DAM FAILURE ON OHIO RIVER

Sep 13, 2017  |  Today's News |  Locks and Dams

Want to see the potential impacts of a lock or dam failure on the Missisippi or Illinois River?  Look no further than a case study on the very close Ohio River at Lock 52.

Broken wickets that can not be repaired currently because of the river’s velocity have halted traffic on the Ohio making the river look “like a parking lot” according to local news stations.

Barge companies are losing thousands of dollars a day waiting for the repairs at Lock 52 with no end in sight. 

Carol Labashosky with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District says the closure is due to the age of the dam, which has exceeded its lifespan by 40 years. 

Watch the coverage for yourself here.