Welcome Reception and Exhibition
Tuesday, August 26, 5:00 pm - 7:00 pmA terrific time to meet your colleagues before the conference commences! This reception will be held Tuesday, August 26, 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm, at the historic Embassy Suites Hotel (formerly Multnomah Hotel), in beautiful downtown Portland. One ticket is included with each Full Conference Registration. Additional tickets may be purchased in advance or onsite at the Conference Registration Desk for $45. All ticket sales are subject to availability.
Awards Luncheon
Wednesday, August 27, 12:00 Noon - 1:30 pmThere will be an Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, August 27. Be sure to attend to show your support for outstanding members of the engineering community. One conference luncheon ticket is included with each Full Conference Registration. Additional tickets may be purchased for $35 by using the conference registration form, or on-site at the Conference Registration Desk. All ticket sales are subject to availability.
Columbia River Jetties Technical Tour
Saturday August 30, 9:00 am - 6:00 pmThe mouth of the Columbia River (MCR), the ocean gateway for navigation access to and from the Columbia-Snake River navigation system, is located between the states of Washington and Oregon. The ocean entrance to the river has been recognized as one of the most dangerous coastal inlets in the world. Since the 1790's, more than 2,000 vessels have been lost at its mouth due to shifting sand bars and islands, adverse weather conditions, and operator errors. The Columbia River entrance is characterized by exceptionally strong wave-current interactions. Instantaneous flow through the MCR can exceed 45,000 cubic meters per second during the outgoing tide. Currents within the MCR navigation channel typically attain 2.6 meters per second, the tidal range is 2.6 meters, and winter waves can exceed 9 meters in height.
To tame the wild conditions at MCR, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed jetties during 1885-1939. Three rubble-mound jetties and a series of pile dikes were constructed to stabilize the inlet, confine flow within the 2 kilometer-wide entrance, and prevent encroachment of shoals into the navigation channel. The MCR rubble-mound jetties were built on flood/ebb tidal shoals. The shoals protected the jetties from excessive waves and currents. The re-direction of currents through the jettied entrance resulted in the discharge of 380 million to 610 million cubic meters of sand from the estuary to the ocean and reorientation of the tidal inlet. At present, the Portland District dredges 2.3 million to 3.8 million cubic meters of sand per year at the MCR to maintain an 8-kilometer-long deep draft navigation channel. The MCR channel is now 0.8 kilometers wide and varies between 15 and 17 meters (below MLLW).
Much of the present-day Peacock Spit and Clatsop Spit were formed by sand discharged from MCR during/after jetty construction; however, these spits and tidal shoals have been eroding since jetty construction. The erosion trend of sand spits/shoals at MCR is problematic for both the long-term stability of the jetties and the cost-effective sustainability of the MCR projects.
The Corps of Discovery, led by Lewis and Clark, began their historic journey to map the uncharted Western U.S. in 1803. The two traveled down the Columbia to complete their journey at the mouth of the river. This year marks the 200th anniversary of their journey and, as a sidebar topic, the tour will review the conclusion of their journey west.
This full-day tour will explore the rich history of the MCR, including the development of the extensive jetty structures that have stabilized the entrance since 1885. The area surrounding MCR boasts beautiful scenery and commanding viewpoints of both Oregon and Washington coastlines. One ticket is included in each Full Conference Registration. Additional tickets may be purchased for $50 in advance online or on-site at the Conference Registration Desk.
Chinese Garden Reception
Friday, August 29, 6:00 pm - 10:00 pmUnwind at the end of the conference to the sound of water dripping from the crescent-shaped tiles onto a banana leaf; enjoy the fragrance of jasmine or wintersweet; feel the sensation of each footstep on the mosaic stone paths. The Chinese Garden was created to nurture and inspire all who visit. This garden is little changed from what might have greeted you during the Ming Dynasty in China. Here you'll enjoy foods deliciously inspired in the Asian tradition. One ticket for the reception is included with each Full Conference Registration and Spouse Registration. Additional tickets may be purchased online at or on-site at the Conference Registration Desk. Tickets are $65 for adults and $35 for children under the age of 16. Tickets are limited so sign up for yours now!
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ASCE - World Headquarters 1801 Alexander Bell Drive Reston, Virginia 20191-4400 (800) 548-2723 or (703) 295-6300 |
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