Willamette Falls Locks
Encyclopedia
The Willamette Falls Locks are a lock system on the Willamette River
in the U.S. state
of Oregon
. Opened in 1873 and currently closed, they allow boat traffic on the Willamette to navigate beyond Willamette Falls
. Located in the Portland metropolitan area
, the four inter-connected locks are 25 miles upriver from the Columbia River
at West Linn
, just across the Willamette River from Oregon City
. The locks are operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers
and serve primarily pleasure boats. These locks were added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1974.
The Willamette Falls Canal and Locks Company was formed in 1868 to build a navigation route around the falls. Construction then began on building a canal and lock system around the west end of the falls. The locks opened on January 1, 1873, as the first multi-lift navigation locks in the United States
at a cost of $560,000, and has been in continuous use ever since. Maria Wilkins, a steamship, was the first vessel to use the locks. The Army Corps of Engineers purchased the lock system from Portland General Electric
in 1915 for $375,000. The locks were added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1974.
, $1.8 million was allocated to repair and inspect the locks, with an additional $900,000 allocated in October 2009 for additional repairs and operational costs. The locks reopened in January 2010 with the Willamette Queen the first vessel to pass. The locks were open through the summer of 2010, and then due to a lack of federal funding for operations, were not scheduled to reopen for 2011.
The locks are owned and operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers
, and passage through the locks is free for both commercial and recreational boats. There are seven gates in four chambers which lift up to 50 feet (15.5 m) elevation change (depending on tides and river flow) with a usable width of 37 feet (11.2 m). The system is 3565 feet (1087 m) long, and can accommodate vessels up to 175 feet (53.3 m) long. Each of the four concrete constructed chambers are 210 feet by 40 feet.
Willamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. Opened in 1873 and currently closed, they allow boat traffic on the Willamette to navigate beyond Willamette Falls
Willamette Falls
The Willamette Falls is a natural waterfall on the Willamette River between Oregon City and West Linn, Oregon, in the United States. It is the largest waterfall in the Pacific Northwest and the eighteenth largest in the world by water volume. Horseshoe in shape, it is wide and high with a flow...
. Located in the Portland metropolitan area
Portland metropolitan area
The Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA Metropolitan Statistical Area , also known as the Portland metropolitan area or Greater Portland, is an urban area in the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington centered around the city of Portland, Oregon. The U.S...
, the four inter-connected locks are 25 miles upriver from the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
at West Linn
West Linn, Oregon
West Linn is a city in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. Now a prosperous southern suburb of Portland, West Linn has a history of early development, prompted by the opportunity to harvest energy from nearby Willamette Falls. It was named after Senator Dr. Lewis Fields Linn of Ste...
, just across the Willamette River from Oregon City
Oregon City, Oregon
Oregon City was the first city in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated. It is the county seat of Clackamas County, Oregon...
. The locks are operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
and serve primarily pleasure boats. These locks were added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1974.
History
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
at a cost of $560,000, and has been in continuous use ever since. Maria Wilkins, a steamship, was the first vessel to use the locks. The Army Corps of Engineers purchased the lock system from Portland General Electric
Portland General Electric
Portland General Electric is an electrical utility based in Portland in the U.S. state of Oregon. It distributes electricity to customers in parts of Multnomah, Clackamas, Marion, Yamhill, Washington, and Polk counties - half of the inhabitants of Oregon...
in 1915 for $375,000. The locks were added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1974.
Closure and repairs
With no funding available to perform needed inspections and repairs, the locks were closed in January 2008. In April 2009, as part of the federal government's economic stimulus planAmerican Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, abbreviated ARRA and commonly referred to as the Stimulus or The Recovery Act, is an economic stimulus package enacted by the 111th United States Congress in February 2009 and signed into law on February 17, 2009, by President Barack Obama.To...
, $1.8 million was allocated to repair and inspect the locks, with an additional $900,000 allocated in October 2009 for additional repairs and operational costs. The locks reopened in January 2010 with the Willamette Queen the first vessel to pass. The locks were open through the summer of 2010, and then due to a lack of federal funding for operations, were not scheduled to reopen for 2011.
Details
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
, and passage through the locks is free for both commercial and recreational boats. There are seven gates in four chambers which lift up to 50 feet (15.5 m) elevation change (depending on tides and river flow) with a usable width of 37 feet (11.2 m). The system is 3565 feet (1087 m) long, and can accommodate vessels up to 175 feet (53.3 m) long. Each of the four concrete constructed chambers are 210 feet by 40 feet.