House Bill 2564 (2021) established the Willamette Falls Locks Authority–a public corporation with the mission to establish ownership, oversight, and management of the Willamette Falls Locks project, for the purposes of enhancing the economic vitality of Oregon through facilitating the resiliency and navigability of the Willamette River and repairing, maintaining, upgrading and operating the Willamette Falls Locks project and associated properties and facilities for commercial, transportation, recreational, cultural, historic, heritage and tourism purposes. Oregon Solutions is helping to staff and facilitate the Willamette Falls Locks Authority.
The establishment of the Willamette Falls Locks Authority concluded the work of the Willamette Falls Locks Commission, whose mission it was to advise state, local, and regional government agencies on development and implementation of a plan for repair, reopening, operation, and maintenance of the Willamette Falls navigation canal and locks. The work of the commission followed on the work of the 2016 Willamette Falls Locks Task Force. Oregon Solutions facilitated the work of both the commission and the task force.
The Willamette Falls Locks Authority meets monthly, as needed, on the fourth Wednesday of the month. The public is welcome to submit comments to the Willamette Falls Locks Authority at any time regarding the future of the locks. For more information, please see willamettefallslocks.org
Background Materials
Roster of Members of Willamette Falls Locks Authority as of September 28, 2022 (PDF)
Bylaws of the Willamette Falls Locks Authority – Approved August 24, 2022 (PDF)
House Bill 2564-Enrolled establishing the Willamette Falls Locks Authority (PDF)