Sunken Barge Removed, Three Barges Still On Emsworth, Dashields Dams
Three barges remain pinned against two Upper Ohio River dams, but a sunken one has been removed.
The barges, two lodged against Emsworth Locks and Dam and one against Dashields Locks and Dam, are part of the original 26-barge tow that broke away from the Campbell Transportation Company towing vessel Miss Ivy Brynne at Ohio River Mile 1 during high water and flooding that created strong currents April 12. The barges reportedly caused major damage to two marinas just downriver.
Campbell Transportation Company said in a statement on its website April 26 that it had successfully removed the barge that sank at Mile 10.5, between the two dams.
“We will persist in executing our recovery plan for the remaining affected vessels, consistently prioritizing the safety of recovery personnel, the public, and the barges,” the company said in the statement.
Campbell Transportation Company also said it is working in collaboration with local, state and federal authorities, including the Coast Guard, Corps of Engineers, Pennsylvania State Police, PennDOT and various law enforcement and EMS agencies.
“Together, we are conducting a thorough assessment of the situation as recovery operations progress,” the company said.
Campbell Transportation Company previously removed five barges that had been pinned against the Emsworth dam.
The river is open, and the Coast Guard lifted a safety zone that had been in place until the sunken barge was recovered.
Alan Nogy, operations project manager for the Pittsburgh Engineer District’s locks and dams branch, said the barges that remain pinned on the dams are not impacting normal operations in any way.
“The river is still determining when it was going to be safe to remove the remaining three barges,” he said, noting that water levels needed to decrease to allow a reduction in currents that would help to aid in their recovery.
Emsworth Locks and Dam is located at Ohio River Mile 6.2. Dashields Locks and Dam is located at Ohio River Mile 13.3.
