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Barge salvage plan finalized; work to commence tomorrow

Published Jan. 8, 2019

LOUISVILLE, KY. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Coast Guard have accepted the salvage plan to
allow salvage operations to begin tomorrow, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019 for the barges pinned against the McAlpine Dam
on the Ohio River in Louisville, Kentucky.


This is in response to an incident which occurred Dec. 25, 2018 leaving nine barges pinned against the dam. Seven of the
nine barges capsized and two remain afloat.


The salvage crews, Big River Salvage and McKinney Salvage, under contract with Tennessee Valley Towing, are staged
at the upper McAlpine Dam site and are prepared to begin the initial work tomorrow, which includes removing coal from
the sunken barge above the fixed weir portion of the dam closest to the Indiana bank. The coal will be loaded onto empty
barges at the scene. Salvage and recovery of the three barges closest to the Indiana bank will begin once the cargo has
been removed.


Salvage operations of the remaining barges requires the installation of anchor points in the Indiana bank. Installation of
those anchors is expected to begin later this week.


The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will continue to work with all parties to ensure that the salvage operations are
conducted as safely and efficiently as possible.
###


Contact
Katie Newton
502-315-6773
katelyn.c.newton@usace.army.mil

Release no. 19-001

News Releases (Hidden - Presorted LRD list)

Barge salvage plan finalized; work to commence tomorrow

Published Jan. 8, 2019

LOUISVILLE, KY. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Coast Guard have accepted the salvage plan to
allow salvage operations to begin tomorrow, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019 for the barges pinned against the McAlpine Dam
on the Ohio River in Louisville, Kentucky.


This is in response to an incident which occurred Dec. 25, 2018 leaving nine barges pinned against the dam. Seven of the
nine barges capsized and two remain afloat.


The salvage crews, Big River Salvage and McKinney Salvage, under contract with Tennessee Valley Towing, are staged
at the upper McAlpine Dam site and are prepared to begin the initial work tomorrow, which includes removing coal from
the sunken barge above the fixed weir portion of the dam closest to the Indiana bank. The coal will be loaded onto empty
barges at the scene. Salvage and recovery of the three barges closest to the Indiana bank will begin once the cargo has
been removed.


Salvage operations of the remaining barges requires the installation of anchor points in the Indiana bank. Installation of
those anchors is expected to begin later this week.


The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will continue to work with all parties to ensure that the salvage operations are
conducted as safely and efficiently as possible.
###


Contact
Katie Newton
502-315-6773
katelyn.c.newton@usace.army.mil

Release no. 19-001