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Navigation and hydrosurveys

Our first mission, eliminating impediments to navigation on the Pacific Northwest's rivers, dates back to 1871. We maintain safe and reliable channels, harbors and waterways for the transportation of commerce, support to national security and recreation.
Fish cameras

Hazards to navigation

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Coast Guard have authority to remove hazards to navigation from the waterways of the United States. 
Click here to expand contentClick here to collapse content  Program overview
Generally, the U.S.Coast Guard is the primary agency to identify and remove a hazard to navigation; however, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers may be asked for assistance. Either USCG or USACE may remove hazards at the owner's expense. Local port districts, city, county and state agencies may also take legal action against an owner for removing a hazard to navigation within their jurisdictions.
Click here to expand contentClick here to collapse content  Authority

Authority for removal of hazards to navigation by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is referenced in Sections 15-20 of the River and Harbor Act of 1899.
Guidelines for coordination, removal of hazards to navigation, and cost recovery between the United States Coast Guard and the United States Army Corps of Engineers are found in the following:

 

Click here to expand contentClick here to collapse content  Contact information
To contact the Portland District regarding Hazards to Navigation, send an email with the subject "Hazards to Navigation" to the Hazards to Navigation Coordinator.

Check the weather

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Click here to expand contentClick here to collapse content  Before setting out, obtain the latest marine forecast and warning information at www.weather.gov/marine

Before you go out on the water, get the forecast and don a life vest. Click here for the YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKR9Vk5lftc&feature=youtu.be

 

This video describes the importance of obtaining an accurate and up-to-date marine weather forecast before venturing out. Understanding a marine forecast is critical to safe boating. Weather and wave conditions can change suddenly, catching boaters off guard and creating life threatening conditions.

 

Before setting out, obtain the latest marine forecast and warning information from www.weather.gov/marine or NOAA Weather Radio. Several days ahead of time, you can begin listening for extended outlooks with general information out to the next five days, in both graphical and text format.

Oregon's ports

Using our navigation locks

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How to lock through

This brochure, How To Lock Through, instructs recreational boaters on using our navigation locks.
Click here to expand contentClick here to collapse content  Lockage schedules: Bonneville, The Dalles & John Day
The Winter Recreational Vessel Lockage Schedule is in effect from Sept 16, 2012 through May 14, 2013, at Bonneville, The Dalles and John Day navigation locks on the Columbia River.  Recreational vessels may lock through on request during daylight hours only.  Commercial vessels continue to have precedence over recreational vessels.  At the discretion of the lock operator, recreational vessels may lock through with commercial vessels.
Click here to expand contentClick here to collapse content  Willamette Falls Locks closed
Willamette Falls Locks closed Sept. 20, 2010. Since then, the district hasn't received any funding to operate the locks for public use, and so they remain closed.

Hydrographic surveys

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Click here to expand contentClick here to collapse content  About these reports and surveys 

Information in these data files show the results of surveys made on the dates listed and can only be considered as having indicated general conditions existing at that time.

Columbia River Side Channel surveys are channel_line surveys of the projects adjacent to the Columbia River, such as ports or tributaries, which have a Federal-authorized channel. Channel-line surveys are survey lines which run parallel to the channel, 7 lines across, 150 feet apart.

Columbia River surveys are channel-line and cross-line surveys of the Columbia from The Mouth of the Columbia to Vancouver Turning Basin. Channel-line surveys are survey lines which run parallel to the channel, 7 lines across, 150 feet apart. Cross-line surveys are lines that run perpendicular to the channel, bank-to-bank and are generally 500 feet apart.

 

Each channel status report below represents the controlling depth per channel quarter of all the District's navigational channels for surveys made on the dates shown. Reports are usually updated once a month. Click here for methodology diagram of extracting controlling depths.

 

Click here to expand contentClick here to collapse content  Channel status reports (all areas)
Click here to expand contentClick here to collapse content  Columbia River hydrosurveys (Mouth to Vancouver)
Click here to expand contentClick here to collapse content  Columbia River hydrosurveys (Vancouver to The Dalles)
Click here to expand contentClick here to collapse content  Columbia River sidechannel hydrosurveys
Click here to expand contentClick here to collapse content  Willamette River hydrosurveys
Click here to expand contentClick here to collapse content  Northern Oregon coast hydrosurveys
Click here to expand contentClick here to collapse content  Southern Oregon coast hydrosurveys
Click here to expand contentClick here to collapse content  All hydrographic surveys
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