The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) continues working to restore the deficient reaches of the Mississippi River Ship Channel with two industry hopper dredges, a government hopper dredge and one  industry cutterhead dredge.  The industry hopper dredges GLENN EDWARDS and NEWPORT, the government hopper dredge WHEELER and the cutterhead dredge CAPTAIN FRANK are all working in the area of Southwest Pass.

 

The MVN received an awardable bid from the Dutra Group to the bid opening for Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract No. #5-2020 today.  Dutra’s hopper dredge STUYVESANT will be under contract to arrive in Southwest Pass by May 20, 2020. The MVN continues to review the four bids received on April 21, 2020 to the advertisement of Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract No. #3-2020.  This advertisement was for a large hopper dredge to arrive in January 2021.  The bids received remain under review, based on the reporting time this process may take longer than usual to resolve.

 

SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP) TRANSIT RESTRICTIONS:

 

The Bar Pilots and Crescent Pilots increased their maximum draft recommendation to 43 feet (freshwater) today, the Bar Pilots increase went into effect immediately (Notice attached) and the Crescent Pilots adjustment became effective at 1200 hours.  The controlling draft recommendation for SWP had been set at 42 feet since February 1, 2020.  

 

The Federal Pilots report anticipating a similar increase to 43 feet but remain at 42 feet freshwater for now.  The Federal Pilots plan to review the latest channel surveys provided by MVN overnight.

 

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

 

NEWPORT: The hopper dredge NEWPORT (Manson Construction) is dredging on assignment

from Mile 3.5 Above Head of Passes (AHP) to Mile 1.0 AHP.  The NEWPORT is dredging under the Gulf Coast Regional Hopper Dredge Contract 2020.  The NEWPORT began dredging under the first Gulf Coast Regional Hopper Dredge Contract 2020 on February 1, 2020.

 

GLENN EDWARDS: The GLENN EDWARDS (Manson Construction) is dredging on assignment in the area of the Head of Passes (Mile 1.0 AHP to Mile 2.0 Below Head of Passes [BHP]). The GLENN EDWARDS began dredging in Southwest Pass on March 20, 2020 under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #13-2019.

 

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

 

WHEELER:  The USACE’s hopper dredge WHEELER is dredging on assignment at the Jetty End of SWP (Mile 18.2 BHP to Mile 19.5 BHP). The WHEELER’s usage is approved under Red Flag Emergency Callout #1-2020 for 60 days of utilization in response to not receiving any bids to Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #2-2020 (February 6, 2020).  The WHEELER began dredging in Southwest Pass on March 28, 2020.

 

CUTTERHEAD DREDGE(S) IN THE AREA OF SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):

 

CAPTAIN FRANK: Weeks Marine’s cutterhead dredge CAPTAIN FRANK is dredging at Mile 5.82 BHP and working on assignment from Mile 4.9 BHP to Mile 6.3 BHP on the western side of the channel.  The cutterhead commenced dredging in Southwest Pass on January 24, 2020 under Southwest Pass Cutterhead Dredge Rental Contract #3-2019.

 

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

 

CAPTAIN FRANK:  The cutterhead dredge CAPTAIN FRANK (Weeks Marine) will resume dredging in the HDDA upon completion of their assignment in Southwest Pass.  The project is to beneficially place material removed from the HDDA in the Pass A’ Loutre Wildlife Management Area (PALWMA).  The cutterhead dredges have previously removed and beneficially utilized approximately 13.10 million cubic yards (mcy) of material from the HDDA and restored roughly 1,048 acres. Supplemental funding allowed the MVN to increase the amount of material to be removed from the HDDA to a total of 15.075 mcy.  When this project is completed later this year, approximately 1,200 acres will have been restored in the PALWMA.

 

The Carrollton Gauge (New Orleans) reading at 1100 hours today was 16.56 feet, with a 24-hour change of + 0.07 feet.

 

The Bonnet Carré Gauge (Mile 126.9 AHP) reading at 1100 hours today was 21.11 feet, with a 24-hour change of + 0.13 feet.

 

The Baton Rouge Gauge reading at 1200 hours today was 42.11 feet, with a 24-hour change of + 0.20 feet.