Ferry Closure Extended Because Of High Water

The closure of the Dorena-Hickman Ferry at Mississippi River Mile 922.0 has been extended to about March 30 because of continued high water.

The ferry, which connects Hickman, Ky., with Dorena, Mo., has been closed since March 4, when floodwaters covered the Kentucky landing in Hickman Harbor.

The ferry is normally forced to close when the Cairo gauge reaches about 44 feet. Based on the current forecast, the earliest the ferry could reopen is about March 30, according to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. That date could be pushed back if there is additional substantial rainfall in the Mississippi or Ohio River valleys.

Besides being a critical transportation link between Kentucky and Missouri for daily commuters and farmers, the ferry serves as a tourist attraction for the region. It also provides a convenient route between southeast Missouri and the popular fishing and recreation areas around Reelfoot Lake in northwest Tennessee.

Missouri and Kentucky have the geographic distinction of being the only border states not directly connected by a road or a bridge. The only route directly between them is the Dorena-Hickman Ferry.