Editorial: River event reminds us what the Ohio is and can be

If a person needs a reminder of what the Ohio River means to our local economy, all he or she has to do is visit Virginia Point Park at Kenova, where the Big Sandy River empties into the Ohio. Often, people can watch small boats bring loaded coal barges out of the Big Sandy and tie them up along the banks of the Ohio for larger boats to carry to power plants.

A lot of coal comes out of the Big Sandy. So do a lot of petroleum products. Much of the gasoline and other products that are made at Marathon Oil's refinery at Catlettsburg, Ky., get to their destinations by barge.

For 363 days a year, Harris Riverfront Park at downtown Huntington is a good place to see the large towboats push barges up and down the Ohio River. For three days this weekend, people can see those boats up close.

The annual National Maritime Days Celebration of the Port of Huntington/Tri-State runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Capt. David K. Smith, one of the organizers of the event, said Marathon will have one of its towboats at the park each day for visitors to tour. The U.S. Coast Guard will also have its cutter Obion there.

Other events include riverman displays and contests; information on river employment opportunities; displays by river businesses, groups and agencies; and educational and promotional materials.

These boats that will dock at the park are reminders of what the Ohio River is. The river as we know it is not a natural river. Its level is controlled by 20 locks and dams that guarantee at least nine to 12 feet of water in the main channel of the river. That channel allows barges carrying 1,500 tons of coal or other cargo to move up and down the river. A typical barge tow consists of 15 barges, meaning one boat can push 22,500 tons of coal at a time.

Before the dams were completed, the Ohio was described as a mile wide (in flood season) and a foot deep (in summer drought). The dams allow year-round navigation and the industry that comes with it.

The Ohio River navigation system is aging. The Greenup Locks and Dam has been in operation about 50 years, and plans have been developed to upgrade it. But the system has plenty of life left in it before another complete rebuild is necessary, as was done in the 1950s, '60s and '70s.

Floodwalls are necessary at many Ohio River cities, but they allowed cities to turn their backs on the river. The development of Harris Riverfront Park in the 1980s was the first of many such projects along this section of the Ohio. Point Pleasant, W.Va., has shown how a riverfront park can be a strong attraction. Ashland, too, is building a riverfront park.

This weekend's Maritime Days event reminds us of what the river is and can be.