11 Apr 2025

Corps of Engineers delays opening Plymouth, LePage campgrounds

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Portland District will delay the opening of Plymouth and LePage campgrounds.

21 Jan 2022

Oregon Corps projects get $146 million for aging infrastructure

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.

4 Jun 2021

Transmission line work to close part of Giles French Park

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.

27 May 2021

Recent changes restrict primitive camping along Columbia River

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.

29 Mar 2021

The Dalles lock set to open after emergency repairs

The Dalles Lock and Dam navigation lock will return to service March 31 at 6:30 a.m. Technicians are finalizing repairs on cracking engineers found in the downstream miter gate during annual inspections. This return to service is 36 hours earlier than officials initially predicted.

1 Mar 2021

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

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.

22 Jan 2021

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.

15 Jan 2021

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.

29 Oct 2020

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.

18 May 2016

Memorial Day weekend marks reopening of Philippi Park

Philippi Park, a long-time favorite recreation area on the John Day River about 3 miles southeast of John Day Lock and Dam, will reopen to yearly summer use on May 27, 2016.