WEST WARSAW, Ky. — The Ohio River is turning into a frozen battlefield as subzero temperatures create ice buildup that threatens to shut down one of America's most vital commercial waterways.
At Markland Locks and Dam, 16 staff members are working around the clock to flush accumulated ice and debris from the river's main channels, preventing delays that could impact the flow of fuel, chemicals and grain across the country.
"The main thing is to keep it moving," said Gary Birge, operations manager at Markland Locks and Dam.
Birge said many people don't know the importance of the locks and dams.
"I don't know that people really realize how vital the locks and dams are as far as to the commerce, keeping commodities going up and down the river and vital it is to the country," he said. "Fuel, a lot of different kinds of fuel, chemicals, grain."
WATCH: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers walks us through how they're monitoring the ice buildup
To prevent closures, crews are actively cycling chambers up and down, opening and closing gates and using bubblers to keep water moving through secondary channels.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said in a statement that, except for a suspension of locking operations at the Willow Island facility in Reno, Ohio, Wednesday due to ice building, all things are flowing as they should.
"Currently, there have been no unexpected closures or impacts to navigation within our area of responsibility on the Ohio River," the statement said. "At several locations, our teams are actively flushing ice and debris through auxiliary chambers to support safe and efficient operations. There have been no impacts to locks and dams, and navigation continues to move as normal."
The statement said crews are monitoring river and weather conditions, making operational adjustments as needed to ensure safety and coordinating closely with the U.S. Coast Guard and industry partners.
"Our mission remains ensuring safe navigation on the Ohio River, and our dedicated teams continue to report for duty to keep projects operational, commerce moving, and America’s economy fueled," the statement said.
The Ohio River serves as a critical transportation route for commodities essential to the U.S. economy. Any prolonged closure could disrupt supply chains and affect the delivery of certain goods nationwide.
Crews expect to continue ice management operations as long as subzero temperatures persist in the region.
