RE: CORPS’ MISSISSIPPI RIVER MAINTENANCE FORUM MEETING NOTES

LAMA Corps Mississippi River Maintenance Forum Meeting Notes 6519.pdf

The Corps’ Mississippi Valley New Orleans (MVN) holds monthly meetings to discuss channel conditions and related issues directly with the maritime industry. These meetings are usually scheduled for 0900 hours on the first Wednesday of the month. LAMA encourages our members to attend these meetings, which are open to the public (with advanced notice of attendance). The agenda for this meeting as provided by the MVN is attached.

1) Introductions

2) Southeast Waterways Update:

Tiger Pass: The MVN was awarded $9.5 million to dredge Tiger Pass in the Corps Fiscal Year 2019 Work Plan. Channel surveys of Tiger Pass were completed although the jetty end (Mile 12.5 to Mile 13.25) was too shallow to be accessed by survey vessel. The MVN estimated that approximately 2.7 million cubic yards (mcy) of material must be removed to restore the shallow-draft channel to near full channel dimensions based upon these surveys. Although, the funding is not expected to be sufficient to restore fully authorized channel dimensions, the MVN is reviewing their ability to combine this project with a Plaquemines Parish led Beneficial Use of Dredged Material (BUDMAT) restoration project.

Baptiste Collette: The Corps previously received $13.9 million in supplemental funding to perform dredging operations ($6.5 million) and rock work to fortify the jetties and channel boundaries ($7.4 million). The MVN then received an additional $3 million from the Corps Fiscal Year 2019 Work Plan. The latest channel surveys identified a controlling depth of approximately 4 feet on the west side of the channel near Mile 9.25 (jetty end) with 3-4 feet being added by the gauge. Crosby Dredging was awarded this cutterhead dredge contract and should commence dredging by early July.

The MVN also intends to issue a contract for the rock work late in FY 19. The Baptiste Collette foreshore rock channel borders will be repaired along with the jetties, the jetties could also be extended.

3) Mississippi River Conditions Update:

Current Stage New Orleans: 16.4 feet (16.51 feet at 1100 hours today)
* Projected crest to remain at 16.7 feet based on operation of the Bonnet Carré Spillway.

Current Stage Baton Rouge: 43.0 feet (43.49 feet at 1100 hours today)
* Projected to crest at 44.5 feet based on operation of the Morganza Floodway (Spillway).

* NOTE: The long-term Stage Forecasts are included in the attached agenda and based only on future rainfall over the next 48-hours only.

A. Crossings Between Baton Rouge and New Orleans:

The latest surveys for the Crossings Between Baton and New Orleans are included in the attached agenda. The surveys identify considerable shoaling on the Crossings as dredging continues with the dustpan dredges HURLEY and WALLACE McGEORGE. The MVN has indicated that they may be unable to maintain authorized channel dimensions on the Crossings when the river stages recede.

HURLEY: The Corps dustpan dredge HURLEY continues dredging at Red Eye Crossing (Mile 224 AHP).

WALLCE McGEORGE: The industry dustpan dredge WALLCE McGEORGE continues dredging at Alhambra Crossing (Mile 190.5 AHP). The White Castle Anchorage (Mile 191.1 AHP to Mile 190.4 AHP) will be off limits for vessel usage while dredging operations are conducted at Alhambra Crossing. The anchorage remains closed until Sunday, June 9, 2019 (estimated).

B. New Orleans Harbor:

The Port of New Orleans confirmed significant shoaling that is being buffered by the elevated river stages. The MVN intends to conduct dredging operations in the New Orleans Harbor when the stages recede below 12 feet (approximately).

C. Southwest Pass (SWP):

The MVN continues the effort to restore channel dimensions in SWP with two industry hopper dredges (NEWPORT and STUYVESANT) and the government hopper dredge WHEELER working under a Red Flag Emergency Callout. The Corps is working to award Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #10-2019 to the low bidder and may soon advertise another hopper dredge rental contract. The average annual cubic yardage for material removed from SWP is 19 million cubic yards (mcy) to date 31 mcy have been removed from SWP in Fiscal Year 2019– historic high water and historic high shoaling (The Great Flood of 2019).

D. Head of Passes, Hopper Dredge Disposal Area (HDDA):

The R.S. WEEKS previously removed approximately 2.5 mcy of material from the HDDA before moving to dredge in SWP on December 15, 2018. The R.S. WEEKS resumed the HDDA project on April 24, 2019. The cutterhead dredges have now removed and beneficially placed 4 million cubic yards of material in the Pass A’Loutre Wildlife Management Area.

E. Southwest Pass Stone Foreshore Dike & Jetty Repair:

A contract was awarded to EFT Diversified, Inc. on July 16, 2018 to make repairs to the foreshore rocks that protect the deep-draft channel in Southwest Pass. The rock placement operations continue, and the contractor is working closely with the Pilot Associations to assist in maintaining navigational safety around the rock placement operations.

4) Next Meeting:

The next Forum meeting is scheduled for 0900 hours on July 10, 2019, due to the Fourth of July Holiday, at the MVN District Assembly Room A.

CURRENT STAGES

New Orleans = 16.3’.

Baton Rouge = 43.0’

The next Forum Meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 10, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. in DARM A at the Corps of Engineers Headquarters Building.

1. CROSSINGS BETWEEN BATON ROUGE & NEW ORLEANS:

Location of dustpan/hopper dredges:

Dredge	Current	Next Week	EDC
Wallace McGeorge	Alhambra	Bayou Goula	TBD
Hurley	Redeye	Redeye	TBD

2. NEW ORLEANS HARBOR:

Location of cutterhead dredges: None.

3. SOUTHWEST PASS:

Location of hopper/cutterhead dredges:

Dredge	Current	Next Week	EDC
Wheeler	Mile 1.5 AHP to 1.5 BHP	SWP	7/20/19
Newport	Mile 5.0 AHP to 1.5 AHP	SWP	8/20/19
Stuyvesant	Mile 5.0 BHP to 5.5 BHP	SWP	6/14/19

a. SWP Cutterhead #1-2019 (19C0010) –Weeks Marine. Dredging commenced on 12/15/18 and completed on 5/23/19.

b. SWP Hopper #1-2019 (19C0011) –Manson Construction, Dredge Newport. Dredging commenced on 12/18/18. Estimated date of completion is 6/8/19.

c. SWP Hopper #6-2019 (19C0021) –The Dutra Group, Dredge Stuyvesant. Dredging commenced on 3/7/19. Estimated date of completion is 6/13/19.

d. SWP Hopper #7-2019 (19C0024) – Manson Construction, Dredge Glenn Edwards. Dredging commenced on 3/31/19. Estimated date of completion is 6/2/19.

e. Wheeler Readiness Exercise #2 – 5/21/19 – 6/3/19

f. SWP Hopper #8-2019 (19C0038) – Bid Opening was held on 5/7/19 and contract awarded to Manson Construction, Dredge Newport. Dredging scheduled to commence on 6/8/19.

g. SWP Hopper #10-2019 (19B0010) – Bid Opening was held on 5/30/19.

4. HEAD OF PASSES, HOPPER DREDGE DISPOSAL AREA:

Location of cutterhead dredges:

Dredge	Current	Next Week	EDC
RS Weeks	HDDA	HDDA	TBD

a. HDDA Dredging #1-2018 (18C0045): Bid Opening held on 9/6/18. Contract awarded to Weeks Marine on 9/10/18. Dredge RS Weeks commenced dredging on 11/3/18. Dredge RS Weeks was temporarily released from the HDDA contract to work in SWP. Dredging resumed on 4/26/19.

5. SOUTHWEST PASS STONE FORESHORE DIKE & JETTY REPAIRS

a. Contract awarded to EFT Diversified, Inc on 7/16/18. Task Order awarded on 8/16/18. Repair work commenced on 9/22/18.

6. SOUTH PASS:

a. South Pass last dredging completed in 2007.

7. BAPTISTE COLLETTE:

a. Baptiste Collette: Bid Opening held on 4/9/19. Awarded to Crosby Dredging on 5/16/19.

8. TIGER PASS:

a. Tiger Pass last dredging completed on 11/5/12.

-For updated channel survey data visit the New Orleans District website:

http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/Missions/Navigation/ChannelSurveys.aspx

Note: Everything in this report is subject to change.