By Angela Hatton
Paducah, KY – Due to flooding, Ohio River locks between Louisville and Cairo have been temporarily shutdown. Water on the rivers is expected to stay high for at least another week. That means the river transportation industry could lose millions of dollars on blocked shipments. Emmett Neal is Vice President of Operations for Crounse Corporation in Paducah. Crounse operates over a 1,000 barges on the Ohio.
"Where we have been able to run, we've had to cut back on our tow sizes. It's been a very hard time for us. Not just Crounse Corporation, but the industry as a whole."
Officials are prioritizing shipments for when waterways reopen. Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce President Elaine Spalding says the economic impact of flooding will likely be a hot topic at the upcoming Transportation Summit in Paducah. Industry officials plan to discuss the impact on transportation from the widening of the Panama Canal.