The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) continues Fiscal Year 2024 (FY 24) channel maintenance dredging with the dustpan dredges WALLACE McGEORGE and HURLEY working on the Crossings and the industry hopper dredge GLENN EDWARDS (Manson Construction) working in Southwest Pass. The dustpan dredges are focusing on restoring the central 250 feet of the channel (half channel width), the authorized channel width is 500 feet.
DUSTPAN DREDGES WORKING ON THE CROSSINGS ABOVE NEW ORLEANS:
HURLEY: The government dustpan dredge HURLEY continues dredging full channel width (500 feet) at Red Eye Crossing (Mile 224 Above Head of Passes [AHP]). The dustpan began dredging at Red Eye Crossing on June 17, 2024.
WALLACE McGEORGE: The industry dustpan dredge WALLACE McGEORGE (Pine Bluff Sand & Gravel) continues dredging the central 250 feet of channel width on assignment at Granada Crossing (Mile 205 AHP). The dustpan dredge began dredging for the FY 24 season at Alhambra Crossing on June 14, 2024.
JADWIN: The government dustpan dredge JADWIN is expected to begin dredging on the Crossings early next week.
INDUSTRY HOPPER DREDGES WORKING IN THE AREA OF SOUTHWEST PASS:
GLENN EDWARDS: The GLENN EDWARDS (Manson Construction) is dredging on assignment from Mile 10.5 AHP to Mile 9.3 AHP. The GLENN EDWARDS began work under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Contract #2-2023 a Fiscal Year 2023 Early Award Hopper Contract on March 4, 2024.
MAXIMUM DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS PER PILOT ASSOCIATION:
(UNCHANGED SINCE July 7, 2023)
The updated maximum draft recommendation for each Pilot Association as adjusted by the Mississippi River Ship Channel Deepening is detailed below:
Associated Branch Pilots of the Port of New Orleans (Bar Pilots): The Bar Pilots returned their maximum draft recommendation to 50 feet (freshwater) on July 6, 2023. The Bar Pilots originally increased their maximum draft recommendation to 50 feet (freshwater) on March 16, 2022, prior to the temporary reduction to 49 feet from May 22 to July 6 (2023).
Crescent River Port Pilots Association (CRPPA): The CPPRA raised their maximum draft recommendation to 50 feet (freshwater) in coordination with the Bar Pilots on July 7, 2023, after also temporarily reducing their maximum draft to 49 feet (freshwater).
New Orleans Baton Rouge Steamship Pilots Association (NOBRA): The NOBRA returned their maximum draft recommendation to 50 feet (freshwater) from Mile 175 AHP to Mile 88 AHP on July 7, 2023. The maximum draft recommendation from Mile 175 to 180 remains 47 feet and from Mile 180 to Mile 233.8 it remains 45 feet.
Associated Federal Pilots and Docking Masters of Louisiana (Federal Pilots): The Federal Pilots increased their maximum draft recommendations to the following to match the draft adjustment to 50 feet by the other Pilot Associations.
- 50 feet from Sea Buoy to Mile 175 AHP
- 45 feet Mile 175 AHP to 232.4 AHP
- 40 feet Mile 232.4 AHP to 233.8 AHP
The controlling maximum freshwater draft for the MRSC from Mile 175 AHP (Smoke Bend) to the Southwest Pass Sea Buoy is 50 feet (freshwater) remains unadjusted since July 7, 2023.
Mississippi River Stages and Forecast Updates:
The Carrollton Gage (New Orleans) reading at 1200 hours today was 4.65 feet with a 24-hour change of – 0.04 feet. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service Extended Streamflow Prediction (28-Day) for the Carrollton Gage issued today forecasts stages will begin a slow rise to 6.0 feet on July 21 and will then resume a slow fall to 3.9 feet on August 5 (2024).
The Baton Rouge Gage reading at 1200 hours was 14.56 feet with a 24-hour change of + 0.31 feet. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service Extended Streamflow Prediction (28-Day) for the Baton Rouge Gauge issued today forecasts stages will continue a slow rise to 19.6 feet on July 20 and then begin a slow fall to 14.3 feet on August 5 (2024).
