| Hanford Reach National Monument is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's only national monument. Protected by Presidential proclamation in 2000, the Monument is a place of sweeping vistas and stark beauty, of towering bluffs and delicate flowers. Wildlife abounds in this harsh landscape-rare is a trip along the river that doesn't produce mule deer, coyotes, bald eagles, great blue herons, or white pelicans. A large elk herd hides in the canyons, and incredibly, porcupines are a common sight. Rare plants defy the drought, wind and heat. Beautiful spring wildflower displays delight the visitor who ventures into the field. The Monument is also a reminder of our history. Plutonium reactors stand along the river, remnants of WWII and the Cold War. Plutonium from B Reactor fueled "Fat Man," the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, on August 9, 1945. No longer in production, these reactors are now being dismantled, and the lands and waters cleaned. Spectacular shrub-steppe habitat, a rich cultural history, and the free-flowing Hanford Reach of the Columbia River characterize this remarkable monument located in south-central Washington State. |
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