Key Columbia River lock shutdown stops all barges headed for export

The Columbia-Snake River System in the Pacific Northwest is the nation’s single largest wheat export gateway, transporting over 50% of all U.S. wheat to markets overseas.

That all came to a temporary, but very significant, stoppage at the Bonneville Lock and Dam, located about 40 miles northeast of Portland, Oregon. On Thursday, Sept. 5, the lock operators observed issues closing the lock gate and determined that continued operation posed risks of further damage. Read the rest of the article here.