Loose Barges on Ohio River Crash Into McAlpine Locks and Dam | Columbus Ohio Dump Trucks

Infrastructure damage has yet to be determined after a vessel towing 11 barges struck a stationary structure at the entrance to the Portland Canal near the McAlpine Locks and Dam on the Ohio River in Louisville, Ky. 

10 of the 11 barges broke loose and three settled against the lower McAlpine Dam structure in the incident that occurred shortly after 2 a.m. March 28. The vessels carried soy, corn and 1,400 tons of methanol. 

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said in a March 29 press briefing that one barge has been removed and two remain pinned against the structure, which salvage crews were still working to remove. 

Vehicle traffic on the river was stopped following the incident, but has resumed on a restricted basis. 

In addition, Greenberg said, “there is no evidence of [methanol] leaks at this time.” 

Eighty air quality samples have shown no evidence of hazards that would pose a health risk and water quality also is being monitored, he said.  

It is not yet possible to visually confirm if there is any damage to the dam structure. 

“At this time, there is no evidence that the loose barges have caused any damage to the McAlpine Locks and Dam,” said Abby Korfhage, public affairs specialist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District. “However, it is hard to tell for certain with the high water levels and the two remaining barges still pinned on the lower dam site.” 

She noted that the incident was caused because "the tow broke apart when making the approach to the Portland Canal."

The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating the incident.

Annemarie Mannion is editor of ENR Midwest, which covers 11 states. She joined ENR in 2022 and reports from Chicago.