Section of Ohio River closed after tow grounds

(PADUCAH, Ky.) — A stretch of the Ohio River near Paducah was closed to shipping on Wednesday after a barge tow ran aground in the receding waters, Reuters reported.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said it had closed the nearly 90-year-old Lock and Dam 52, and a backup of 32 towboats hauling 312 barges had assembled by midday Thursday. Shipments of commodities such as grain and coal were halted in the area for at least the fourth time since September.

The latest closure is expected to last into the weekend as crews remove the grounded vessel and raise the dam’s wooden wickets to allow the pool of water upriver to rise, an Army Corps spokeswoman said.

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By Professional Mariner Staff