Portland District News Releases

John Day Dam recreation sites transition to cashless fee system

Press Operations — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:00:00 GMT

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District, announced it will transition to a fully cashless fee collection system at several recreation sites near the John Day Lock and Dam, effective April 15.

Columbia River locks shut down for annual maintenance

Press Operations — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 23:29:00 GMT

The Columbia-Snake River System, a critical trade corridor supporting $24 billion in commerce annually, will pause operations for two weeks beginning March 9, as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Portland District, conducts its annual navigation lock maintenance.

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 16:52:00 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.

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.

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.

Damage closes John Day Lock, slows Columbia River traffic

Press Operations — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 00:31:00 GMT

A broken portion of John Day Lock and Dam’s upstream navigation lock gate has slowed river traffic through that portion of the Columbia 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.

Oregon Corps projects get $146 million for aging infrastructure

Press Operations — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 19:17:17 GMT

Army Engineers and planners will receive $146 million for various infrastructure projects at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) sites around Oregon. This funding came from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act.

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.

Environmental Assessment for Boardman City Water Facility Expansion

Press Operations — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 16:55:00 GMT

Beginning today, the public has 15 days to comment on Portland District’s Environmental Assessment (EA) for a Boardman, Ore. proposed water facility expansion.

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.

Transmission line work to close part of Giles French Park

Press Operations — Fri, 04 Jun 2021 22:10:55 GMT

Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) will replace transmission lines (area outlined in yellow in attached image) from John Day Lock and Dam to the substation located on top of the hill south of Interstate 84, which will close a portion of Giles French Park beginning Jun. 8th.

Recent changes restrict primitive camping along Columbia River

Press Operations — Thu, 27 May 2021 19:11:37 GMT

Some campers may be surprised by recent closures and changes to primitive camping near The Dalles and John Day dams along the Columbia River, that began November 1, 2020. These include a transition from primitive camping to day-use only in some areas, and a maximum of seven days of primitive camping within a 30-day consecutive period at all areas.

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.

UPDATE: Jan. 13 John Day Dam oil spill amount increases after further inspection – now 65 gallons

Press Operations — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 23:08:30 GMT

After continued inspections and repairs of failed equipment from a Jan. 13 oil loss, technicians at John Day Dam are now reporting the total loss oil to be 65 gallons. The original estimate (Jan. 13) was a loss of 25 gallons.

John Day Dam turbine spills oil into Columbia

Press Operations — Fri, 15 Jan 2021 19:00:04 GMT

A turbine at John Day Dam in eastern Oregon spilled less than 25 gallons of oil into the Columbia River, Jan. 13. Crewmembers were performing maintenance on the unit and observed the spill after they restarted the system.

John Day Dam Oil Leak Spills into Columbia River

Press Operations — Sat, 12 Dec 2020 00:50:31 GMT

Maintenance technicians at John Day Dam estimated 63 gallons of oil spilled into the Columbia River from a pinhole leak in a turbine guide bearing chiller uncovered on Monday, Dec. 7.

Corps makes new changes to camping along Columbia River

Press Operations — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 14:48:00 GMT

Beginning Nov. 1, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will close all primitive camping areas for the season at The Dalles and John Day dams. These closures are part of a new camping policy the Corps is implementing this year.