The vehicle ferry that crosses the Green River in Mammoth Cave National Park has been knocked out of service by flooding/NPS

Record flooding that swept down the Green River in Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky knocked the park's ferry out of service.

The ferry sustained extensive damage to its navigational cables and support towers, according to the park, which said Wednesday that the vehicle ferry operation will be closed for several months until repairs are complete.

“Our team is assessing the damage at the Green River Ferry to determine if we can simply make repairs to the existing cables and towers or if a full reconstruction of the system is required.” said Mammoth Cave Superintendent Barclay Trimble. “The ferry is an important link for our visitors, staff, and local communities to cross the Green River, but, unfortunately, the damage we are seeing from the flood is not easily fixed.”

The Green River Ferry shuttles vehicles across the Green River using a system of heavy cables and four 20-foot-tall towers. The navigational cables are held in place by four approximately 15.5-ton concrete anchors that are set deep into the riverbank.

Traditionally during the month of April, the water level at the Green River Ferry crossing averages between 15 feet to 22 feet with a water flow just under 5,000 cubic feet per second. During the recent flood, the river reached a crest of 59.54 feet with a waterflow of just over 55,000 cubic feet per second. This high volume of water caused a portion of one of the concrete anchors to be physically pulled from the riverbank and moved 20 feet downhill. It also caused extreme stress on the four support towers which are now leaning slightly. Until the cable system and towers are repaired, the ferry cannot operate.

While the vehicle ferry operation and boat ramp are closed, the Green River Ferry day use area will remain open. Hikers can use the accessible Echo River Spring Trail and picnic area, and river paddlers can continue to use the canoe and kayak ramp. Future closures of the Green River Ferry area may be required once a construction plan has been fully developed, but the park will announce any temporary closures in advance.

The Green River Ferry Road North will remain open to passenger vehicles only. Recreational vehicles and vehicles with trailers are prohibited. For directions to Mammoth Cave National Park and information on how to reach the areas on the opposite side of the Green River, please visit the Directions and Transportation website.