LMR Dredging Update 81919.pdf

The Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley New Orleans (MVN) continues dredging operations in response to active shoaling deposited by historic long-term high river stages (record flood event created by record precipitation levels). There are two hopper dredges and two cutterhead dredges working in the area of Southwest Pass and three dustpan dredges and one hopper dredge working on the Crossings Above New Orleans.

 

UPDATED: TRANSIT RESTRICTIONS AT SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):              

1. The Bar Pilots maximum draft recommendation was increased to 45 feet (freshwater) at 1000 hours on Friday, August 16, 2019.   The official Notice from the Bar Pilots is attached.
2. The Crescent River Port Pilots maximum draft recommendation was also increased to 45 feet (freshwater) on Friday, August 16, 2019.
3. The Federal Pilots maximum draft recommendation was also. Increased. To 45 feet (freshwater).

 

INDUSTRY HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):

 NEWPORT:  The industry hopper dredge NEWPORT (Manson Construction) is dredging from Mile 7.0 Below Head of Passes (BHP) to Mile 8.0 BHP.  The NEWPORT is dredging under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #8-2019, this contract could be completed by the end of August but the MVN has options to extend this contract.

 STUYVESANT:  The industry hopper dredge STUYVESANT (Dutra Group) is dredging on assignment from Mile 17. BHP to Mile 18 BHP. The STUYVESANT began dredging under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #10-2019 on June 14, 2019 and is expected to continue dredging on this contract until October 1, 2019.

 

CUTTERHEAD DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):

 C.R. McCASKILL: Weeks Marine’s cutterhead dredge C.R. McCASKILL is dredging at Mile 2.69 BHP on assignment from Mile 2.5 BHP to Mile 3.4. BHP on the western side of the channel.

The cutterhead began dredging on July 24, 2019 under Southwest Pass Cutterhead Dredge Rental Contract #2-2019.

 CAPTAIN FRANK: Weeks Marine’s cutterhead dredge CAPTAIN FRANK is dredging at Mile 15.71 BHP on the assignment from Mile 14.3 BHP to 18.0 BHP. The dredge began working on Southwest Pass Cutterhead Dredge Rental Contract #2-2019 on July 28, 2019.

 

CUTTERHEAD DREDGE(S) IN THE HOPPER DREDGE DISPOSAL AREA (HDDA):

R.S. WEEKS: The industry cutterhead dredge R.S. WEEKS (Weeks Marine) continues dredging at the HDDA, all material is being beneficially used in the Pass A’Loutre Wildlife Management Area (PALWMA).  The contract is to remove 12 million cubic yards (mcy) of material, approximately 7.25 mcy of material have now been beneficially utilized in the PALWMA.

 

DUSTPAN DREDGE(S) ON THE CROSSINGS ABOVE NEW ORLEANS:

HURLEY: The Corps dustpan dredge HURLEY continues dredging operations on the central 250 feet of channel at Red Eye Crossing (Mile 224 Above Head. Of Passes. [AHP}).  The government dustpan dredge commenced dredging on the Crossings on May 4, 2019.

WALLCE McGEORGE: The industry dustpan dredge WALLCE McGEORGE continues dredging the central 250 feet of channel at Alhambra Crossing (Mile 191 AHP).  The White Castle Anchorage (Mile 191.1 AHP to Mile 190.4 AHP) is off limits for vessel usage while the WALLACE Mc GEORGE is working at Alhambra Crossing.  The NOBRA and Federal Pilots will not anchor any ships in White Castle Anchorage until dredging operations are completed.  The industry dustpan dredge commenced dredging on the Crossings on May 9, 2019.

JADWIN: The Corps dustpan dredge JADWIN commenced dredging operations on the central 250 feet at Smoke Bend Crossing (Mile 175 AHP) on Saturday, August 17, 2019. The government dustpan dredge commenced dredging on the Crossings on June 27, 2019.

 

GOVERNMENT HOPPER DREDGE(S) ON THE CROSSINGS ABOVE NEW ORLEANS):

 WHEELER: MVN’s hopper dredge WHEELER commenced dredging operations at Medora Crossing (Mile 2112 AHP) on Saturday, August 17, 2019 under Red Flag Emergency Call Out #6-2019 (45-days).

 

The Carrollton Gauge (New Orleans) reading at 1900 hours today was 7.83 feet, with a 24-hour change of – 0.53 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.

 

Southwest Pass Draft Is Now 45′