# River ice report



## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

Yesterday, got a call that the Golden Eagle Ferry would open at 1PM, been shutdown since January 2nd due to ice. Winfield Ferry closing at 1PM (Winfield Ferry closes when Golden Eagle is operating.)

Brussel's Ferry been closed since Dec 28th. Kampsville Ferry has been closed since Dec. 26th.

At 2:15PM, got a call that the Golden Eagle would be closing in the next 2-3 hours because of ice and that both the Golden Eagle and Winfield Ferries would be closed indefinitely.

At noon, both the Illinois and Mississippi rivers were practically free of ice.

It seems that the Army Corp of Engineers decided to flush the ice through the dams. They raise the water level which breaks up the ice, then open the down-stream dams to drain the ice down river.

There's been no barge traffic on the Miss. since mid- December and barge traffic on the Illinois is pretty much at a standstill. Watched one last night going down river and he was struggling.

Elevators hereabouts are not taking any grain because they can't get it shipped out. Local farmers who have contracts with Cargill in St. Louis are taking it in the shorts badly because it adds an extra 80-100 miles each way to their trip.

By 7PM, both rivers where jammed with ice.

Since May of last year, the ferries have been shut down a total of 19 weeks.

My hay sales are tuurrible! Can't get it out of the county reasonably and nobody wants to make the trip in.

Ralph


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Time for winter to go away. 10-11" Thursday/Friday came with WIND. Now the temp went back sub zero this morning. I am ready for some 45 degree weather.


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## barnrope (Mar 22, 2010)

deadmoose said:


> Time for winter to go away. 10-11" Thursday/Friday came with WIND. Now the temp went back sub zero this morning. I am ready for some 45 degree weather.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


We had the same. 10" with 50mph wind. Power was off for 26 hours Thursday to Friday night. Sucks... Got evacuated from the farm due to a farm chemical shop fire on thursday to boot. Figured on bedding down the cattle and getting them ready for the storm when the state trooper pulled in the yard and said we had to leave. Got back home after all clear Thursday night in the heavy snow. Got to say that was the first time a state trooper has ever pulled in my yard.

A shot out my front door toward the road. I put 5x6 cornstalk bales out for a snow fence last fall. There isn't much snow in the fields. Just everyones yard is plugged up.





rjmoses, are you on the north side of the Missisipi? I was looking at google earth trying to figure out your logistics predicament. Sounds like you are boxed in!


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

barnrope said:


> rjmoses, are you on the north side of the Missisipi? I was looking at google earth trying to figure out your logistics predicament. Sounds like you are boxed in!


I'm in that little peninsula between the Ill. and Miss. rivers where the Miss. looks like a "J", northwest of St. Louis.

I have the Miss. west, south and east of me and the Ill. north of me.

If you look at the Google satellite images, you can zoom in on a big shed with a blue roof--that's my place.

Ralph


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## barnrope (Mar 22, 2010)

You have a nice place! Nice buildings and not much junk laying around. Unlike my place...


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

rjmoses said:


> I'm in that little peninsula between the Ill. and Miss. rivers where the Miss. looks like a "J", northwest of St. Louis.
> 
> I have the Miss. west, south and east of me and the Ill. north of me.
> 
> ...


Was having a hard time there for a bit finding it, next time go outside and jump up and down.


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

Some years ago, a bunch of the locals were coyote hunting when the satellite snapped the pictures. One guy was standing in the middle of one of my fields. I was able to zoom in on him and figure out who it was.

Since then, the satellite resolution has gotten worse for some "unknown" reason.

Ralph


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

mlappin said:


> Was having a hard time there for a bit finding it, next time go outside and jump up and down.


Just send me another article about the state or federal government BS and I'll go outside to read it.

I'll be facing east with my arm up and middle finger extended.

Ralph


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