Item No. 7b_attach_1
Meeting Date: June 27, 2017
The Ballard Locks 
Keystone of Puget Sound's Maritime Economy    May 2017
As the Ballard Locks turn 100 years old, their sustainability has never been more
important or more in jeopardy.
A UNIQUE NATIONAL ASSET
The only locks in the U.S. that connects a large
urban lake system directly to the ocean
The keystone of a billion-dollar-plus maritime
economic system
A critical environmental control for the vast
watersheds around Seattle
An important safeguard for tribal fishing rights
A vital piece of public-safety infrastructure
THE NUMBERS              LOCKS ECONOMIC IMPACT AREA
Locks Economic Impact Area          THE DOLLARS & JOBS
40,000 annual transits                                          Local businesses depend on the
most in the nation                                   99   5                                           Ballard Locks for:
7,500 commercial           Ballard Locks                         $480 million
vessel transits                                                        in Locks-dependent annual sales
Lake
twelfth highest in the nation                                                             Sammamish     $120 million 
1.1 million tons                              520                          in Locks-dependent annual payroll
of shipping                     Elliott      Lake                        3,000 full-time 
Bay          Washington                                equivalent jobs 
90                                      directly associated with Locksrelated
business activity
Duwamish                                                $545 million 
Waterway                                                 in annual commercial fishing
harvests by vessels that depend on
the Locks
If the Locks were to close before the fleet         $40 million 
could leave for the season, it would cost a         in annual spending by 1.25 million
whole season.       Fishing Association             visitors and school classes
$1.2 BILLION IN TOTAL LOCKS-RELATED ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

The urgent need 
for reinvestment
Deferred maintenance threatens daily operations; lack of
reinvestment threatens the regional economy.
A dozen components at the Locks need major repair or
replacement.
An extended, unplanned closure of the Locks would have
significant negative effects on at least 200 businesses and
would threaten public safety.
Flat funding for routine operations and maintenance is
stretched thinner each year to keep the locks operational.           Funding Needed: 30 to $60 Million
The potential for failure increases each year.
Only a small portion of long-term needs have been addressed.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE VALUE
The study was conducted by McDowell
The Locks control water levels in Lake Washington and Lake Union to maintain key                     Group and administered by the Marine
infrastructure that includes the Washington Route 520 and Interstate 90 floating                        Exchange of Puget Sound. The following
companies and organizations contributed
bridges, the water and sewer systems that serve Mercer Island's 24,000 residents, and                             funds:
approximately 75 miles of residential, municipal and commercial shoreline and moorage.
Ballard Oil Company
The Ballard Locks and its fish ladder safeguard an investment of more than $125 million                        City of Kenmore
in freshwater salmon habitat protection and restoration over last two decades.                                    City of Seattle
Covich-Williams
The Locks are the only marine access and egress point for equipment and supplies for                         Ferguson Terminal
Fremont Dock Company
major infrastructure projects such as the $4.6 billion renewal of the Route 520 floating                         Kirby Offshore Marine
bridge and removal of excavated material during construction of planned a $430 million                     Malone Law Group PS
Ballard/Wallingford stormwater tunnel.                                                                   Northwest Marine Trade Association
O'Hara Corporation
Port of Seattle
Stabbert Maritime
TRIBAL RIGHTS VALUE                                                               Vigor Industrial
Ballard Alliance
City of Kirkland
The Ballard Locks are key to meeting federal trust (fiduciary) responsibilities under treaties                     Coastal Transportation
between the U.S. government and two federally recognized tribes by protecting migrating                       CSR Marine
Foss Maritime Company
salmon to safeguard                           Kane Environmental
traditional and customary                    Lake Union Drydock Company
tribal activities.                                  Nautical Landing Marina
Northwest Yacht Brokers Association
Pacific Fishermen Shipyard
PUBLIC SAFETY VALUE              Seattle Marine Business Coalition
The American Waterways Operators
Western Towboat
The Ballard Locks ensure                Puget Sound Ports Council Maritime Trades
Department AFL-CIO
rapid emergency response
for public safety vessels
between Lake Washington                Prepared by
and Lake Union and Puget
Sound.
A complete copy of the study is available at
portseattle.org