Why do ships release water into the river?

Today, the answer to a listener question about water being released into the river from ships, something they observed in the Astoria anchorage.

Today, we'll talk about why you might see this happening.

The short answer: it's part of normal ship operations, and is in compliance with regulations to keep our ecosystems safe. It helps keep the ship safe too, by ensuring cooling, silt removal, and stability.