The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

WALLA WALLA-A pair of great blue heron walked by on spindly legs as we pushed off from the boat ramp at Bennington Lake on this, our fifth adventure aboard the African Queen.

Gifted to us by Grandma Jo Shay, our inflatable raft seats three and came outfitted with reel holders and oar holders as well as a dry-bag. Grandma, in her infinite wisdom, also included life jackets and a patch kit in case we ran into anything too sharp. So far we haven't had to use the patch kit, thankfully, but as life jackets are mandatory, we've gotten good use out of those.

On our first few trips we used a plunger-style air pump to inflate each of its three chambers and two cushions. It takes a bit of time even with three of us taking turns, but was a good workout especially earlier in the season when sunset was closer to 9 p.m. That pump broke and now, thankfully, we have an electric air pump with a car adapter. It is a little louder, but much faster.

We're scooting off from shore in no time.

That leaves us more energy for paddling practice. And practice you must if you don't want to mistakenly drift into the Intake Tower just east of the boat ramp. It's fenced off by barbed wire which is inflatable boat kryptonite.

Obstacles avoided, we paddle out to the deeper water. The shore of Bennington Lake is flat on two sides, then meanders, offering hidden vistas. Along the north end, the lake narrows to a view of spectacular driftwood.

In addition to the great blue heron, we spotted a deer buck at the water's edge, a doe hiding back in the trees, a turtle and two frogs as the full moon rose over the Blue Mountains.

Mill Creek Dam and Bennington Lake is a flood risk management project that uses an off-stream storage reservoir (Bennington Lake) to store water during a flash flood event, while offering stunning views, recreation and exercise opportunities.

Bennington Lake came to be from a spark in the early 1900s when public concern over the frequent flooding of Walla Walla prompted Virgil B. Bennington, then President of the Walla Walla Chamber of Commerce, to lobby the U.S. Congress for flood protection. Development of Mill Creek Dam system was authorized in the 1938 Flood Control Act.

The improved Mill Creek channel and off-stream storage reservoir were completed in 1942. Previously the body of water was referred to as "pool," the "Mill Creek Reservoir" and "Mill Creek Lake, but in 1992 the reservoir was officially named Virgil B. Bennington Lake.

Bennington Lake provides a beautiful place for people to be outdoors without having to leave town.

This off-stream reservoir has a maximum storage capacity of 8,300 acre-feet at elevation 1265, with a 5 foot freeboard. In the spring, water is diverted from Mill Creek to Bennington Lake to mitigate the risk of flooding.

Being the only public lake within 45 miles of the city of Walla Walla, Bennington Lake is a popular fishing spot.

The lake is stocked in the spring with rainbow trout by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. A fishing license is required and fishing limits apply. We've yet to fish from the African Queen. I'm nervous to cast a metal hook from an inflatable vessel. It's just asking for trouble. We'll leave the casting to Honeybee.

Boating on the lake is limited to paddling, rowing, wind power, or vessels with electric motors. No gas engines are allowed on the water at any time. This policy protects the lake from unwanted pollutants associated with gasoline-operated motors and provides maximum space for vessels compatible with the lake's small size. The policy also effectively keeps the lake peacefully quiet.

The rhythmic sloshing of oars cutting into the surface of the water is soothing. So that's it. We're boat people now.

Picnic tables, shelters and restrooms are available for land lovers. Park benches and shelters along the trails provide resting areas to enjoy views of the lake and the Blue Mountains. There is also a life jacket loaner board, ranging in sizes from youth to adult, to help keep everyone safe on the water.

Deer are regularly spotted exiting the trees to drink from the lake. Hunting is permitted around Bennington Lake in the areas designated on the map posted in the Info station.

The Bennington Lake area is open year-round 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 pm. See you out there!

Jared Wade

On a rare day off together, Matthew "Honeybee" and Brianna "Sunshine" Wray take to lake.

Mill Creek Channel

About 5,000 feet of the Mill Creek channel is federally operated and maintained. The locally operated portion of the channel begins at the Mill Creek-Bennington Lake unit and extends six miles through the city of Walla Walla.

Mill Creek Dam

The dam is an earthfill structure with a heavy gravel face located in a drainage off of Mill Creek. The dam is 800 feet wide at the base, 125 feet high, 20 feet wide at the top and 3,200 feet long at the crest. A 2260 foot long concrete cutoff wall extends 2 feet into bedrock.

Learn more about the US Army Corps of Engineers efforts in the Walla Walla District by visiting their website: https://www.nww.usace.army.mil/Locations/District-Locks-and-Dams/Mill-Creek-Dam-and-Bennington-Lake/