Amendment to 201391, 23-01: Walla Walla District Fall Spill Operations

By Tessa Andres | October 14, 2022

Notice Number: 201391-1/23-01a
Date: 10/11/2022 12:00 thru 11/15/2022 11:00

Effective immediately, all Snake River dams, and the McNary Lock and Dam, will spill for adult steelhead in accordance with the 2022 Fish Operations Plan through 15 November 2022 using each dam’s spillway weir. The Fish Operations Plan is posted on the following website: http://pweb.crohms.org/tmt/documents/fpp/2022/.

Facilities affected: McNary Lock & Dam (Columbia River mile 292); Ice Harbor Lock & Dam (SN River mile 9.7); Lower Monumental Lock & Dam (SN River mile 41.6); Little Goose Lock & Dam (SN River mile 70.3); and Lower Granite Lock & Dam (SN River mile 107.3).

The above operating projects will spill via the surface spillway weir three days per week, for four hours, from 0500 to 0900. Except as noted below, the weekly schedule is: McNary, Ice Harbor, and Lower Monumental will spill on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; Little Goose and Lower Granite will spill on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.

At McNary, and Ice Harbor, the exception to the above schedule will be that spill will occur Tuesday 15 November from 0500 to 0900.

For the period from 30 October to 4 November, in lieu of the Sunday, Wednesday Friday schedule prescribed above, Lower Monumental will spill Monday 31 October, Wednesday 2 November, and Friday 4 November from 0700 to 1100 each day. Also, spill will occur Tuesday 15 November from 0500 to 0900.

For the period from 7 to 11 November, in lieu of the Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday schedule prescribed above, Little Goose will spill Monday 7 November, Wednesday 9 November, and Friday 11 November from 0700 to 1100 each day. Also, spill will occur on Tuesday 15 November from 0500 to 0900.

At Lower Granite, the exception will be that no spill will occur on Sunday 13 November or Tuesday 15 November. Instead, spill will occur Monday 14 November, from 0500 to 0900.

Due to these spill operations, river navigators may experience strong currents and eddies in the dam tailraces. Also, operational needs may require that spill be shut down during the hours noted above and rescheduled for a different time block during the day. Therefore, river navigators should initiate communication with lock and dam shift operators no later than 30 minutes prior to arriving at the lock to ascertain current spill conditions. Lock operators may be contacted on VHF channel 14 or by phone as follows:

  • McNary Operator at (541) 922-2231. Call Sign WUJ41 McNary.
  • Ice Harbor Operator at (509)-543-3231. Call Sign WUJ42 Ice Harbor.
  • Lower Monumental Operator at (509) 282-7231. Call Sign WUJ43 Lower Monumental.
  • Little Goose Operator at (509) 399-2233 x231. Call Sign WUJ44 Little Goose.
  • Lower Granite Operator at (509) 843-2231. Call Sign WUJ45 Lower Granite.

Navigators are encouraged to contact dam operators and report any unsafe navigation conditions. For additional information contact the NWW Operations Division at (509) 527-7364.

//signed//

PAUL A. OCKER
Chief, Operations Division
Walla Walla District

Posted in Navigation Notices: Pacific Rivers