Since 1891, the MCR has been dredged to facilitate safe passage of large commercial vessels. Before the inlet was improved for navigation in the early 20th century, passage from the river mouth to the ocean was so treacherous that the area was known to mariners as the “Graveyard of the Pacific”. The Columbia River also carries a lot of sediment from the interior: As North America's largest river by volume flowing into the Pacific Ocean, every year the Columbia transports an estimated 5 million tons of sediment downstream.Īt unaltered river deltas, processes such as wind, waves, and currents distribute this sediment across adjacent coastal areas-some will be deposited onshore and in nearshore environments, while some is transported further offshore.īut the Mouth of the Columbia River (MCR), like most major inlets around the world, is engineered for shipping traffic, with rock jetties that concentrate its flow into navigable channels. Major rivers such as the Columbia-Snake River system are ancient conduits for commerce, carrying millions of tons of international trade each year.
Navigating the “Graveyard of the Pacific” A new study that examines sediment transport adjacent to the Columbia River Mouth incorporates both physical observations and modeling techniques to track how strategically placed dredged material can resupply sand to nearby beaches, thereby addressing erosion.
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