5 March 2018
NAVIGATION BULLETIN NO. 18-37

MISSISSIPPI RIVER BONNET CARRE SPILLWAY SPECIAL NOTICE

Mariners are advised that beginning on 8 March 2018 and continuing until further notice, the Bonnet Carre’ Spillway, located on the Left Descending Bank (LDB) of the Mississippi River, in the vicinity of mile 128.0 Above Head of Passes (AHP), or approximately 1.6 miles above Goodhope Landing, Louisiana, will be placed in operation.

All vessels, particularly heavy loaded tows passing the site, are directed to steer a course sufficiently toward the opposite or Right Descending Bank (ROB) to avoid possible crosscurrents or drawdown resulting from water being diverted through the Spillway and flowing toward and into Lake Pontchartrain.

The M/V RENT will be stationed on the Left Descending Bank just north of the Spillway to monitor marine traffic on VHF marine channels 16 and 67. Should an incident occur between the Spillway and Mississippi River mile 140 Above Head of Passes (AHP) involving an adrift vessel, barge, etc., the attending vessel or any other vessel in the vicinity should immediately report the incident to the M/V KENT.

Terminal operators and fleet owners with facilities above Bonnet Carre’ Spillway should exercise every precaution to properly secure moored or anchored vessels, especially fleets of barges, to ensure that they do not break adrift as a result of increased velocities with the opening of this structure.
Vessels operating in Lake Pontchartrain in the vicinity of the discharge area are cautioned to be on the lookout for possible logs or stumps which may be deposited into the lake due to the operations and should give that area a wide berth.