Coast Guard ends Columbia River safety zone

News Release

September 10, 2017 U.S. Coast Guard 13th District Pacific Northwest Contact: 13th District Public Affairs Office: (206) 220-7237 After Hours: (206) 510-8805

Coast Guard ends Columbia River safety zone

 

PORTLAND, Ore. —  The Coast Guard will suspend the Columbia River safety zone at 6 p.m., Sunday, opening the river to all vessel traffic.

While the safety zone will no longer be in effect, the Coast Guard will continue to work with the Eagle Creek Fire Incident Command to ensure the safety of river users and support the response as needed.

Any mariners with concerns about safely navigating the reopened area are encouraged to contact the Coast Guard on marine VHF radio channel 16 or to call Coast Guard waterways management personnel at 503-572-3524.

The safety zone was put into place in response to impacts of the Eagle Creek Fire in Central Oregon. The Coast Guard Captain of the Port for the Columbia River had established the safety zone to best support incident response operations and to ensure the safety of the boating community.

The Columbia River is an essential commercial waterway for the Pacific Northwest and is the principle route for vessel traffic to move annual $29 Billion in cargo up and down the multi-state waterway.

 

-USCG-