The Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley New Orleans (MVN) continues responding to shoaling in Southwest Pass (SWP) deposited by elevated river stages that began in November 2018. There are two government hopper dredges (WHEELER and McFARLAND) working under Red Flag Emergency Call Outs. The MVN intends to open 38 of the 350 gates (bays) at the Bonnet Carre´ Spillway tomorrow (Wednesday, February 27, 2019) as the trigger point flow of 1.25 million cubic feet per second is anticipated.
TRANSIT RESTRICTIONS AT SOUTHWEST PASS:
The Crescent River Ports Pilots Association (CRPPA) maximum draft recommendation remains 45 feet (freshwater) with the caveat of high tide transits for vessels over 44 feet. There is also a one-way transit limitation for two vessels with drafts 40 feet or greater between Mile 4.5 Above Head of Passes (AHP) to Mile 1.5 AHP.
“-45’ft maximum draft, high tide with anything over 44’ft.
-One way with two vessels of 40’ft or greater between mile 1.5 to 4.5.”
The Bar Pilots maximum draft recommendation remains at 44 feet (freshwater) in response to severe shoaling in Southwest Pass. This remains the controlling draft for all vessels transiting Southwest Pass.
INDUSTRY HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
TERRAPIN ISLAND: The industry hopper dredge TERRAPIN ISLAND (Great Lakes Dredge & Dock) is dredging at Cubits Gap from Mile 4 AHP to Mile 2 AHP. The TERRAPIN ISLAND began dredging under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #5-2019 on February 19, 2019.
GLENN EDWARDS: The industry hopper dredge GLENN EDWARDS (Manson Construction) is dredging from at the Head of Passes from Mile 1.0 AHP to Mile 1.0 Below Head of Passes (BHP) on the eastern side of the channel. The GLENN EDWARDS commenced dredging on December 18, 2018 and is working under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #6-2018. The MVN was able to modify the GLENN EDWARDS contract and the hopper dredge will now continue dredging until March 4th. The hopper dredge is scheduled to return in approximately three weeks to complete time on this contract.
NEWPORT: The hopper dredge NEWPORT (Manson Construction) is dredging on the jetty end of Southwest Pass from approximately Mile 18 BHP to Mile 19.5 BHP under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #1-2019. The NEWPORT began dredging in SWP on November 28, 2018. The MVN intends to exercise the options on the NEWPORT’s contract to keep the hopper dredge working until approximately May 15th.
STUYVESANT: The industry hopper dredge STUYVESANT (Dutra Group) is expected to begin dredging under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #6-2019 next week.
GOVERNMENT HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP): RED FLAG EMERGENCY CALL OUTS
McFARLAND: The Corps’ hopper dredge McFARLAND is dredging at the Venice Jump from Mile 10.5 AHP to Mile 10 AHP under Red Flag Emergency Call Out #2-2019. The McFARLAND began working under Red Flag assignment on February 8, 2019, the Red Flag was approved for 45-days (maximum) after no bids were received to Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #3-2019.
WHEELER: The Corps’ hopper dredge WHEELER is presently conducted repairs and being refueled at the Corps’ dock in New Orleans. The WHEELER began working under under Red Flag Emergency Call Out #3-2019 on February 20, 2019 (30 days).
CUTTERHEAD DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
R.S. WEEKS: The industry cutterhead dredge R.S. WEEKS (Weeks Marine) is presently at Mile 1.19 AHP and is dredging on assignment from Mile 1.5 AHP to Mile 2.0 BHP on the western side of the channel. The cutterhead started dredging in SWP on December 15, 2018.
CAPTAIN FRANK: The industry cutterhead dredge CAPTAIN FRANK is presently dredging at Mile 14.1 BHP. The cutterhead is working on assignment from Mile 10.5 BHP to Mile 17.8 BHP.
Weeks Marine will determine which of the two cutterheads will return to complete the assignment at the Hopper Dredge Disposal Area (Head of Passes) after the present assignments are completed.
The river crested on the Carrollton Gauge (New Orleans) at 15.61 feet at 1200 hours on January 23, 2019 and the new long-range forecasts predict an upcoming crest of 17.0 feet on March 18, 2019. The future predictions indicate the crest remaining at 17 feet based on the operation of the Bonnet Carre´ Spillway as a flood control structure.
The Carrollton Gauge (New Orleans) reading at 0700 hours was 15.34 feet with a 24-hour change of + 0.23 feet.
The Baton Rouge Gauge reading at 1000 hours was 39.55 feet with a 24-hour change of + 0.77 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.
Please see the attached reports for complete details related to transit restrictions and dredge assignments.
Lower Mississippi River (LMR) Dredging Update 22619
The Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley New Orleans (MVN) continues responding to shoaling in Southwest Pass (SWP) deposited by elevated river stages that began in November 2018. There are two government hopper dredges (WHEELER and McFARLAND) working under Red Flag Emergency Call Outs. The MVN intends to open 38 of the 350 gates (bays) at the Bonnet Carre ́ Spillway tomorrow (Wednesday, February 27, 2019) as the trigger point flow of 1.25 million cubic feet per second is anticipated.
TRANSIT RESTRICTIONS AT SOUTHWEST PASS:
The Crescent River Ports Pilots Association (CRPPA) maximum draft recommendation remains 45 feet (freshwater) with the caveat of high tide transits for vessels over 44 feet. There is also a one-way transit limitation for two vessels with drafts 40 feet or greater between Mile 4.5 Above Head of Passes (AHP) to Mile 1.5 AHP.
“-45’ft maximum draft, high tide with anything over 44’ft.
-One way with two vessels of 40’ft or greater between mile 1.5 to 4.5.”
The Bar Pilots maximum draft recommendation remains at 44 feet (freshwater) in response to severe shoaling in Southwest Pass. This remains the controlling draft for all vessels transiting Southwest Pass.
The Bar and Federal Pilots continue to utilize the flocculation-based transit restriction for all inbound vessels arriving Southwest Pass with a freshwater draft of 38-feet or greater. Inbound vessels with a draft of 38-feet or greater can only allowed enter SWP “between 3 hours after low tide, to 3 hours after high tide at SWP.”
INDUSTRY HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
TERRAPIN ISLAND: The industry hopper dredge TERRAPIN ISLAND (Great Lakes Dredge & Dock) is dredging at Cubits Gap from Mile 4 AHP to Mile 2 AHP. The TERRAPIN ISLAND began dredging under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #5-2019 on February 19, 2019.
GLENN EDWARDS: The industry hopper dredge GLENN EDWARDS (Manson Construction) is dredging from at the Head of Passes from Mile 1.0 AHP to Mile 1.0 Below Head of Passes (BHP) on the eastern side of the channel. The GLENN EDWARDS commenced dredging on December 18, 2018 and is working under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #6-2018. The MVN was able to modify the GLENN EDWARDS contract and the hopper dredge will now continue dredging until March 4th. The hopper dredge is scheduled to return in approximately three weeks to complete time on this contract.
INDUSTRY HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP): (continued)
NEWPORT: The hopper dredge NEWPORT (Manson Construction) is dredging on the jetty end of Southwest Pass from approximately Mile 18 BHP to Mile 19.5 BHP under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #1-2019. The NEWPORT began dredging in SWP on November 28, 2018. The MVN intends to exercise the options on the NEWPORT’s contract to keep the hopper dredge working until approximately May 15th.
STUYVESANT: The industry hopper dredge STUYVESANT (Dutra Group) is expected to begin dredging under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #6-2019 next week.
GOVERNMENT HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP): RED FLAG CALL OUTS
McFARLAND: The Corps’ hopper dredge McFARLAND is dredging at the Venice Jump from Mile 10.5 AHP to Mile 10 AHP under Red Flag Emergency Call Out #2-2019. The McFARLAND began working under Red Flag assignment on February 8, 2019, the Red Flag was approved for 45-days (maximum) after no bids were received to Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #3-2019.
WHEELER: The Corps’ hopper dredge WHEELER is presently conducted repairs and being refueled at the Corps’ dock in New Orleans. The WHEELER began working under under Red Flag Emergency Call Out #3- 2019 on February 20, 2019 (30 days).
CUTTERHEAD DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
R.S. WEEKS: The industry cutterhead dredge R.S. WEEKS (Weeks Marine) is presently at Mile 1.19 AHP and is dredging on assignment from Mile 1.5 AHP to Mile 2.0 BHP on the western side of the channel. The cutterhead started dredging in SWP on December 15, 2018.
CAPTAIN FRANK: The industry cutterhead dredge CAPTAIN FRANK is presently dredging at Mile 14.1 BHP. The cutterhead is working on assignment from Mile 10.5 BHP to Mile 17.8 BHP.
MVN HOPPER DREDGE CONTRACTS HISTORY FY 2019:
- Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #6-2018 awarded to Manson Construction (NEWPORT to GLENN EDWARDS).
- Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #1-2019 awarded to Manson Construction (GLENN EDWARDS to NEWPORT).
- Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #2-2019 no bids, WHEELER on Red Flag Emergency Call Out #1-2019 (30-days) completed.
- Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #3-2019 no bids, McFARLAND Red Flag Emergency Call Out #2-2019 (45-days).
- Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #4-2019 no bids, WHEELER Red Flag Call Out #3-2019 (30 days).
- Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #5-2019 one non-awardable bid, converted through the Request for Proposal process and awarded to Great Lakes Dredge & Dock (TERRAPIN ISLAND).
- Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #6-2019, was awarded to the Dutra Group for the hopper dredge STUYVESANT.
