Captain’s Table

High water on the Ohio in 2019

Editor’s note: This column first appeared in the April 2019 issue of WorkBoat.

nation, these confused seas significantly increase the risk factor.

Those that sail bluewater (deep sea), coastwise in the Caribbean and, especially, the West Coast, are familiar with this phenomenon. Surfers are also familiar with it. On the East Coast it is typically associated with distant tropical cyclones. But non-tropical cyclones, often in the form of coastal nor’easters, can pack more than enough punch to generate big swells too.

The synergistic action of multiple, changeable wave trains coming from different directions at different wave periods (the time between passage of crests in seconds) is of particular concern to mariners. The separate wave trains collide at different angles, acting upon each other in unpredictable ways, and often amplifying each other’s size, steepness, or both. They can easily double up on you.

It can become impossible to get or keep your tow “in step” in these conditions. Sometimes lengthening the tow can help, and sometimes it doesn’t. Usually, the best thing to do is simply slow down, which is unpopular both ashore and afloat.

BY CAPT. ALAN BERNSTEIN

Alan Bernstein, owner of BB Riverboats in Cincinnati, is a licensed master and a former president of the Passenger Vessel Association. He can be reached at 859-292-2449 or abernstein@ bbriverboats.com.

In my 40-plus years on the river, I don’t think I have ever seen as much rainfall and high-water conditions on the Ohio River as we have had in 2018 and early 2019.

We have experienced high water conditions and flooding on the Ohio before, but not for such an extended period. By December 2018, parts of Kentucky had already received nearly 70" of rainfall.

In the Cincinnati area where my company operates, we recently had a stage of 56', which is four feet above flood stage (pool stage is 26'). At first glance, this might not sound so bad, until you learn that all the flood gates on the Newport, Ky., side of the Ohio River have been closed for quite a while. Under these conditions, those who do business on the river side of the flood gates must scramble to get and maintain access over the flood walls. When the flood gates remain closed, it has a huge effect on our ability to operate.

What is different from the past and is rainfall the only culprit? Even with the record rainfall, I don’t think that rain by itself is the cause of our ongoing problem with high water. I think it is a combination of factors.

Could it be global warming? Possibly. Could it be that cities and counties along the river have changed the way they manage water flow? This is a distinct possibility. For example, the municipal water and sanitation districts in my area have undertaken major construction projects to repair and expand the infrastructure that handles storm runoff, thereby increasing the volume of rainwater reaching the river.

To further compound this situation, riverfront development has exploded in many cities, which contributes to increased runoff. Previously undeveloped land that would have absorbed rainfall now provides a fast lane for water runoff into the rivers.

I don’t have any real answers at this point, only questions. But I believe strongly that the inland river industry, along with government experts, must begin looking at this situation and decide how we can manage what seems to be a growing problem on the rivers.