The Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley New Orleans (MVN) continues to address the shoaling on the Crossings Above New Orleans and in the New Orleans Harbor.  The MVN is working to restore full channel dimensions on the Crossings with the three dustpan dredges.  Federally authorized channel dimensions on the Crossings Above New Orleans are 45 feet by 500 feet.

SOUTHWEST PASS STONE FORESHORE DIKE and STONE JETTY REPAIRS:

The MVN received supplemental funding that enabled a contract to be awarded to EFT Diversified, Inc. to conduct critical repairs to the foreshore rock and jetties in SWP ranging from the Head of Passes (Mile 0) to Mile 20.2 BHP.  The equipment including the first six barges of stone are expected to arrive in SWP this week.  The work will start along the upper end of SWP first and work its way downriver, an additional 15 barges of stone are expected to arrive on September 27, 2018.  The contract is expected to take approximately one year to complete.  All work and equipment are expected to remain inside the wing dams (lateral pile dikes), therefore, no transit restrictions are expected.

The equipment expected to be utilized includes the following: M/V CROSBY RAMBLER, M/V JULIE MARIE, SPUD BARGE AB 8 with 88B Dragline, SPUD BARGE AB7 with 800 Linkbelt Excavator and a 24-foot aluminum crewboat.

The graph below is reproduced from NOAA’s National Weather Service website and represents an experimental product to account for the complexity of accurately predicting long-range precipitation.  This forecast projects stage levels based on expected precipitation for 2 days (top) and 16 days (bottom) and was developed within the North American Ensemble Forecast System (NAEFS) computer model and highlights Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts (QPF).  Along with the forecasts, a shaded area is also provided to indicate uncertainty for the forecast each day in the future.   These plots are experimental and not an official forecast product.

 

NORL1_67_28d_forecast_error_plot.png

 

Please see the below report for complete details on dredge assignments.

 

DUSTPAN DREDGES ON THE CROSSINGS ABOVE NEW ORLEANS:

WALLACE McGEORGE: The industry dustpan dredge WALLACE McGEORGE continues dredging full channel dimensions (500 feet) at Baton Rouge Front (Mile 229 Above Head of Passes [AHP]). The WALLACE McGEORGE commenced dredging on the Crossings on Friday, May 11, 2018.

HURLEY: The Corps’ dustpan dredge HURLEY continues dredging full channel dimensions (500 feet) at Red Eye Crossing (Mile 224 AHP). The dustpan dredge began dredging on the Crossings on Wednesday, May 16, 2018.

JADWIN: The Corps’ dustpan dredge JADWIN continues dredging full channel dimensions (500 feet) at Philadelphia Crossing (Mile 183 AHP). The JADWIN began dredging on the Crossings on Thursday, May 10, 2018.

CUTTERHEAD DREDGE AT THE NEW ORLEANS HARBOR:

MISSOURI H: The cutterhead dredge MISSOURI H completed the contract for dredging in the New Orleans Harbor at 1100 hours today. The MISSOURI H will now begin dredging on the shallow-draft project at the Lock Forebays, starting with the Harvey Lock next, and then to the forebays at the Algiers and Inner Harbor Navigation Canal Locks.

GOVERNMENT HOPPER DREDGE AT SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):

WHEELER: The MVN’s hopper dredge WHEELER continues dredging under Readiness Exercise #4-2018 from Mile 9 Below Head of Passes (BHP) to Mile 11 BHP in SWP. Readiness Exercise #4 is scheduled to be completed on September 27th.

SOUTHWEST PASS STONE FORESHORE DIKE and STONE JETTY REPAIRS:

The MVN received supplemental funding that enabled a contract to be awarded to EFT Diversified, Inc. to conduct critical repairs to the foreshore rock and jetties in SWP ranging from the Head of Passes (Mile 0) to Mile 20.2 BHP. The equipment including the first six barges of stone are expected to arrive in SWP this week. The work will start along the upper end of SWP first and work its way downriver, an additional 15 barges of stone are expected to arrive on September 27, 2018. The contract is expected to take approximately one year to complete. All work and equipment are expected to remain inside the wing dams (lateral pile dikes), therefore, no transit restrictions are expected.

The equipment expected to be utilized includes the following: M/V CROSBY RAMBLER, M/V JULIE MARIE, SPUD BARGE AB 8 with 88B Dragline, SPUD BARGE AB7 with 800 Linkbelt Excavator and a 24-foot aluminum crewboat.