Oregon Public Broadcasting

Crews will work around the clock starting Thursday night to repair the lock at The Dalles Dam on the Columbia River.

Officials with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers closed the lock Tuesday after a gate malfunctioned.

The shutdown means barge traffic on the river has come to a standstill.  More than ten million tons of grain, wood and petroleum products are shipped on the Columbia River each year.

John Pigott of Vancouver, Washington-based Tidewater Barge Lines says several of his company's barges are stranded.

John Pigott: "Everyday you have a piece a equipment that has to earn its living by moving cargo, and its sitting idle, of course there's a loss of revenue."

Still, Pigott says financial losses will be minimal if the lock re-opens in a few days.

A spokesperson says the Corps of Engineers should know by Friday afternoon how long the shutdown will last.

The closure does not affect hydropower production at the dam.