Coal Barge and Tugboat Sunrise – Louisville, Kentucky
An early morning coal barge and tug boat head downstream on the Ohio River passing under I-65 and along the waterfront for downtown Louisville, Kentucky. In the distance is the Mc Alpine Locks and Dam, and the Falls of the Ohio.
The McAlpine Locks and Dam in Louisville, Kentucky, is a critical infrastructure component on the Ohio River, enabling river barge traffic to bypass the Falls of the Ohio, a series of rapids that historically obstructed navigation. The Ohio river serves as a key hub for commercial river traffic, including barges transporting commodities like coal, grain, and industrial goods. The Ohio River connects coal mining regions, particularly in Appalachia, to power plants, steel mills, and export markets via shipping terminals in the Gulf of Mexico.