2011 Map of Priest Rapids

About this map

Mattawa and the planned community of Desert Aire occupy the eastern banks of the Columbia River in Grant County during this early 21st-century survey. The landscape is defined by the massive infrastructure of the Priest Rapids Dam and the turbulent waters of Priest Rapids just downstream. Residential development in Desert Aire is centered around the Desert Aire Airport and the shoreline, contrasted against the industrial activity at the Pozzuolana Mine to the west. On the opposite side of the river, the terrain is cut by several prominent coulees including Alkali Canyon, Corral Canyon, and Cow Canyon. These geological features lead down to the riverbanks near Goose Island, showing a region where intensive hydroelectric power generation and modern settlement meet the arid, dissected plateau of central Washington.