Landlocked Idaho's Sea Port!

A sea port in Idaho? Yes, that's right. The Port of Lewiston, located in Lewiston, ID is the furthest inland shipping facility on the west coast of the United States! For families looking for Idaho real estate, this port is one of those interesting facilities that underpins the economic health of the area and provides jobs to the local residents.  

Part of the water transportation corridor of the Columbia and Snake Rivers that reaches over 400 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean, the Port of Lewistonis a fascinating part of Idaho.  The Columbia and Snake River system is the second largest water system in the US, second only to the Mississippi River and its tributaries.  The rivers have a number of dams that control the flow of the river, making it possible to run barge traffic up and down the rivers year round.  At each of the dams, locks provide the mechanism that allows the barge traffic to pass the dam site and proceed up or down the river.  In addition to barges, ocean going container vessels of appropriate draft do sail all the way up to Lewiston Idaho.

With five tug/barge companies and eleven container companies, a significant volume of goods is transported through this port.  At Idaho's end of the network, the Port is connected by a short line to the Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Railroads.  There are two US Highways nearby and there is also air traffic out of the Lewiston Airport. With these facilities, shippers in Idaho and states adjacent to the east can ship their goods in bulk to virtually any market in the world.  Over a million tons of wheat and barley are shipped through the Port per year, making Lewiston the port of embarkation for a large volume of our international trade.
Lewiston is located at the confluence of the Snake and the Clearwater rivers, situated on the western edge of Idaho.

Those families looking to the northern Idaho area for their next home will be pleased to know that a facility like the port is in place to support the farms and businesses of Idaho.  This is especially true as our trade with the western Pacific countries continues to grow and provide markets for the products that the residents of the area produce. Plus, with knowing a little bit about the unlikely sea port in Idaho you can surprise your friends with some Idaho trivia.