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

    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

    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

    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.

  • Turbine at The Dalles Dam spills up to 200 gallons of oil, Corps deploys booms, skimmers and removes unit from service

    On Thursday, Dec. 3, a thrust hub cooling water pipe broke, spilling up to 200 gallons of oil into the Columbia River at The Dalles Dam. The equipment is part of a fish unit turbine designed to provide attraction water for migrating fish. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District is dedicated to rapid spill responses and is in the process of containing as much oil as possible. The turbine is now isolated from the river.

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

    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.

  • Corps modifies operations to improve salmon passage at Detroit Dam

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is modifying operations at Detroit Dam to improve juvenile salmon downstream passage survival by releasing water exclusively through the upper regulating outlets when downstream passage rates are high.

  • Spillway gate rehab closes Detroit Dam road

    A second season of rehabilitation of the Detroit Dam spillway gates begins Nov. 2, which will close the road on top of the dam. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers anticipates the work window and road closure to last through February 28, 2021.

  • Corps makes new changes to camping along Columbia River

    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.

  • Winter changes to Lower Columbia River recreational lock schedule

    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.

  • Upcoming repairs closes North Jetty road

    Announcing road closure ahead of road repairs. North Jetty Road will partially close for approximately seven days beginning October 23, likely impacting access to the East Parking Lot near Waikiki Beach contractors repave and repair the road.