The Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley New Orleans (MVN) continues responding to active shoaling in Southwest Pass (SWP) deposited by high river stages (flood event). There are three industry hopper dredges, two industry cutterhead dredges and one government hopper dredge working in SWP. The MVN continues to operate the BonnetCarré Spillway to manage the maximum flow at New Orleans and keep the flow below 1.25 million cubic feet per second, 206 of the 350 bays at the Spillway have now been opened. The industry hopper dredge BAYPORT (Manson Construction) is expected to begin dredging under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #7-2019 on April 1, 2019.
TRANSIT RESTRICTIONS AT SOUTHWEST PASS:
The Bar Pilots maximum draft recommendation was reduced to 41 feet (freshwater) in response to severe shoaling at the Head of Passes on the evening of Monday, March 4, 2019. This is the controlling draft for all vessels transiting Southwest Pass.
The Crescent River Port Pilot Safe Navigation Committee set a maximum recommended draft of 41 feet for their area of responsibility earlier today (March 11, 2019).
The Bar and Federal 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 can only allowed enter SWP “between 3 hours after low tide, to 3 hours after high tide at SWP.”
GOVERNMENT HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
RED FLAG EMERGENCY CALL OUTS:
WHEELER: MVN’s hopper dredge WHEELER is presently dredging at Cubits Gap from Mile 4.0 Above Head of Passes (AHP) to Mile 2.5 AHP. The WHEELER began working under Red Flag Emergency Call Out #3-2019 (30-days) on March 1, 2019.
McFARLAND: The Corps’ hopper dredge McFARLAND worked under Red Flag Emergency Call Out #2-2019 from February 8, 2019 until March 8, 2019. The Red Flag was awarded after no bids were received to Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #3-2019.
INDUSTRY HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
TERRAPIN ISLAND: The industry hopper dredge TERRAPIN ISLAND (Great Lakes Dredge & Dock) is dredging on assignment at the Head of Passes (Mile 1.0 AHP to Mile 0). The TERRAPIN ISLAND began dredging under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #5-2019 on February 17, 2019.
NEWPORT: Thehopper dredge NEWPORT (Manson Construction) is presently dredging from Mile 2.5 AHP TO Mile 1.5 AHP. The NEWPORT is working under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #1-2019. The NEWPORT began dredging in SWP on November 28, 2018. The MVN intends to exercise the options on the NEWPORT’s contract to keep the hopper dredge working in SWP until early June.
STUYVESANT: The industry hopper dredge STUYVESANT (Dutra Group) is dredging on the jetty end of SWP (Mile 17 Below Head of Passes [BHP] to Mile 19 BHP). The STUYVESANT began dredging in SWP on Thursday, March 7, 2019 under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #6-2019.
GLENN EDWARDS: The industry hopper dredge is expected to resume dredging in SWP on March 26, 2019 in order to complete Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #6-2018.
The Carrollton Gauge (New Orleans) reading at 0900 hours was 16.65 feet with a 24-hour change of + 0.24 feet.
The Baton Rouge Gauge reading at 0900 hours was 43.05 feet with a 24-hour change of + 0.31 feet.
The future river stage predictions indicate the crest remaining at 17 feet based on the operation of the Bonnet Carré Spillway as a flood control structure, the crest is predicted to last from March 13th to March 15th. Presently, a slow fall is predicted after this week’s crest although a second rise may occur in late March (see below).
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 report for complete details related to dredge assignments.
Lower Mississippi River (LMR) Dredging Update 31119
The Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley New Orleans (MVN) continues responding to active shoaling in Southwest Pass (SWP) deposited by high river stages (flood event). There are three industry hopper dredges, two industry cutterhead dredges and one government hopper dredge working in SWP. The MVN continues to operate the Bonnet Carré Spillway to manage the maximum flow at New Orleans and keep the flow below 1.25 million cubic feet per second, 206 of the 350 bays at the Spillway have now been opened. The industry hopper dredge BAYPORT (Manson Construction) is expected to begin dredging under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #7-2019 on April 1, 2019.
TRANSIT RESTRICTIONS AT SOUTHWEST PASS:
The Bar Pilots maximum draft recommendation was reduced to 41 feet (freshwater) in response to severe shoaling at the Head of Passes on the evening of Monday, March 4, 2019. This is the controlling draft for all vessels transiting Southwest Pass.
The Crescent River Port Pilot Safe Navigation Committee set a maximum recommended draft of 41 feet for their area of responsibility earlier today (March 11, 2019).
The Bar and Federal 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 can only allowed enter SWP “between 3 hours after low tide, to 3 hours after high tide at SWP.”
GOVERNMENT HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP): RED FLAG EMERGENCY CALL OUTS:
WHEELER: MVN’s hopper dredge WHEELER is presently dredging at Cubits Gap from Mile 4.0 Above Head of Passes (AHP) to Mile 2.5 AHP. The WHEELER began working under Red Flag Emergency Call Out #3-2019 (30-days) on March 1, 2019.
GOVERNMENT HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP): RED FLAG EMERGENCY CALL OUTS: (continued)
McFARLAND: The Corps’ hopper dredge McFARLAND worked under Red Flag Emergency Call Out #2-2019 from February 8, 2019 until March 8, 2019. The Red Flag was awarded after no bids were received to Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #3-2019.
INDUSTRY HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
TERRAPINISLAND: TheindustryhopperdredgeTERRAPINISLAND(GreatLakesDredge & Dock) is dredging on assignment at the Head of Passes (Mile 1.0 AHP to Mile 0). The TERRAPIN ISLAND began dredging under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #5- 2019 on February 17, 2019.
NEWPORT: ThehopperdredgeNEWPORT(MansonConstruction)ispresentlydredgingfrom Mile 2.5 AHP TO Mile 1.5 AHP. The NEWPORT is working under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #1-2019. The NEWPORT began dredging in SWP on November 28, 2018. The MVN intends to exercise the options on the NEWPORT’s contract to keep the hopper dredge working in SWP until early June.
STUYVESANT: TheindustryhopperdredgeSTUYVESANT(DutraGroup)isdredgingonthe jetty end of SWP (Mile 17 Below Head of Passes [BHP] to Mile 19 BHP). The STUYVESANT began dredging in SWP on Thursday, March 7, 2019 under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #6-2019.
GLENN EDWARDS: The industry hopper dredge is expected to resume dredging in SWP on March 26, 2019 in order to complete Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #6-2018.
INDUSTRY CUTTERHEAD DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
R.S. WEEKS: The industry cutterhead dredge R.S. WEEKS (Weeks Marine) is presently dredging at Mile 0.58 BHP and is working on assignment from Mile 1.5 AHP to Mile 2.0 BHP on the western side of the channel. The R.S. WEEKS is scheduled to undergo needed repairs beginning tomorrow, the repairs are expected to require 5-7 days to complete. The cutterhead started dredging in SWP on December 15, 2018.
CAPTAIN FRANK: The industry cutterhead dredge CAPTAIN FRANK is presently dredging at Mile 15.19 BHP. The cutterhead resumed working on assignment from Mile 10.5 BHP to Mile 17.8 BHP (R.S. WEEKS initial assignment) on February 23, 2019.
