WORLD’S TOUGHEST FIXES: Mississippi River Barge
Thursday, June 4, 2009 at 9 PM ET/PT
ROSEDALE, MISSISSIPPI: Host Sean Riley helps the crew of The Dredge Hurley, which plays a different role in keeping the Mississippi River clear by dredging. Over time, sediment drifts from the banks of the river and collects in the middle, creating roadblocks for barges. The Dredge Hurley sucks up unwanted mud and shoots it out toward the bank through a thousand foot long pipe.
Riley heads down to the Big Easy to clear the Mississippi River of a 300-ton barge that was blown into the water from a local salvage yard by Hurricane Gustav in August 2008. The barge rammed into a protective levee that is now caught underneath the boat. Using inflatable bags and wooden cribbing, the team carefully raises the barge — but the higher the barge goes, the more unstable it becomes. And in one dramatic moment, the barge actually begins to slip … as Riley, the workers and camera crew all race out from underneath to keep from being crushed!
