The Columbia and Snake rivers provide thousands of jobs and millions of dollars to the local economy every year. Maritime trade has defined the Northwest for more than 100 years when the first load of wheat entered the Columbia River on an ocean-going vessel in 1869 bound for Liverpool, England. Today, the Columbia and Snake rivers provide a transportation corridor that moves over $14 billion in waterborne cargo annually.
International Trade
Every year, the Columbia Snake River System handles over 30 million tons of international trade and 10-12 million tons of barged cargo along a 465-mile waterway.
The Columbia River is the nation's largest wheat export gateway. Over forty percent of all U.S. wheat exports are shipped on the Columbia River from eleven states.
The Columbia Snake River System is the first and most successful container-on-barge system in the U.S. Nearly 25 percent of the river's container exports arrive from upriver by barge.
Economic Value
The Columbia and Snake Rivers provide a transportation corridor that moves more than $16 billion of cargo value annually.
A recent study by the Columbia River ports identified 40,000 jobs that are dependent on seaport activity. These jobs pay $46,000 per year on average. An additional 59,000 jobs are held by individuals working at firms shipping cargo via the Columbia River.
Barging is the least-costly mode of inland transportation, often saving shippers 25 percent or more over other modes of transportation. Columbia-Snake River barge shippers save $38 million annually over the cost of transporting their cargoes by either rail or truck.
15,000 passengers per year travel on 5 to 7 day cruise ship tours bringing an estimated $15 to $20 million revenue to local economies.
Environmental Benefits
River navigation is the cleanest mode of transportation, with 80% less hydrocarbon emissions from barges and 86% less hydrocarbon emissions from trucks.
Nearly $2 billion in Northwest products move on the inland waterway keeping 700,000 trucks off the regions highways.
An additional 120,000 rail cars or 700,000 semi-trucks would be needed annually if barge navigation were stopped.
Navigation is fuel-efficient. A ton of commodity goods can move 524 miles by barge on one gallon of fuel, compared to 202 miles by rail and 59 miles by truck.
The Transportation Network
The Columbia and Snake rivers are a unified transportation system comprised of 365 miles of inland navigation extending from Portland/Vancouver to Lewiston.
Thirty-six deep and shallow water ports in three states serve over 40 U.S. states.
A 40-foot deep river channel for ocean-going vessels extends 106 miles from the ocean to Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington, with a series of eight locks that facilitate the passage of ships and barges.
