(LEX 18) — Rising water levels in the Kentucky River are bringing up debris left behind from last month's floods, threatening operations of the Valley View Ferry that transports thousands of people monthly.
"The amount of flooding we had, the water was flooding out so quick it just left a lot of debris stranded on the banks. And what we got yesterday is the residual from the flooding," said Captain Clayton Embly, who has worked on the Valley View Ferry for 10 years.
Embly explains the potential impact if the boat were to get damaged. "You don't want to hit anything and the reason for that. There is only one tow boat."
The Valley View Ferry transports between 13,000 to 17,000 people a month. Damage to the ferry could impact not only transportation, but the environment.
"You can't stop nature, which is trees, tree limbs, and branches. What you can stop is pollution," said Embly.
Even though the boat is made of steel, Embly adds that's not enough protection against mother nature with the rain that the Commonwealth has been experiencing.
Embly and the crew say they will take the necessary steps to keep river traffic flowing as normal, but they have contingency plans if conditions worsen.
"If we start to see a lot of debris coming down the river or the current picks up. We'll be shutting it down," said Embly.
