The Walla Walla District has closed navigation locks on the Columbia and Snake rivers beginning Jan. 14 at 6 a.m. for an eleven-week outage. This extended outage will allow the district to perform routine maintenance and to replace aged equipment to reduce the risk of asset failure. Officials plan to close the Ice Harbor navigation lock Feb. 26, at 6 a.m. and return it to service by March 22, at 11:59 p.m.
Every day, Gabrielle Marucci sits down at her desk and logs into her computer, checking her email and meeting schedule. Her desk sits next to a window and, outside, one might expect to see scenery indicative of the Pacific Northwest. Marucci, after all, works for the Walla Walla District, located in the state of Washington.
“What does being a leader mean to you?” This was a question posed by Lt. Col. ShaiLin KingSlack, Commander of the Walla Walla District, when she spoke to tribal students at schools in Pendleton, Oregon.
Ice Harbor Lock and Dam boasts some of the most cutting-edge hydropower technology in the world. Two advanced technology turbines currently sit in the powerhouse, with a third one on the way. These new turbines were designed to improve fish passage and generate electricity more efficiently.
Today, McNary is an essential part of the river highway that was envisioned before the formation of the Walla Walla District. It sits as the midpoint, the last lock on the Columbia before the mouth of the Snake River. With its 14 generator units, McNary is also an incredible source of hydropower, capable of producing 980-megawatts or enough electricity to power about 686,000 homes.
In 1931, a torrent of brown water roared down Mill Creek, with water levels rising at a rate of one foot per hour. The water escaped the confines of the riverbanks and rushed through the City of Walla Walla, destroying homes, roads and bridges. Born in the wake of this disastrous event, the Mill Creek Project now stands to protect the city from floods like this.
The Walla Walla District constructs, operates, maintains, and secures multipurpose infrastructure to energize the economy, reduce flood risk, and serve as stewards of water resources for the Snake River Basin and the Nation.

News Releases

Boise River flows set to increase Monday, March 25
3/18/2024
BOISE, Idaho -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation will increase Boise River flows through the City of Boise starting on March 25. These releases will help reduce the risk...
Lower Monumental Dam closes public dam crossing March 18 through 21
3/13/2024
KAHLOTUS, Wash. – Officials at Lower Monumental Lock and Dam will be closing public dam crossings March 18 through 21 to perform maintenance...
Increased Boise River flows anticipated this spring for flood risk management
3/8/2024
BOISE, Idaho -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Walla Walla District expects flood risk management releases from Lucky Peak Dam will begin later this month or early April...