at http://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/water_access/30083/

For details on these fisheries, see page 54 of the 2015-16 Washington Sport Fishing Rules at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/