Dams open after maintenance closure

Navigation locks along the 350-mile-long federal Columbia-Snake river navigation system are back in business after a temporary closure to perform annual maintenance, according to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers navigation officials at the Walla Walla District.

Each year, the Corps suspends navigation service at the eight dams between Portland and Lewiston for inspections, repairs and maintenance on navigation locks.

The 2012 maintenance outage began March 6. Navigation locks on the Columbia River dams reopened March 20. Dams on the Snake River returned their locks to service March 27. The extra w...