Barges Start Moving South of Peoria
Barges were moving through the LaGrange Lock south of Peoria on the Illinois River on Tuesday after workers broke through a wall of ice near the lock late on Saturday, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spokeswoman said. "LaGrange is open but traffic is moving slowly. Ice is still very intense but we're still locking boats with a width restriction of 95 feet," said U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spokeswoman Justine Barati. "There was up to eight barges waiting but we're down to three southbound tows and one northbound waiting to get through the lock," Barati said. The U.S. Coast Guard closed a 60-mile stretch of the Illinois River near the LaGrange lock between mile marker 119 near Havana, Illinois, southward to Valley City, Illinois, at mile marker 60, on Thursday night.
9/11 Heroes: Corps of Engineers' Boat Crews
Immediately after the second tower of the World Trade Center collapsed Sept. 11, 2001, members of the Corps of Engineers' fleet were underway. Stationed along the Hudson River for a Coast Guard boat-safety class, the Corps’ boats from the Philadelphia and New York districts became taxis to safety for people trying to flee the scene. “Everyone volunteered to help. Without a second thought, they placed themselves on duty,” said Joe Meyers from the USACE’s New York district. In all, they ferried 2,300 people off the island. “When we arrived, the people on the pier had a deep stare and were covered in dust. They were afraid to leave and afraid to stay,” said Tony Hans from the New York district. Three marinas were set up at Caven’s Point, N.J., to receive the passengers.
Low Water Hampers River Traffic
Already low water on the Mississippi River around St. Louis was expected by this weekend to approach levels too shallow for barge transportation, and a damaged lock slowed river traffic near Davenport, Iowa, river officials said Thursday. The St. Louis gauge for the Mississippi was at 3.0 feet on Wednesday and was forecast to hit 0.0 feet by Saturday. River traffic can continue operation through St. Louis until the gauge hits -3.5 feet and the river channel is 9 feet deep, the shallowest depth at which barge traffic can pass. "Any time it gets below five feet on the St. Louis gauge, everybody starts to monitor that. And when it gets below zero the river industry will start forming a low action water group and you'll see restrictions on tows and other things…
