The federal government has announced new restrictions on crossings of Lower Granite Dam, located on the Snake River south of Colfax. Starting Thursday, crossings will only be permitted at the top and bottom of each hour, from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. Previously, access was available throughout the day on weekends.

These changes affect those traveling to and from the Illia Dunes, a popular summer destination for Washington State University students. Under the new schedule, northbound traffic can only cross the dam at the top of the hour, while southbound traffic can cross at the bottom of the hour. This means that anyone returning to Pullman from the dunes must cross by 4:00 p.m. to avoid a lengthy detour through Pomeroy.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has implemented access limitations in the past due to issues with litter left by visitors at the dunes. No specific reasons were provided for the latest restrictions when they were announced.