News Release
| Release Number: | 97-107 |
| Dated: | 10/14/1997 |
| Contact: | Matt Rabe, 503-808-4510 |
Portland, Ore. -- The Willamette Falls Locks, at West Linn, Ore., will not reopen on Friday as originally anticipated, the Portland District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, announced today. The lock system has been closed to recreational and commercial marine traffic since Sept. 1 and was scheduled to reopen on Friday, Oct. 17.
The locks are now scheduled to reopen in late-November due to construction delays and unanticipated damage.
Corps representatives noticed additional repairs were needed on the gates after the contractor removed them from their housings. Since the additional damage was hidden both behind the wooden lagging and on the underwater portion of the gates, it was not previously noticed. The additional work includes the removal and replacement of some corroded metal on the gates. The metal could not be repaired and must be refabricated.
Northeast Power Company of Westburough, Mass., was awarded the $251,720 contract for the work. The contract calls for the removal and cleaning of miter gates No. 5 and No. 6 (miter gates separate the lock chambers). Additionally, the contract requires striping and repainting the gates, replacing rubber seals and hydraulic units, and performing minor welding. Similar work was performed on gates No. 1 and No. 7 four years ago.
The Corps apologizes for any inconveniences this delay causes users of the 125-year-old lock system.