Boating News
Towboat, port authority push longer locks
By Cindy Iutzi
(Editor's Note: This is the second part in a series about the ongoing study of the lock system on the Mississippi and Illinois rivers being conducted by the Army Corps of Engineers.)
On a typically warm spring day on the bank of the Mississippi River, Hall Towing of Fort Madison is busy with barge repairs and moving barges around the harbor.
The skyline bristles with cranes, and the giant rusty hulls of barges nudge up against the shore.
"I call this our harbor," said Denise Boyer, treasurer of the family towboat operation. "From here to Wever, Dallas City (Ill.) and Nauvoo (Ill.) and our terminal, our service is in this area."
The debate over the future of navigation on the Mississippi River belies the quiet, purposeful way Hall Towing provides its tow service.
At issue is the proposed lengthening of many of the 600-foot locks on the Mississippi River and Illinois River to 1,200-foot locks.
Click Here for Full Story
|
