Portland District News Releases

Columbia River locks shut down for annual maintenance

Press Operations — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 19:06:00 GMT

The $23 billion of commerce that flows along the Columbia River will pause for two weeks beginning March 2 as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Portland District closes three navigation locks for annual inspections and maintenance.

Summer recreational lock schedule now in effect on Columbia River

Press Operations — Wed, 17 May 2023 16:52:59 GMT

Recreational boaters passing through the three lower Columbia River dams must follow a summer locking schedule through Sept. 14. Commercial vessels will continue to lock through upon arrival except during the times specified for recreational vessels.

Corps of Engineers to begin two-year safety, seismic repair project at Willamette Falls Locks this spring

Press Operations — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 17:23:53 GMT

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Portland District (Corps) will move forward this spring with seismic repairs at Willamette Falls Locks before the agency’s official transfer of the historic navigation lock system to the Willamette Falls Locks Authority, expected to take place in 2026.

Corps of Engineers dedicates new coastal survey vessel in Newport

Press Operations — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 23:52:53 GMT

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Portland District officially welcomed its newest hydrographic survey vessel, the Beeman, with a dedication and christening ceremony in Newport, Oregon, Jan. 11.

Winter recreational lock schedule begins Sept. 15 on Lower Columbia

Press Operations — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 16:55:00 GMT

Motorized recreational boaters who need to pass through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (Corps’) three lower Columbia River dams must do so during daylight hours only, upon request, Sept. 15 through May 14, 2023.

9,200 buckets later, Corps dredging halfway complete at Gold Beach

Press Operations — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 16:37:34 GMT

A giant bucket – the size of a 1970s Volkswagen bus – swings through the air after it gobbles up 20 cubic yards of gravel blocking (shoaling-in) access to parts of the Port of Gold Beach, Ore. The small community on the southern coast, where the Rogue River meets the Pacific Ocean, doesn’t have much, but it has a port that sees upwards of 35,000 visitors per year for jet boat tours and averages 75-100 fishing boats a day, according to port officials.

Commerce flows normally after Army engineers repair John Day Lock

Press Operations — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 20:51:49 GMT

Commerce is now moving normally along the Columbia River and through John Day Lock after Army engineers completed repairs to damaged guide wheels by 12:30 p.m., August 5. Technicians originally discovered damage to a lower guide wheel on July 25, which initially closed the lock, and then slowed traffic at that point in the river.

Corps updates Safe Lockage Policy for recreational vessels on Columbia, Snake rivers

Press Operations — Fri, 27 May 2022 15:16:00 GMT

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has put the following guidelines in place for the continued safe passage of recreational craft through the navigation locks at McNary, John Day, The Dalles, and Bonneville dams on the Columbia River, and Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose and Lower Granite dams on the Snake River:

Corps’ summer recreational lock schedule to take effect May 15

Press Operations — Wed, 11 May 2022 18:27:00 GMT

Motorized recreational boaters who need to pass through the three lower Columbia River dams must follow a lock schedule taking effect May 15.

Corps awards $5 million contract for Rogue River dredging at Gold Beach

Press Operations — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 19:27:48 GMT

Army officials announce a $5.3 million contract award for dredging the Rogue River at Gold Beach, Ore. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) maintains navigation channels along the Oregon coast and dredging is an important component of keeping the Rogue River Harbor open for recreational vessels, including jet boats, fishing guides and sport fishermen.

Columbia River commerce halts for extended period for annual outage

Press Operations — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 16:52:00 GMT

Commerce moving up and down the Columbia River, which is a $23 billion industry, will be at a stand-still for up to five weeks beginning Feb. 13. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) closes its navigation locks on the Columbia and Snake river dams on an annual basis for maintenance and repairs; however, this year the Corps is extending the closure an extra three weeks – in part – to repair the downstream miter gate at The Dalles.

Winter recreational lock schedule begins September 30 on Lower Columbia

Press Operations — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 16:02:57 GMT

Motorized recreational boaters needing to pass through the three lower Columbia River dams need to do so during daylight hours only, on request, starting September 30, 2021 through May 15, 2022.

Out-of-season outage closes The Dalles Dam navigation lock

Press Operations — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 15:02:44 GMT

An out-of-season outage will close The Dalles Dam’s navigation lock, Sept. 14-15, 2021. A specialized U.S. Army Corps of Engineers rope-access (climbing) inspection team will be performing an assessment, which is part of a required five-year cycle.

Corps announces summer recreational lock schedule

Press Operations — Fri, 14 May 2021 17:03:18 GMT

Motorized recreational boaters needing to pass through the three lower Columbia River dams must follow a lock schedule taking effect May 15. Commercial vessels will continue to lock through upon arrival except during the times specified for recreational vessels.

Columbia and Snake river navigation locks will close March 6 for annual maintenance

Press Operations — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 17:06:07 GMT

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Portland and Walla Walla districts will close all Corps navigation locks on the Columbia and Snake rivers March 6 at 6 a.m. for regularly-scheduled annual inspections, preventative maintenance and repairs.

Corps replaces king piles, part of the “unsung heroes” of navigation

Press Operations — Mon, 09 Nov 2020 20:29:47 GMT

A $2.1 million U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project to replace missing king piles, some of which have been in place since 1885. The project is part of a greater effort to repair pile dikes. In total, 68 new king pile markers sporadically from Puget Island (river mile 41) to Multnomah Falls (river mile 136) will go in.

Winter changes to Lower Columbia River recreational lock schedule

Press Operations — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 20:08:32 GMT

Recreational boaters who need to move through the three lower Columbia River dams’ locks must do so during daylight hours, on request. This change began September 30 and will continue until May 15, 2021 at Bonneville, The Dalles and John Day. This is an annual and a regularly scheduled part of operations during the winter season.

Environmental Scoping Opens Through Oct. 3, 2017 for Port of Coos Bay’s Proposed Channel Modification

Press Operations — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 23:05:00 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is opening a public scoping phase in the preparation of a comprehensive environmental impact statement to evaluate the effects of the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay’s proposed modifications to the Federal Navigation Channel.

John Day Dam’s navigation lock reopens to river traffic; other locks still on track with previously announced schedules

Press Operations — Sun, 19 Mar 2017 18:21:12 GMT

The navigation lock at John Day Dam, near Rufus, Oregon, reopened to river traffic late Saturday night, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials in the Portland District announced.

Summer Recreational Vessel Lockage Schedule Begins May 15

Press Operations — Thu, 12 May 2016 21:53:00 GMT

May 15 marks the start of the summer schedule for recreational boaters using navigation locks to travel past U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers.