Starting Monday, the Dorena-Hickman Ferry will be closed for about a week for an extended U.S. Coast Guard inspection.
During the closure, the boat and barge will be placed in dry-dock for an extensive 5-year safety inspection.
Ferry Captain Jeremy Newsom says the inspection just also coincides with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredge arriving over the weekend with plans to start working in Hickman Harbor early this week.
Placement of equipment required for the dredge to operate normally blocks the harbor entrance and forces the ferry to halt service.
The Dorena-Hickman Ferry was closed most of the first six months of this year due to Mississippi River floodwaters.
Newsom said the Coast Guard safety inspection is an important part of keeping the ferry operating.
The inspection has to be conducted at a prescribed time and could not have been scheduled while the ferry was closed due to floodwaters.
