Dam Work Still on Schedule Despite Weather

The 14-week closure of the Columbia Snake River Dam System that begin in mid-December is still on schedule despite the wild winter weather.

Executive Director of the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association Kristin Meira said, “The corps and their contractors have been working to make up the lost days from all of the ice and snow and they do still have as their plan to reopen on time.”

Work is underway to improve the system to better handle expected increases in traffic, largely from agriculture producers.

Meira said that there was a flurry of activity prior to the closure in December, but many others held on to their product.

“As we saw last time in 2011 at the conclusion of the last extended closure, we do expect to see another flurry of activity when the locks reopen this time.”

Meira said once the locks are officially reopen, the work will begin on the next closure which could happen in six or seven years.

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