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ECONOMIC VALUE 



Multi-Use Columbia/Snake River System * 



Navigation 



O l,.c Columbia River is the second largest navigational transportation system in the United Suies, after 

 the Mississippi River More export cargo moves through the river than any other pen system on the 

 West Coast. 



O $t 1.6 billion in commodities moved on the lower Columbia River deep draft channel in 1990 (SS.8 

 billion in imports and $5.8 billion in exports): 33 million tons of foreign cargo was transported on the 

 Colombia in 1990. 



O Another 17.7 million tons of cargo were barged in 1989 on the Columbia and Snake rivers between 

 Ponland/Vancouver and Lewiston, Idaho. 



O Economic impacts of SI billion to the Port of Portland alone in river-commerce related payroll and 

 activities; 12,000 jobs and S3 16 million in payroll are directly associated with the port's marine 

 facilities. 



O Columbia River exports include S3 billion in agricultural products and SI. 9 billion in forest products 

 yearly; the Columbia handles 3S% of all U.S. wheat exports. 



O 2,200 ships carried cargo to and firom lower Columbia potts in 1990; their crews spent S6.S million 

 while in port. 



o 14% of Oregon's gross produa is generated dirough exports to foreign lands, the majority of that 

 shipped from lower Columbia pom. 



O Numerous ripple effects; S21 million in banking and insurance business generated by maritime 



activiry on the lower Columbia; 400 Portland-area firms rely on iotemational trade via the Columbia. 



O Navigation also plays a significam role in salmon run protection and enhancement; the U.S. Army 

 Corps of Engineers transports more than 21 million migrating juvenile fish yearly by barge around 

 Columbia and Snake River dams. 



Irrigation and Agriculture 



O More than SS billion worth of crops are produced on 8 million irrigated acres annually in the 

 Northwest. 



O Value of grain exporu out of the Columbia River was more than $1.9 million for 1989/90 maricetmg 

 year. 



O Irrigated land makes up 37% of Northwest farmland and produces nearly 15% of Northwest farm 

 revenues. 



O For every two agriculture-related jobs, one additional job is created in the local economy. 



