the film forum library tutorial contact

Grain Barge Takes on Water in Columbia River Before Being Righted Near Kalama by Henry Brannan The Columbian, August 7, 2025

Minor incident didn't cause any injuries,
pollution or disruptions to shipping on river

A barge carrying about 3,600 tons of grain took on water over the weekend just south of Kalama in the Columbia River.

Tidewater Barge Lines notified the U.S. Coast Guard around 5 p.m. Saturday.

"She was listing pretty heavily to the starboard side," said David Morse, a maritime science technician with the Coast Guard's Sector Columbia River, who took the routine call.

Morse said the lean, which people in shipping call a "list," was magnified by grain shifting inside the barge once it took on water.

The company sent divers to inspect the barge's hull and started the process of pumping water out by that night, Morse said. It wasn't immediately clear what caused the incident.

The issue has since been resolved, and the barge was set to be moved to the TEMCO grain export terminal to be unloaded Monday afternoon, Tidewater spokeswoman Jennifer Riddle said Monday afternoon.

"Safety is Tidewater's No. 1 priority," she added. "We worked quickly with the Coast Guard and dive team to ensure a safe and efficient response."

Morse said the minor incident didn't cause any injuries, pollution or disruptions to shipping on the river.

"It's a cost of doing business," he said. "These barges -- like any vehicle that you drive that's been on the road for 15-20 years -- could potentially run into the issues."

After the barge is unloaded, Riddle said its next stop will be the company's Vancouver dry dock for an inspection.

In an unrelated incident, photos show a small personal boat sank nearby.

Brittny Goodsell, a spokeswoman for the Washington State Department of Ecology, which monitors spills and cleanups, said the 32-foot boat had 100 gallons of diesel fuel on board.

"The boat was taking on water, and a passing tug pushed the boat ashore near TEMCO in Kalama," she said, adding that Ecology is in touch with the owner to get a salvage company to remove the boat.

The incidents are both routine on the region's largest river, which supports thousands of recreationists and transports tens of billions of dollars in goods each year.

The Columbia River is the United States' largest export gateway for wheat, moving about 60 percent of all U.S. wheat to overseas markets, according to the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association.