Navigating through dam locks

[Skutt]

I live in Vancouver, Wa so we will be boating on the Columbia river a lot. We may never venture so far up stream to reach Bonneville dam but it would be a fun trip. As a person who has never done such a thing I am curious what the procedure is to passing through the locks at the dam. I mean it seems to me that if a person just motors into the lock when it is open you could end up facing a barge or some other large vessel moving downstream. Are locks intended for one way traffic? Is radio communication required? The idea of going through the dam locks seems intimidating at the least but perhaps it is easy and routine for the well initiated.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Generally you communicate w the lock operator on the VHF or ring a bell and await instruction... You absolutely don't enter the lock without permission.

 

[cptrick3]

http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/Portals/24/docs/navigation/HowToLockThru.pdf will show you how.

 

[Maclin]

Not sure how far away the lock is from you, road-wise, but it would probably be worth a trip there just in the car and watch that action for a couple of hours. It was very interesting to me when I watched the lock at Mississippi and Kaskaskia in eastern Missouri during a vacation. The operator always did a "vocal" inspection, asking to see PFD's fire extinguishers, hear the horn, all that, so be up to snuff there. It was a pretty cool half-day trip for me. The wife was not too impressed but by that time she realized I am not the Bed&Breakfast type so she "allowed" me some time off so to speak.

You can see the tie-down spots and their configuration. Have to tie off in a way to keep you on the wall but allow for several feet of vertical change. They will have posted rules and guidelines you can review.

 

[Frank Acampora]

I did it a number of times up in new York State and I suppose regulations are similar in most states. Most locks here have traffic lights: Red to wait, green to enter. You move dead slow.

Commercial traffic takes precedence so you will never be in a lock with a barge. You may need to wait a while because commercial traffic moves slowly.

.Unless you are the only boat, multiple pleasure craft are sent into the lock. They try to get larger craft against the walls and smaller craft raft up with them. Usually, in high lift locks.you are put against the recessed ladders and as the lock fills or empties you simply "step up or down the ladder. Carry sufficient line and sufficient large fenders because the locks are usually old and the walls are very rough with big chunks of aggregate sticking out of the concrete.

Now, on the other hand up in Canada north of Lake Champlain, the locks are OLD and small--Max 100 foot. They are actually operated by hand and you watch the lockman put a pole into a bollard and walk around to open the gates. Locks are flooded by opening two doors in the gates. It is very entertaining. It used to be free but now, there is a fee and you can buy a yearly pass.

Write to your dept of conservation and ask if there is a locking charge--don't be surprised at locking time.

The Coast Guard Aux. in their course made it seem that you needed a bit of skill because when flooding there is a current in the lock BUT Most locks are flooded from the center and the current tends to push you against the walls.

First time you lock you will naturally be nervous but do it once--especially if you raft up with an experienced boater--and you will be a pro.

HAVE FUN

 

[MTboatguy]

Call the Corp of Engineers main office in Portland and they will be able to tell you the procedures and such for going through the locks at Bonneville and what the charges are these days, if any, over the years I lived in Vancouver and Portland, we went through the locks quite a few times, it is not a complicated process, but the first couple of times it can be intimidating to those who have not done it. But again, the Corp of Engineers office would be the best place to start for Bonneville or for that matter any of the Dam's on the Columbia.

 

[Skutt]

Thanks for the responses, all good. I think I just might take a drive to the dam and check it out, only about 40 miles.

 

[Lowlysubaruguy]

its really simple you pull up to the lock and theres an intercom with a button to hit. They will open it for you within X amount of time. If its August and there making power and your running up river and then turning around and coming right back they may hold you for as long as there allowed because they loose a ton of power ( money) during this time when there selling there power for AC in California you can find a schedule buts its not dead on.

My advice make your stay above the locks for at least 4 hours before coming back and they will usually open it up within 15 minutes

Now before you come boating in my water you should probably be aware of our water its not that mild chop you Portlanders and Vancouverites get when your weathers bad. Your worst waves are what we have for water skiiing water but when the winds bursting at 35 to 45 MPH up current we get some ocean type waves that are back to back from cascade locks to well beyond Biggs and John day small boats do not make this trip well and it will be your return down river thats the worst so check the wind reports ad 12 to 15 MPH to what ever they are posting on Windfinder thats about what the wind is in the middle of the river you wont find this on the wind report.
However when its an east wind day we have the flattest water on earth both days of it. LOL

Make it as far as Hood River let me know your coming.

 

[MTboatguy]

I didn't even have to finish reading your message to know where you are, I spent 90% of my growing up time in the gorge, I have been all over the world and I still feel at home on the Columbia and in the gorge, one of the most beautiful areas in the world.

 

[Lowlysubaruguy]

He should really make the trip from The lower Columbia to at least beyond the DeSchuttes river from May to July its really pretty the view from the middle of the river is better than any where else it compares to a helicopter ride in Hawaii its still pretty other months but around August thrings tend to dry up here and some of the highlights are the water falls and greenery. However the absolute best time to make this trip for the view is when its frozen may not be the most comfortable time but the frozen water falls that are every where that time of year are amazing from the rive.