Editing Columbia River (section)

=== Deeper shipping channel ===

[[File:Essayons.JPG|thumb|alt=A large, almost rectangular black ship with a red hull creates a mild wake as it moves away from the shore into a very large river. Smoke rises above its decks, which are cluttered with antennas, mechanical fittings, and what appear to be self-contained rooms with multiple windows.|The ''Essayons'', one of three Army Corps of Engineers dredgers tasked with ongoing maintenance of the Columbia's shipping channel, began service in 1983.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}]]

Efforts to maintain and improve the navigation channel have continued to the present day. In 1990 a new round of studies examined the possibility of further dredging on the lower Columbia. The plans were controversial from the start because of economic and environmental concerns.<ref>{{cite news |title = Cleanup Study Already Bogged in Controversy |date = January 21, 1990 |work = The Oregonian |last1 = Koberstein |first1 = Paul |last2 = Durbin |first2 = Kathie }}</ref>

In 1999, Congress authorized deepening the channel between Portland and Astoria from {{convert|40|to(-)|43|ft|m}}, which will make it possible for large container and grain ships to reach Portland and Vancouver.<ref name="ColDredge">{{cite news |title = Dredging Columbia a Very Big Job |work = The Columbian |date = March 7, 2007 |first = Tom |last = Koenninger |access-date = September 11, 2008 |url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=VC&p_theme=vc&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=Dredging%20Columbia%20a%20very%20big%20job&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=2007&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=(Dredging%20Columbia%20a%20very%20big%20job)&p_perpage=10&p_sort=_rank_:DÊl_ranksort=4Êl_useweights=yes |via = NewsBank |url-access = subscription |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191224084202/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=VC&p_theme=vc&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=Dredging%20Columbia%20a%20very%20big%20job&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=2007&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=(Dredging%20Columbia%20a%20very%20big%20job)&p_perpage=10&p_sort=_rank_:D%C3%8Al_ranksort=4%C3%8Al_useweights=yes |archive-date = December 24, 2019 |url-status = live }}</ref> The project has met opposition because of concerns about stirring up toxic sediment on the riverbed. Portland-based Northwest Environmental Advocates brought a lawsuit against the Army Corps of Engineers, but it was rejected by the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit|Ninth U.S.&nbsp;Circuit Court of Appeals]] in August 2006.<ref name="ColDredgeEdit">{{cite news |last = ''Columbian'' editorial writers |title = In Our View&nbsp;– Monitor the Dredging |work = The Columbian |date = August 26, 2006 |access-date = September 11, 2008 |url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=VC&p_theme=vc&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=In%20Our%20View%20-%20Monitor%20the%20Dredging&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=2006&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=(In%20Our%20View%20-%20Monitor%20the%20Dredging)&p_perpage=10&p_sort=_rank_:DÊl_ranksort=4Êl_useweights=yes |via = NewsBank |url-access = subscription |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191223102909/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=VC&p_theme=vc&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=In%20Our%20View%20-%20Monitor%20the%20Dredging&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=2006&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=(In%20Our%20View%20-%20Monitor%20the%20Dredging)&p_perpage=10&p_sort=_rank_:D%C3%8Al_ranksort=4%C3%8Al_useweights=yes |archive-date = December 23, 2019 |url-status = live }}</ref> The project includes measures to mitigate environmental damage; for instance, the [[United States Army Corps of Engineers|US Army Corps of Engineers]] must restore 12 times the area of wetland damaged by the project.<ref name="ColDredge" /> In early 2006, the Corps spilled {{convert|50|USgal|L}} of hydraulic oil into the Columbia, drawing further criticism from environmental organizations.<ref>{{cite news |title = State Rebukes Corps of Engineers Over Oil Spill |work = The Columbian |date = March 3, 2006 |first = Erik |last = Robinson |access-date = September 11, 2008 |url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=VC&p_theme=vc&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=State%20rebukes%20Corps%20of%20Engineers%20over%20spill&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=2006&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=(State%20rebukes%20Corps%20of%20Engineers%20over%20spill)&p_perpage=10&p_sort=_rank_:DÊl_ranksort=4Êl_useweights=yes |via = NewsBank |url-access = subscription |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191221020457/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=VC&p_theme=vc&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=State%20rebukes%20Corps%20of%20Engineers%20over%20spill&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=2006&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=(State%20rebukes%20Corps%20of%20Engineers%20over%20spill)&p_perpage=10&p_sort=_rank_:D%C3%8Al_ranksort=4%C3%8Al_useweights=yes |archive-date = December 21, 2019 |url-status = live }}</ref>

Work on the project began in 2005 and concluded in 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.pnwa.net/new/Articles/Columbia_River_Channel_Deepening.pdf |title = Columbia River Channel Deepening – Maintenance Needed to Maximize Benefits |publisher = Pacific Northwest Waterways Association |access-date = January 23, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130117052830/http://www.pnwa.net/new/Articles/Columbia_River_Channel_Deepening.pdf |archive-date = January 17, 2013 |url-status = dead }}</ref> The project's cost is estimated at $150&nbsp;million. The federal government is paying 65&nbsp;percent, Oregon and Washington are paying $27&nbsp;million each, and six local ports are also contributing to the cost.<ref name="ColDredge" /><ref>{{cite news |title = Bush Budget Offers $15 Million for Dredging |date = February 8, 2006 |work = The Columbian |access-date = September 11, 2008 |url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=VC&p_theme=vc&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=Bush%20budget%20offers%20$15%20million%20for%20dredging&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=2006&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=(Bush%20budget%20offers%20$15%20million%20for%20dredging)&p_perpage=10&p_sort=_rank_:DÊl_ranksort=4Êl_useweights=yes |via = NewsBank |url-access = subscription |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191230173641/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=VC&p_theme=vc&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=Bush%20budget%20offers%20$15%20million%20for%20dredging&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=2006&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=(Bush%20budget%20offers%20$15%20million%20for%20dredging)&p_perpage=10&p_sort=_rank_:D%C3%8Al_ranksort=4%C3%8Al_useweights=yes |archive-date = December 30, 2019 |url-status = live }}</ref>