On June 14, the 157 foot long towboat Joyce Hale was pushing eight barges on the Illinois River when two barges struck the containment wall at the Starved Rock dam near Utica, Illinois. Four barges broke free with two barges quickly recovered, but two others floated down until they came to rest parallel against the dam. The Joyce Hale recovered the two barges later the same day. No reports of injuries, damage or pollution released. Traffic along the waterway was halted until the barges could be recovered.
The Coast Guard is working the the Army Corps of Engineers and the owners of a tug and barges to quickly and safely move two barges that drifted into the protection cells of Starved Rock Lock and Dam in Utica, Ill., June 14, 2015. The Joyce Hale was pushing eight barges of dry cargo south on the Illinois River when two of the eight barges it was pushing made contact with the protection walls of the Starved Rock Lock and Dam in Utica, causing four barges to break free, and the crew recovered two immediately. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)
The Coast Guard is working the the Army Corps of Engineers and the owners of a tug and barges to quickly and safely move two barges that drifted into the protection cells of Starved Rock Lock and Dam in Utica, Ill., June 14, 2015. The Joyce Hale was pushing eight barges of dry cargo south on the Illinois River when two of the eight barges it was pushing made contact with the protection walls of the Starved Rock Lock and Dam in Utica, causing four barges to break free, and the crew recovered two immediately. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)
The Coast Guard is working the the Army Corps of Engineers and the owners of a tug and barges to quickly and safely move two barges that drifted into the protection cells of Starved Rock Lock and Dam in Utica, Ill., June 14, 2015. The Joyce Hale was pushing eight barges of dry cargo south on the Illinois River when two of the eight barges it was pushing made contact with the protection walls of the Starved Rock Lock and Dam in Utica, causing four barges to break free, and the crew recovered two immediately. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)
