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Wisconsin River News

06 Dec 2002

U.S. Army Attributes Clean-Up Success to New Mud Cat

A major environmental cleanup has been completed at Gruber's Grove Bay, a residential and recreational area of the Wisconsin River located near Badger Army Ammunition Plant (AAP) in Wisconsin. During the cleanup, about 90,000 cu. yds. of sediment were dredged from the bottom of the 25-acre bay. The sediments, deposited prior to 1972 by production at Badger AAP, had shown elevated levels of mercury, lead and copper. Dredging took place during spring, summer and fall 2001. Gruber's Grove Bay was closed throughout the cleanup, an action that demonstrated the strength of the partnership that made the cleanup possible. The partnership consisted of the Army, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the U.S.

07 Jul 2003

Feature: Ferry Boat Construction Tops Passenger Vessel Industry

The passenger vessel industry continues to be mired in a construction malaise with high-speed passenger only ferries and more conventional passenger auto ferries the only bright spot. The epicenter of the passenger vessel ferry business is the New York City metro area where dozens of new ferries have been added to replace the PATH and other subway lines destroyed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Suddenly "the way to work" for thousands of commuters was severed. Recent deliveries into the area include five 79-foot catamarans for NY Waterway. They are single deck, 149-foot passenger only ferries. The company also has purchased two 340-passsenger fast ferries from NY Fast Ferry. The ramp up in New York City ferry services has not been without difficulties, however.

09 Jun 2003

News: Unusual Propulsion System for Wisconsin Ferry

The Merrimac Ferry, which crosses the Wisconsin River between Sauk and Columbia counties, is Wisconsin's only free ferry. It shuttles WIS 113 traffic between Okee on the east bank and Merrimac on the west. In the 150 plus years that a ferry has operated at this location it has been propelled by muscle, river current, gasoline engine and diesel. Most recently it has pulled itself along on a pair of cables crossing the river. The ferry is so popular that it has not been replaced by a bridge and, in spite of nearby bridges, car loads of tourist line up regularly to ride it. The ferry's popularity is such that this past winter a larger 15-car vessel has been built to replace the existing 1960s era 12 car Colsac II. To be named the Colsac III 105 by 44-ft.