Site Resources & Tools
Dive planning for Newton Street Dive Park
Site Briefing
Newton Street Dive Park is a shore dive in the Columbia River at Howard Amon Park in Richland, WA. A popular inland river site with a navigation course, submerged boat, and lines laid to help divers orient on the silty bottom.
Trip reports describe using a shore eddy to manage the river current: drift down in the main flow to an old ferry cable near ~35 ft, follow the cable back into shallower water near ~20 ft, and let the eddy carry you back to entry. Current can run quick but is often manageable when the eddy is working.
Access: Shore entry from the Newton Street / Howard Amon Park scuba dive park area.
Marine life: Crawfish, freshwater fish, and occasional surprises on the nav course structures.
Conditions: River current and visibility are highly variable. Freshwater temps are cold; a good dive light helps even on sunny days.
Hazards: Boat traffic near the marina and bridge corridor -- stay alert on ascent and surface swims.
⚠️ Safety & accuracy
Before diving at Newton Street Dive Park, always check the site-specific wind/wave forecast, tide/currents, and recent reports (latest: Apr 29, 2025)! Reminder: Winds (even offshore winds) can impact slack time.
Briefings may be out of date or have inaccuracies. Dive within your training and experience. The first time diving a site, join someone familiar with the site and/or start on a mild day.
See our currents, tides, wind, and waves guide for help reading charts and planning current-sensitive dives.
The nearest NOAA current and tide stations within 25 miles are selected by default when available. Click a pin on the map below to choose another station for current, tide, camera, or buoy data (you may need to zoom in or out).
See an issue? Would you suggest a different default station or depth? Suggest briefing updates.
Nearby Stations
No NOAA current station within 25 miles of this site. Click a pin on the map below to choose a station.
Nearby Dive Sites
- Canyon (~1 miles)