Pink spray paint was used to deface a large rock with Native American petroglyphs displayed at Indian Memorial Park at Ice Harbor Lock and Dam east of Pasco.
The vandalism was discovered March 28 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and is believed to have been done that day, according to the Corps.
"The district condemns the vandalism, which defaced a significant cultural site, and is collaborating with law enforcement as they conduct an investigation into the vandalism," the Corps said in a statement Thursday.
The Walla Walla Sheriff's Office said Thursday it had identified no suspects.
In the past the Corps has hired contractors for graffiti removal, who work closely with the Corps Archaeological department to do cleaning and conservation work.
Because of the vandalism a spur road near Shoreline Drive in Burbank, Wash., adjacent to the monument, has been temporarily closed as the Walla Walla District assesses damages and determines the options to restore the site.
Access to Indian Memorial Park is from State Highway 124 to Monument Drive, then right on Shoreline Road.
When surveying was being done before construction started on Ice Harbor Lock and Dam in 1956, the rock with petroglyphs was found along the edge of the Snake River.
Building Ice Harbor Dam would raise the water level more than 100 feet, inundating Native American historical and cultural sites, including burial grounds.
Indian Memorial Park was created on about 15 acres to commemorate the flooded burial grounds and other culturally significant sites. The rock with the petroglyphs is displayed there.
The memorial has tribal affiliations with the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, the Nez Perce Tribe, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation and the Wanapum Band.
This story was originally published April 5, 2024, 5:00 AM.
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