River users get Corps update on upcoming lock closures
Washington Ag Today October 18, 2010 Members of the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association attending the group’s annual meeting last week in Spokane, got an update from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the upcoming, unprecedented 14 week closure of the Columbia-Snake River navigation system.
Thanks in part to federal stimulus funding, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be doing some major repair and upgrading at several navigation locks in the system during the December 10th to March 18th closure. The work includes replacement of downstream lock gates at Lower Monumental, John Day and The Dalles.
Hal Thomas, Business Line Manager for the Corps Walla Walla District, says contracts for fabrication of the new lock gates went out almost a year ago.
Thomas: “And in the case of John Day and Lower Monumental we are looking at fabrication to be complete here probably by the end of the month of October. And the next step will be then to move those fabricated components upriver and stage them, ready for the 10 December closure for the system.”
The Corps says fabrication of The Dalles lock gates is about one week behind schedule but that is expected to be made up.
And once those aging and fatigued lock gates are replaced Thomas says;
Thomas: “Well I know we are going to have a much higher confidence rate in their ability to meet their mission and support navigation commerce up and down the river.”
Monthly teleconferences will keep stakeholders updated and the Walla Walla and Portland Districts of the Corps will have weekly updates on their websites.
I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on Northwest Aginfo Net.
