Final Say

At a Glance:
Columbia and Snake River System

The Columbia and Snake rivers form the second largest river system in the U.S. Barge service began in 1975, and nearly 50,000 containers are barged through Portland, Ore., each year.

• The Columbia River barge system represent 20 percent of the total export volumes handled at the Port of Portland.

• The Columbia Snake River system is a vital transportation link for the states of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. The economies of these states rely on the trade and commerce that flow through this commercial waterway.

Dredging

The channel from the mouth of the Columbia River to Portland is 100 miles long. The channel is 40’ deep and 600’ wide. A multi-year dredging project is underway, and the channel will soon be 43’ deep.

Portland’s Terminal 6 is the region’s barging connection from inland producers to the Pacific Rim markets.

The Upriver Ports — Distance from Portland

Port of Lewiston (Idaho) 360 miles, 47 hours

Port of Pasco (Wash.) 225 miles, 31 hours

Port of Umatilla (Ore.) 187 miles, 25 hours

Port of Morrow (Boardman, Ore.) 170 miles, 23 hours

Pasco

• Top exports: Hay and paper products
• Terminal operator: Northwest
Container Services
• Barge line service: Tidewater Barge Line
• Port connects city with rail, truck, and barge traffic
• Key Business Connections: Zen-Noh, exporters of hay to Japan & Taiwan, and Boise Cascade, exporter of paper products

Morrow

• Terminal Operator: Tidewater Terminal C.
• Terminal service: Tidewater Barge Line
• Refrigerated container capacity: 40
• Yard space: 20 acres of container yard

Lewiston

• Moves about 18,000 containers upriver annually
• Top commodities: animal feed, wood pulp, and wheat
• Terminal Operator: Port of Lewiston
• Barge line service: Tidewater Barge Line
•  Grain facilities: Lewis and Clark Terminal, CLD Pacific Grain
• Key Business Connections:
CLD Pacific Grain, Columbia Grain, Potlatch Corp., George F. Brocke & Sons, Genesee Union Warehouse.

Umatilla

• Terminal Operator: CRIS, Inc.
• Barge line service: Bernert Barge Line
• Refrigerated container capacity:
100 reefer plugs
• Dock Length: 350 feet

Eliminating Highway Congestion

Each year, barging keeps 700,000 trucks off the highways that run through the sensitive airshed of the Columbia River Gorge.

Dams

In the 1970s the dams were standardized. It now takes 45 minutes to go through each of the eight dams.