The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) completed the Phase 1 dredging for the historic project to deepen the Mississippi River Ship Channel (MRSC) to 50 feet on May 7, 2021. The Phase 1 section of the Ship Channel extends from Venice at Mile 13 Above Head of Passes (AHP) to Mile 22 Below Head of Passes (BHP).  The USACE uncovered some depth anomalies over three utility pipelines and one utility cable that cross under the Ship Channel in this Venice Corridor between Mile 12.0 AHP to Mile 11.0 AHP.  The USACE has reached out to the owners of the four obstructions and is attempting to gain integrity on the depth of the identified obstructions. The USACE is working to maintain or restore at least half of the authorized channel width or the central 250 feet of the channel on the Crossings. (Federally authorized channel dimensions on the Crossings remain 45 feet deep by 500 feet wide.)

DUSTPAN DREDGES WORKING ON THE CROSSINGS ABOVE NEW ORLEANS:

HURLEY: The government dustpan dredge HURLEY continues dredging full channel dimensions (500 feet) at Red Eye Crossing (Mile 224 AHP).  The HURLEY commenced dredging on the Crossings on Wednesday, May 26, 2021.

WALLACE McGEORGE: The industry dustpan dredge WALLACE McGEORGE continues dredging the central 250 feet of channel at Medora Crossing (Mile 212 AHP). The dustpan dredge began dredging on the Crossings on May 20, 2021.

JADWIN: The government dustpan resumed dredging the central 250 feet of channel at Granada Crossing (Mile 204 AHP) at 1700 hours on August 1, 2021. The JADWIN dredged on the Crossings from June 24 to July 17 (2021) before being released to complete repairs. 

CUTTERHEAD DREDGE WORKING IN THE NEW ORLEANS HARBOR:

C.R. McCASKILL: The industry cutterhead dredge C.R. McCASKILL is now dredging the forebay at the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal Lock (New Orleans).  The C.R. McCASKILL dredged in the New Orleans Harbor from July 11 to August 1, 2021.

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

ILLINOIS: The cutterhead dredge ILLINOIS (Great Lakes Dredge and Dock) has removed and beneficially utilized approximately 10.0 million cubic yards (mcy) of material from the HDDA under Hopper Dredge Disposal Area Cutterhead Rental Contract #1-2019. The contract includes the removal of 10 mcy in the base and the USACE recently awarded options to add an additional 2 mcy to this assignment. The project is expected to be completed by late September (2022). The material is beneficially being used in the West Bay Receiving Area through a submerged dredge pipeline that will have to be removed up completion of the project. The pipeline retrieval will require at least one complete closure on the Ship Channel in the immediate vicinity of the submerged pipeline (Mile 2.0 AHP to Mile 0 – the Head of Passes).

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

ILLINOIS: The cutterhead dredge ILLINOIS (Great Lakes Dredge and Dock) has removed and beneficially utilized approximately 10.0 million cubic yards (mcy) of material from the HDDA under Hopper Dredge Disposal Area Cutterhead Rental Contract #1-2019. The contract includes the removal of 10 mcy in the base and the USACE recently awarded options to add an additional 2 mcy to this assignment. The project is expected to be completed by late September (2022). The material is beneficially being used in the West Bay Receiving Area through a submerged dredge pipeline that will have to be removed up completion of the project. The pipeline retrieval will require at least one complete closure on the Ship Channel in the immediate vicinity of the submerged pipeline (Mile 2.0 AHP to Mile 0 – the Head of Passes).

MISSISSIPPI RIVER STAGE UPDATES:

The Carrollton Gauge (New Orleans) reading at 1400 hours today was 7.55 feet with a 24-hour change of – 0.53 feet.  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service Extended Streamflow Prediction (28-Day) for the Carrollton Gauge issued today forecasts stages will continue a slow steady fall the next week and then remain steady (4.6 feet) for a week and then resume a slow fall to 3.3 feet on August 30 (2021).

The highest crest recorded on the Carrollton Gauge in 2021 to date is 15.44 feet at 1700 hours on April 16, 2021.

The Baton Rouge Gauge reading at 1500 hours today was 23.20 feet with a 24-hour change of – 1.33 feet. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service Extended Streamflow Prediction (28-Day) for the Baton Rouge Gauge issued today predicts stages will continue a slow fall next week and then remain steady (16.4 feet) for a week and then resume a slow fall to 12.4 feet on August 30 (2021).