11
Jul
The USACE held a Navigation Restoration Team Conference today.
Highlights from today’s conference:
NWS/NOAA – (See attached for full briefing package)
Changes from last update:
Potential Tropical Cyclone 2 upgraded to Tropical Storm Barry.
Tropical Storm Warning has been issued from the mouth of the Pearl River to Morgan City.
Tropical Storm Watch has been expanded east to the MS/AL border. This includes Lake Pontchartrain and the New Orleans metro.
A Storm Surge warning is now in effect from Shell Beach to the Atchafalaya.
Storm Surge Watch is in effect from Shell Beach to the MS/AL border, does not include Lake Pontchartrain.
Overview:
- Tropical Storm Barry is a messy system but is expected to slowly strengthen up to landfall.
- This system is expected to produce impacts to portions of southeastern Louisiana and southern Mississippi. However, confidence on storm strength and movement still remains LOW at this time.
Possible Impacts:
- Rainfall totals of 10 to 15 inches are possible through Monday, with a high chance of locally higher amounts leading to life threatening flash flooding.
- Higher than normal tides and gusty winds will also be possible depending on the eventual track, size and strength of the system.
- Coastal Flooding will become an issue as storm surge is expected to develop with this system.
- Storm surge values of 3 to 6 feet are possible in the warning area, 2 to 4 feet in the watch area, and 1 to 3 feet inside Lake Pontchartrain and Maurepas.
- Additionally, a few weak/brief tornadoes may be possible, especially near coastal areas of southeastern Louisiana and southern Mississippi today and this threat will persist through Saturday.
- New Orleans Carrollton Gage Forecast reduced to 19’ late Friday into Saturday.
USACE
- RNA activated. Vessels are locking through to clear IHNC and Harvey/Algiers Canals.
- Potential still exists for overtopping at IHNC lock and possibly Harvey lock.
- Harvey lock is now closed.
- IHNC to be closed this evening after vessels lock through.
- Empire lock and sector gates closing.
- Dredges in the vicinity of SWP are still working.
- There are no plans to open more gates at Bonne Carre based on the current forecast.
USCG
- Port Condition Whiskey set yesterday.
- Expect Port Condition X-Ray this morning with rapid escalate to Yankee this afternoon and Zulu (Closure of Port) on Friday.
- RNA – If people plan to stay they need to report to the COTP.
Links:
- Port Condition Whiskey (Click here)
- Port Condition X-Ray (Click here)
- Port Condition Yankee (Click here)
- Port Condition Zulu (Click here)
Reminder:
All self-propelled ocean going vessels over 500 Gross Tons, all oceangoing barges, and their supporting tugs below the Huey P. Long Bridge at MM 106 Above Head of Passes (AHP) on the Lower Mississippi River (LMR) are required to submit a Remaining In Port Checklist (RIPC) in accordance with the MHCPP prior to 1500 local time, July 11, 2019.
Vessels are only required to submit the first page of the RIPC reporting tool. Vessels are not required to submit additional mooring plans.
So…
So…
- Vessels shall complete the Remaining in Port Checklist (Click here). For the Ocean Barges and Tugs Checklist (Click here).
- Vessels should keep the Checklist on board and available for inspection from any USCG official.
- Vessels must fill out and submit page one of Remain In Port Checklist Reporting Tool (Click here).
- Submit page one fax or e-mail the reporting tool to the Vessel Traffic Service at (504) 365-2519 or e-mail to: D08-PF-VTSNEWORLEANS-LMR@USCG.MIL
(Note: Right click on the “Click here” and then “Open Link”.)
Levee Districts
- Closing all river gates on flood walls in Orleans Parish.
- Will keep Felocity Gate open as long as possible.
PORTS
- Monitoring.
Pilots
- BAR –
- Operations have shutdown. Equipment has been evacuated.
- Oakville floodgate on HWY 23 to be closed at 2:00 pm.
- Will move equipment and people back down after the storm as soon as they can.
- CRPPA –
- Moving about 3 ships at this time. Having to re-anchor a ship at Boothville now.
- Very limited movement of ships at this time.
-
- NOBRA –
- In order to minimize the number of ships at anchorages which in-turn reduces the danger to the levees, the following applies:
- NOBRA will swap a ship from an anchorage to a dock, with a ship from that dock to that anchorage (one-for-one) in NOBRA area of responsibility AOR only.
- NOBRA will not move vessels up from the lower river to anchorages in their AOR.
- NOBRA will not shift a vessel from a dock to an anchorage if there’s no vessel in that anchorage that’s moving to that dock.
- In order to minimize the number of ships at anchorages which in-turn reduces the danger to the levees, the following applies:
- NOBRA –
- Federal –
- Moving 4 vessels from anchorage to dock.
- Sailing 1 vessel for cross-out at 1500-1700 this evening.
- Will shutdown ops after that vessel crosses-out.
TOWING INDUSTRY
- GICA – Monitoring.
- GNOBFA – Monitoring.
Attachments:
