The following is text of a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard:
(ST. LOUIS) — The Coast Guard coordinated with the Army Corps of Engineers to provide for the safe transit of a vessel, scheduled to provide emergency support for flood damage, through St. Louis Harbor’s high water closure zone and the previously closed Lock 27 on Friday.
Coast Guard Sector Upper Mississippi River, located in St. Louis, Mo., coordinated with the Army Corps of Engineers St. Louis and Omaha districts to provide for the safe transit of the vessel Tate Oglesby and its tow to transit through St. Louis Harbor’s high water closure zone and the previously closed Locks 27 Thursday to provide emergency support for flood damage in Omaha, Neb.
Tate Oglesby is towing the dredge Iowa and supporting barges essential to flood recovery efforts in the Omaha area to repair critical levees and reopen Interstate 29.
The Coast Guard captain of the port closed a portion of the Mississippi River on May 2, including the St. Louis port area, to all vessel traffic from mile marker 179 to 184 due to extremely high water levels and fast-moving currents.
The Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers managed risk by applying additional safety measures including ensuring assistance from harbor tugs through the harbor bridges.
As the vessel proceeded northbound to Omaha, through the closure zone, Sector Upper Mississippi River’s Command Center closely monitored the vessel’s movements, ensuring waterway and port safety.
“After an unprecedented spring high water season, it is critical that we facilitate recovery efforts in every way possible while managing public safety,” said Capt. Scott Stoermer, the commander of Coast Guard Sector Upper Mississippi River. “Our longstanding government, agency and industry partnerships enable us to do so, this event being a prime example.”
