GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – Fast-moving water on the Fox River is delaying shipments at the Port of Green Bay, creating ripple effects for industries across Northeast Wisconsin.
Port Director Dean Haen said the issue is not flooding, but unusually high water velocity caused by heavy snowmelt and significant spring rainfall across the Fox-Wolf watershed.
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“It’s never happened in the history of the port,” Haen said. “In 120 plus years of history, we’ve never had that type of precipitation.”
According to Haen, ships can safely navigate the river when water flow remains at or below 10,000 cubic feet per second. Once velocities climb above that threshold, maneuvering large vessels becomes significantly more difficult.
“For safe navigation, ships need at least 10,000 cubic feet per second of water. No more,” Haen said. “When you get above that, navigation gets more challenging.”
The conditions follow a winter that brought heavy snowfall to parts of Wisconsin, followed by substantial spring rainfall.
“That whole area got 30 inches of snow and then turned around and got eight inches of rain,” Haen said.
The timing is critical, as companies typically replenish supplies during this stretch of the shipping season. Haen said industries including construction, agriculture and paper manufacturing are already feeling the impact.
“Construction projects that need cement or asphalt [are] impacted, paper industry, meaning raw materials for wood pulp,” Haen said. “The farmers that need feed, that need to apply fertilizer on their farm fields are all impacted by the port closure.”
An estimated 10 to 15 vessels have been diverted to other ports, requiring materials to be trucked into Northeast Wisconsin instead. Other ships remain waiting in the bay for conditions to improve.
Haen said the port generates roughly $220 million in annual economic impact for the region. Because most of that activity occurs during a nine-month shipping season, officials say losing even a month could have significant consequences.
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“That business happens over nine months, and we just lost one month,” Haen said.
Officials are hopeful water velocities will decrease enough to allow safe navigation sometime next week. Once operations resume, heavy congestion is expected as delayed vessels move through the port.
