The Columbia River contains locks for shipping channels.
The Cascade Locks and Canal was a navigation project on the Columbia River between the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington , completed in 1896 . Columbia River . To aid ship and barge navigation , locks have been built along the lower Columbia and its tributaries , and dredging has opened , maintained , and enlarged shipping channels . Since the early 20th century , dams have been built across the river for power generation , navigation , irrigation , and flood control .