Spring and Summer Boating in Oregon! 
 

Boating is fabulous in every season, but spring and summer are exceptional! 

• Great fishing: Trout, bass and other popular gamefish start waking up after the winter blues.
• Beautiful scenery: Many of Oregon's rivers and lakes are lined with deciduous trees which start budding and flowering.
• Abundant wildlife: Wildlife becomes more active and their newborn young start exploring to the waters' edge.

Prepare for Safety:  

• Weather: As always, be aware of the weather and watch river conditions carefully.  Wind direction can change suddenly and morning fog can limit visibility.  
• Hypothermia: Waters of the state are cold (40-50 degrees) through July and sometimes don't warm above 60 degrees in many waterbodies. This means hypothermia can set in within 10 - 20 minutes for an average person.  Cold water immersion is more of a threat...when the air temperature is hot and the water is frigid. Dress appropriately and wear layers.  Cold water quickly saps away your strength. Wearing a life jacket gives you the time you need to safely re-board your boat if you accidently fall overboard.  Also, ensure you have a means of getting quickly back aboard without assistance by using a ladder or even a dockline.  Over 2/3 of all boating fatalities involve people who drowned and were not wearing a life jacket.
• Low water: Spring is typically a higher-water time for Oregon's reservoirs and rivers. Reservoirs are drawn down during the summer months for irrigation and power generation, exposing rocks, gravel bars, stumps and other hazards. Some rivers become impossible to navigate by propeller-driven boats and may even be dangerous for jet-powered boats. Navigate with extreme caution - check here for links to current conditions.

• Equipment, motor, and boat: Double check your boat, motor, equipment and safety gear.

• Check for reported navigation hazards.  ALWAYS scout ahead before you float a river.  If you see a hazard -REPORT the hazard.  We'll post the information to the website and have the hazard assessed by law enforcement.  In some cases, the Marine Board may contract to mitigate a navigation hazard.
• Make sure all life jackets are in good shape and fit the people in boat.
• Be sure to have a float plan that you share with a family member or trusted friend with information about where you plan to go and when you expect to return, so they can notify authorities if you are overdue.  
• Do you have your Boater Education Card?  All boaters operating vessels over 10 hp need to take a boating safety course and carry their card.
• Make sure your OR numbers are current and that you have your certificate of number with you.

Having trouble in the map?  

 

Slow-No-Wake Zone Between Marquam and Ross Island Bridges in Portland

  

UPDATED March 1, 2013

  Construction began on the deck of the new Trimet Bridge across the Willamette River, RM 13.8.  The selected construction methodology will employ the use of "form-travelers" to build the decking for the TriMet Willamette River Bridge.  The form travelers will be built starting at the bridge piers (towers) and be incrementally stepped to extend across and above the navigation channel. During this phase of construction, a navigation channel will be maintained for vessels to pass through the construction zone.  Boaters are advised to use caution while transiting the area as there will be construction equipment and personnel working above the navigation channel.  This phase of construction is expected to continue until approximately June 15, 2014.

 

 

 Construction on the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Bridge requires a slow-no-wake zone for safety, and went into effect on June 15.  Construction barges are being positioned on the Willamette River between the Marquam and Ross Island Bridges.  Construction began on July 1, 2011. 

• Bridge construction safety zone for the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Bridge Project.
• Proposed sediment cap and safety zone.

• Bank-to-bank, slow-no-wake 500 feet upstream and downstream from the bridge project and effective from June 15, 2011 through December 2012.
• An exclusion zone under the work bridge trestles and under the swing radius of the cranes.

 

• M James Gleason Boat Ramp, Multnomah County: Metro announced a temporary closure of the M. James Gleason boat ramp located on the Columbia River at NE 43rd Drive.  The construction work will begin Jan. 14, 2013, and is expected to be complete by spring, weather permitting. The project will improve parking, create on-site stormwater treatment and add permanent restroom facilities.  The construction was timed to take place during the slow boating season to avoid negative impacts on salmon migrations that begin in early fall and spring.  During construction, boat launch and parking are available at Metro’s Chinook Landing boat ramp located at 22300 NE Marine Drive, across from Blue Lake Regional Park.
  Funding for this project comes from Metro, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Oregon State Marine Board.

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• North Riverside Community Park, Polk County: The new boating facility on the Willamette River managed by the City of Independence will NOT be open for boaters until June 30, 2013. Inclement weather has put a stop to the finishing touches of this site. The new site will have a concrete one-lane ramp, plenty of parking and a vault restroom. RIVERVIEW PARK is still open and will remain open until the new facility is complete. For more information call 503-838-1212.

• Detroit Reservoir - Big Cliff Dam:  Big Cliff Dam's gates are being repaired this winter.  The boat ramp will be closed until further notice.  The Corps of Engineers reports that they have opened the reservoir to walk-in recreation.  Click here to view the latest water levels and marina and boat ramp usability data.

• Buena Vista, Marion County:  The Buena Vista ramp on the Willamette River, Marion County side has been closed. There are no plans to re-open the ramp. For more information, contact 503-588-7943.

• Columbia and Snake River Locks Closures -NEWLY UPDATED!

• Be aware that commercial traffic always has priority over recreational boats. 
• Wait at least 400 feet away from the lock for the signal to enter the lock.
• Alert the lock attendant that you wish to go through the lock.  You can sound one prolonged blast followed by one short blast of your boat's whistle. You also may contact the lock attendant using your VHF marine radio on Channel 13, but never interrupt commercial communication.
• Enter the lock only after you've been signaled to enter by the lock's traffic lights or by the lock attendant.  Otherwise, stay well clear of the lock.

• Have fenders and at least 100 feet of rope to use in securing your boat inside the lock.
• Follow the lock attendant's instructions and proceed slowly.
• Avoid passing another boat when inside the lock, unless directed to do so by the lock attendant.
• Wait for lock attendant's signal to exit the lock.