The Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley New Orleans (MVN) continues responding to the active shoaling in Southwest Pass (SWP) deposited during the elevated river stages. There are presently two hopper dredges (the WHEELER is offline being refueled) and one cutterhead working to restore and maintain the Ship Channel in the area of SWP. The government hopper dredge McFARLAND has now been approved for up to 45-days under Red Flag Emergency Call Out #2-2019, after no bids were received to Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #3-2019. The MVN will also advertise Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #4-2019 on Friday, February 1, 2019.
TRANSIT RESTRICTIONS AT VENICE JUMP:
The Crescent River Ports Pilots Association (CRPPA) continue with their maximum draft recommendation of 45 feet (freshwater) with one-way traffic for two vessels with drafts over 42 feet meeting between Mile 10.5 Above Head of Passes (AHP) to Mile 9.5 AHP.
“Maximum freshwater draft 45’00”
One way traffic for 2 vessels over 42’, from 1/2 mile above to 1/2 mile below the Jump MM 10 AHOP”
HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
GLENN EDWARDS: The industry hopper dredge GLENN EDWARDS (Manson Construction) continues dredging on assignment at Cubits Gap from approximately Mile 3.5 AHP to Mile 2.5 AHP. The GLENN EDWARDS commenced dredging on December 18, 2018 and is working under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #6-2018. The MVN was able to modify the GLENN EDWARDS contract and the hopper dredge will remain in SWP dredging until March 1, 2019.
NEWPORT: The hopper dredge NEWPORT (Manson Construction) is dredging the Bar Channel on the lower end of SWP. The NEWPORT began dredging under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #1-2019 in SWP on November 28, 2018. The MVN intends to exercise the options on the NEWPORT’s contract to keep the hopper dredge working until approximately May 15th.
WHEELER: The Corps’ hopper dredge WHEELER is being refueled and changing engine oil at the MVN dock but is expects to resume dredging early tomorrow morning (0100 hours on Wednesday, January 30th). The WHEELER worked under Readiness Exercise #1-2019 from Monday, January 7, 2019 until 1530 hours on Friday, January 11, 2019 before switching over to Red Flag Emergency Call Out #1-2019 (30-days). The Corps hopper dredge WHEELER continues working under the Red Flag Emergency Call Out #1-2019 (30-days) as approved on January 11, 2019. The Red Flag assignment will keep the WHEELER dredging in SWP until approximately February 10, 2019.
McFARLAND: The Corps’ hopper dredge McFARLAND will commence dredging in SWP under Red Flag Emergency Call Out #2-2019 (up to 45-days) on Monday, February 4, 2019.
The river crested on the Carrollton Gauge (New Orleans) at 15.66 feet at 1200 hours on January 23, 2019 and the latest forecasts continue to predict a very slow fall.
The Carrollton Gauge (New Orleans) reading at 1400 hours today was 14.51 feet with a 24-hour change of – 0.13 feet.
The Baton Rouge Gauge reading at 1500 hours today was 37.29 feet with a 24-hour change of – 0.05 feet.
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 attached reports for complete details related to transit restrictions and dredge assignments.
Lower Mississippi River (LMR) Dredging Update 12919
Members,
The Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley New Orleans (MVN) continues responding to the active shoaling in Southwest Pass (SWP) deposited during the elevated river stages. There are presently two hopper dredges (the WHEELER is offline being refueled) and one cutterhead working to restore and maintain the Ship Channel in the area of SWP. The government hopper dredge McFARLAND has now been approved for up to 45-days under Red Flag Emergency Call Out #2-2019, after no bids were received to Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #3-2019. The MVN will also advertise Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #4-2019 on Friday, February 1, 2019.
TRANSIT RESTRICTIONS AT CUBITS GAP:
The Crescent River Ports Pilots Association (CRPPA) continue with their maximum draft recommendation to 45 feet (freshwater) but revised the area for one-way traffic to the Venice Jump. The new reach for one-way traffic for two vessels with drafts over 42 feet not to meet is between Mile 10.5 Above Head of Passes (AHP) to Mile 9.5 AHP.
“Maximum freshwater draft 45’00”
One way traffic for 2 vessels over 42’, from 1/2 mile above to 1/2 mile below the Jump MM 10 AHOP”
TRANSIT RESTRICTIONS SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
The Bar Pilots continue to utilize the flocculation-based transit restriction for all inbound vessels arriving Southwest Pass with a freshwater draft of 38-feet or greater. Inbound vessels with a draft of 38-feet or greater are only allowed to enter SWP “between 3 hours after low tide, to 3 hours after high tide at SWP.” The restriction became effective at 1000 hours on, Monday, November 26, 2018. The official notice as released by the Bar Pilots is attached, please refer to it for complete details.
The Federal Pilots implemented a similar flocculation-based restriction for inbound vessels with a draft of 38-feet or greater on November 27, 2018. The official notice is also attached.
HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
GLENN EDWARDS: The industry hopper dredge GLENN EDWARDS (Manson Construction) continues dredging on assignment at Cubits Gap from approximately Mile 3.5 AHP to Mile 2.5 AHP. The GLENN EDWARDS commenced dredging on December 18, 2018 and is working under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #6-2018. The MVN was able to modify the GLENN EDWARDS contract and the hopper dredge will remain in SWP dredging until March 1, 2019.
NEWPORT: The hopper dredge NEWPORT (Manson Construction) is dredging the Bar Channel on the lower end of SWP. The NEWPORT began dredging under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #1-2019 in SWP on November 28, 2018. The MVN intends to exercise the options on the NEWPORT’s contract to keep the hopper dredge working until approximately May 15th.
WHEELER: The Corps’ hopper dredge WHEELER is being refueled and changing engine oil at the MVN dock but is expects to resume dredging early tomorrow morning (0100 hours on Wednesday, January 30th). The WHEELER worked under Readiness Exercise #1-2019 from Monday, January 7, 2019 until 1530 hours on Friday, January 11, 2019 before switching over to Red Flag Emergency Call Out #1-2019 (30-days). The Corps hopper dredge WHEELER continues working under the Red Flag Emergency Call Out #1-2019 (30-days) as approved on January 11, 2019. The Red Flag assignment will keep the WHEELER dredging in SWP until approximately February 10, 2019.
McFARLAND: The Corps’ hopper dredge McFARLAND will commence dredging in SWP under Red Flag Emergency Call Out #2-2019 (up to 45-days) on Monday, February 4, 2019.
The river crested on the Carrollton Gauge (New Orleans) at 15.66 feet at 1200 hours on January 23, 2019 and the latest forecasts continue to predict a very slow fall.
CUTTERHEAD DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
R.S. WEEKS: The industry cutterhead dredge R.S. WEEKS (Weeks Marine) is presently located at Mile 5.6 BHP and is dredging on assignment from Mile 5.0 BHP to Mile 6.0 BHP on the western channel edge. The cutterhead was moved from the previous assignment at Mile 10.5 BHP to 17.8 BHP after reaching approximately Mile 13.8 BHP. The MVN moved the cutterhead to address this shoal that was extending further channelward. The cutterhead started dredging in SWP on December 15, 2018. The R.S. WEEKS removed 2.5 million cubic yards (mcy) of material from the Hopper Dredge Disposal Area (HDDA) before being released from that contract (remove a total of 12 mcy from the HDDA) to respond to Southwest Pass Cuttherhead Rental Contract #1-2019.
The R.S. WEEKS is expected to return to the HDDA contract in mid-February 2019 when it will be replaced on the SWP contract by the cutterhead dredge CAPTAIN FRANK.
Associated Branch Pilots
Bar Pilot Flocculation Notice 112618.pdf
RE: SOUTHWEST PASS, TRANSIT RESTRICTION DUE TO FLOCCULATION
The Bar Pilots for the Port of New Orleans restrict inbound vessels with a deep fresh water draft of Thirty-Eight feet (38) or greater to transit Southwest Pass from the Sea Buoy (Entrance Lighted Whistle Buoy “SW”) to mile 1.5 above Head of Passes “between 3 hours after low tide, to 3 hours after high tide at SWP”.
The restriction becomes effective at 1000 hours on November 26, 2018.
Nothing in the recommendations should be construed as limiting a pilot in the exercise of their judgment.
ASSOCIATED BRANCH PILOTS
Federal Pilots
Fed Pilots SWP Entry Restrictions Nov 2018.pdf
To Whom It May Concern:
Due to the presence of flocculation; effective immediately, The Federal Pilots of Louisiana recommendthat any inbound vessels with a fresh water draft of 38’ or greater shall enter SWP 3 hours after low tide to 3hours after high tide.
