Barges Loose in Louisville

[besnyde]

Barges stuck on McAlpine Dam in downtown Louisville

https://www.wdrb.com/news/several-ba...53fc3b0e3.html

[cubsfan02449]

Dang doenst look good . I wonder if they can hook to them and tow em back up river away from the dam ?

[Esnow76]

Not the first time, had some stuck in the dam for several month a few years ago

[LewStulePH.D.]

FYI-

Many readers 'may' just go by this thread thinking it is an unk. team The Barges losing in Louisville

[bnt55]

Jeez, sure hope the water goes down soon. Looks like rain this weekend tho

[Olebiker]

I recall growing up in Louisville and watching the tow boats pushing barges up and down the river. To this day I can't understand why they call them "tow" boats when they don't tow anything; they push.

[ProVle]

Old Captain Beatty from Warsaw would have that cleaned up in no time. Remember the big ice flow on the Markland pool years ago.

[Rangerdeepv]

Had something like this happen on the Illinois river a few years ago and had to stop barge traffic and lower pool level to fix the locks and dam.

[Hoot]

I recall growing up in Louisville and watching the tow boats pushing barges up and down the river. To this day I can't understand why they call them "tow" boats when they don't tow anything; they push.

Thanks I didn’t grow up on a river but have always wondered the same thing but was too embarrassed to ask.

[tcesni]

Thanks I didn’t grow up on a river but have always wondered the same thing but was too embarrassed to ask.

It’s because in harbors a tow boat does tow the larger ship into port.

[wicker*man]

I recall growing up in Louisville and watching the tow boats pushing barges up and down the river. To this day I can't understand why they call them "tow" boats when they don't tow anything; they push.

The equivalent of shunting on the railway.

[CatFan]

I remember back in 72. there was a chlorine tank barge hanging on the dam for a couple of weeks and one holding sulfuric acid ran aground in front of LG&E. That was a bit of a problem. The one on McAlpine wiggling in the current and there were concerns it would fatigue and crack. I had a lot of family close then and several had to evacuate.

They are called tows because originally they were towed by animals. The group of connected barges is called a tow, so the boat that moves them is a tow boat.

[lakefolk]

I remember back in 72. there was a chlorine tank barge hanging on the dam for a couple of weeks and one holding sulfuric acid ran aground in front of LG&E. That was a bit of a problem. The one on McAlpine wiggling in the current and there were concerns it would fatigue and crack. I had a lot of family close then and several had to evacuate.

They are called tows because originally they were towed by animals. The group of connected barges is called a tow, so the boat that moves them is a tow boat.

[Transom]

Good explanation. That makes sense as oxen and such pulled barges through canals b

[plowjock]

As I've always said, It's a lot easier to pull a chain than push it!

[96 Champ]

I remember working on the Mississippi on the barges when I got out of high school, to tell you I seen some crazy stuff is a understatement

[Ryan]

Saw them there yesterday

[cd4th]

Had something like this happen on the Illinois river a few years ago and had to stop barge traffic and lower pool level to fix the locks and dam.

That barge should have never been allowed to lock through and come up this section of river. When a couple of those broke loose and got up against the dam it caused massive flooding through a section of town. The barge company or the Corps of Engineers was never held responsible. The area is still messed up.

[hardestyeric]

My question is, how bad will it be if the methanol gets into the river system? How far will the effects be seen?

[Gsmith223]

My question is, how bad will it be if the methanol gets into the river system? How far will the effects be seen?

"Officials in Western Kentucky are also monitoring the situation, according to Josh Thompson, Henderson Water Utility's treatment superintendent, who said the company is working with the Kentucky Division of Water and the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission in the aftermath of the incident.
It would take at least a couple of days for the chemicals to travel the approximately 200 miles of river between Louisville and Henderson, Thompson said, and the company has measures in place to treat the water if it were to be impacted by the spill.
Methanol is "fairly volatile" and dissipates quickly, he added – and while the barge was reported to be carrying 1,400 tons of the chemical, it wasn't a complete spill of that entire total.
Water officials are monitoring the aftermath of the incident, he said, but are not concerned for water users in the city as of Tuesday afternoon".

https://www.yahoo.com/news/10-barges...132407636.html