The Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley New Orleans (MVN) continues to address the shoaling on the Crossings Above New Orleans. The MVN is working to restore full channel dimensions on the Crossings with the three dustpan dredges. Federally authorized channel dimensions on the Crossings Above New Orleans are 45 feet by 500 feet.
Dredging Operations at Alhambra Crossing:
JADWIN: The Corps’ dustpan dredge JADWIN continues dredging full channel dimensions (500 feet) at Philadelphia Crossing (Mile 183 AHP). The JADWIN is scheduled to begin dredging full channel dimensions (500 feet) at Alhambra Crossing (Mile 192 AHP) on Wednesday, October 3, 2018. The NOBRA and Federal Pilots will not anchor vessels in the White Castle Anchorage (Mile 191.1 AHP to Mile 190.4 AHP) after 1200 hours (noon) on Wednesday, October 3, 2018. The Pilots will not use the White Castle Anchorage until the dredge has completed this assignment to promote navigational safety and allow the dredge to work without interruption. The assignment at Alhambra Crossing typically lasts two to three weeks. The JADWIN began dredging on the Crossings on Thursday, May 10, 2018.
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.
Please see the below report for complete details on dredge assignments.
DUSTPAN DREDGES ON THE CROSSINGS ABOVE NEW ORLEANS:
WALLACE McGEORGE: The industry dustpan dredge WALLACE McGEORGE completed work on the Port Allen Lock forebay and resumed dredging at Baton Rouge Front (Mile 229 Above Head of Passes [AHP]). The WALLACE McGEORGE commenced dredging on the Crossings on Friday, May 11, 2018.
HURLEY: The Corps’ dustpan dredge HURLEY continues dredging full channel dimensions (500 feet) at Red Eye Crossing (Mile 224 AHP). The dustpan dredge began dredging on the Crossings on Wednesday, May 16, 2018.
JADWIN: The Corps’ dustpan dredge JADWIN continues dredging full channel dimensions (500 feet) at Philadelphia Crossing (Mile 183 AHP).
The JADWIN began dredging on the Crossings on Thursday, May 10, 2018.
full channel dimensions (500 feet) at Alhambra Crossing (Mile 192 AHP) on Wednesday, October 3, 2018. The NOBRA and Federal Pilots will not anchor vessels in the White Castle Anchorage (Mile 191.1 AHP to Mile 190.4 AHP) after 1200 hours (noon) on Wednesday, October 3, 2018. The Pilots will not use the White Castle Anchorage until the dredge has completed this assignment to promote navigational safety and allow the dredge to work without interruption. The assignment at Alhambra Crossing typically lasts two to three weeks.
GOVERNMENT HOPPER DREDGE AT SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
WHEELER: The MVN’s hopper dredge WHEELER completed Readiness Exercise #4-2018 as scheduled on September 27th. Readiness Exercise #4-2018 was the WHEELER’s last Readiness Exercise of 2018 and is not expected to be utilized until the next highwater event on the LMR.
SOUTHWEST PASS STONE FORESHORE DIKE and STONE JETTY REPAIRS:
The MVN received supplemental funding that enabled a contract to be awarded to EFT Diversified, Inc. to conduct critical repairs to the foreshore rock and jetties in SWP ranging from the Head of Passes (Mile 0) to Mile 20.2 BHP. The equipment and stone barges continue to arrive, the work began at Mile 4.2 BHP on the right descending bank (west side) on Saturday, September 22, 2018. The stone placement operations then relocated downriver and are working in the vicinity of Mile 15 BHP on the left descending bank (east side).
The contract is expected to take approximately one year to complete. All work and equipment are expected to remain inside the wing dams (lateral pile dikes), therefore, no transit restrictions are expected.
