The Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley New Orleans (MVN) continues to address the shoaling on the Crossings Above New Orleans. 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.
Dredging Operations at Alhambra Crossing:
JADWIN: The Corps’ dustpan dredge JADWIN commenced dredging full channel dimensions (500 feet) at Alhambra Crossing (Mile 192 AHP) today. The NOBRA and Federal Pilots will not anchor vessels in the White Castle Anchorage (Mile 191.1 AHP to Mile 190.4 AHP) while the dustpan works this location. The Pilots will keep the White Castle Anchorage clear to promote navigational safety and allow the dredge to work without interruption. The assignment at Alhambra Crossing is tentatively scheduled to be completed on October 25, 2018. The JADWIN began dredging on the Crossings on Thursday, May 10, 2018.
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.
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 W ALLACE McGEORGE has commenced dredging at Sardine Point (Mile 219 Above Head of Passes [AHP]) after completing the assignment at Baton Rouge Front (Mile 229 AHP). The WALLACE McGEORGE began 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 commenced dredging full channel dimensions (500 feet) at The JADWIN began dredging on the Crossings on Thursday, May 10, 2018. Alhambra Crossing (Mile 192 AHP) today. The NOBRA and Federal Pilots will not anchor vessels in the White Castle Anchorage (Mile 191.1 AHP to Mile 190.4 AHP) while the dustpan works this location. The Pilots will keep the White Castle Anchorage clear to promote navigational safety and allow the dredge to work without interruption. The assignment at Alhambra Crossing is tentatively scheduled to be completed on October 25, 2018.
CUTTERHEAD DREDGE AT THE HOPPER DREDGE DISPOSAL AREA (HDDA):
Weeks Marine is expected to commence dredging in the HDDA with the cutterhead dredge R.S. WEEKS later this month. At least two full channel closures will be required to install a submerged dredge pipeline across the Ship Channel from the HDDA to the West Bay Receiving Area as has been done in the past. The closures are expected to be for all vessel traffic from the Head of Passes to about Mile 3 Above Head of Passes. The Coalition is working with the three Pilots Associations that operate in this reach of the Ship Channel, the MVN, the U.S. Coast Guard and representatives from Weeks Marine to prepare a notice to industry on the upcoming channel closures. The official notice on the scheduled closures should be broadcast two weeks in advance of the first closure, the closures are expected to be limited to 12-hours (or less) at a time.
