Work starts on Columbia River channel deepening

Work starts on Columbia River channel deepening    The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers has started work on the Columbia River Federal Navigation Channel, which will deepen the channel to 43 feet from 40 feet and improve access the to ports accessed by the waterway.
   The Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Co. is working on the first 13-mile stretch of the project. When the entire 106-mile Channel Improvement Project is completed, the additional three feet of depth will allow container ships calling Portland to carry hundreds of additional containers, and bulk ships at a number of ports to carry an additional 6,000 tons of grain.
   “The start of deepening represents the determination of our region to keep our business competitive for generations to come,” said Columbia River Channel Coalition president and Port of Longview executive director Ken O’Hallaren. “After 15 years of hard work to move this critical project forward between the sponsor ports, local, state, and federal agencies, and elected officials all the way up to the president of the United States, this is truly an historic event.”