The Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley New Orleans (MVN) continues responding to active shoaling in Southwest Pass (SWP) deposited by high river stages (flood event). There are three industry hopper dredges, two industry cutterhead dredges and one government hopper dredge working in SWP. There are two additional industry hopper dredges expected to arrive in SWP next week. The MVN continues to operate the Bonnet Carré Spillway to ensure the maximum flow at New Orleans remains below 1.25 million cubic feet per second, 196 of the 350 bays remain open.
UPDATED: TRANSIT RESTRICTIONS AT SOUTHWEST PASS:
The Bar Pilots maximum draft recommendation was reduced to 41 feet (freshwater) in response to severe shoaling at the Head of Passes on the evening of Monday, March 4, 2019. This is the controlling draft for all vessels transiting Southwest Pass.
The Crescent River Port Pilot Safe Navigation Committee set a maximum recommended draft of 41 feet for their area of responsibility on March 11, 2019.
The Bar and Federal Pilots have both now rescinded their flocculation-based transit restriction for all inbound vessels arriving Southwest Pass with a freshwater draft of 38-feet or greater. The official Notice from the Bar Pilots is attached.
GOVERNMENT HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
RED FLAG EMERGENCY CALL OUTS:
WHEELER: MVN’s hopper dredge WHEELER is presently dredging in the area of the Head of Passes (Mile 0.7 AHP to Mile 0.2 AHP). The WHEELER began working under Red Flag Emergency Call Out #3-2019 (30-days) on March 1, 2019.
INDUSTRY HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
STUYVESANT: The industry hopper dredge STUYVESANT (Dutra Group) is dredging in the area of Cubits Gap (Mile 3.5 Above Head of Passes [AHP] to Mile 3.0 AHP). The STUYVESANT began dredging in SWP on Thursday, March 7, 2019 under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #6-2019.
TERRAPIN ISLAND: The industry hopper dredge TERRAPIN ISLAND (Great Lakes Dredge & Dock) is dredging on assignment at the Head of Passes (Mile 0.2 AHP to Mile 1.1 Below Head of Passes [BHP]). The hopper dredge is expected to take on fuel tomorrow. The TERRAPIN ISLAND began dredging under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #5-2019 on February 17, 2019.
NEWPORT: Thehopper dredge NEWPORT (Manson Construction) is presently dredging from Mile 4.4 BHP TO Mile 5.4 BHP. The NEWPORT is working 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 in SWP until early June.
GLENN EDWARDS: The industry hopper dredge is expected to resume dredging in SWP on March 27, 2019 in order to complete Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #6-2018.
BAYPORT: The industry hopper dredge is expected to begin working under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #7-2019 on March 27, 2019.
The Carrollton Gauge (New Orleans) reading at 1600 hours was 16.80 feet with a 24-hour change of + 0.04 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 report for complete details related to dredge assignments.
Lower Mississippi River (LMR) Dredging Update 31819
The Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley New Orleans (MVN) continues responding to active shoaling in Southwest Pass (SWP) deposited by high river stages (flood event). There are three industry hopper dredges, two industry cutterhead dredges and one government hopper dredge working in SWP. There are two additional industry hopper dredges expected to arrive in SWP next week. The MVN continues to operate the Bonnet Carré Spillway to ensure the maximum flow at New Orleans remains below 1.25 million cubic feet per second, 196 of the 350 bays remain open.
UPDATED: TRANSIT RESTRICTIONS AT SOUTHWEST PASS:
The Bar Pilots maximum draft recommendation was reduced to 41 feet (freshwater) in response to severe shoaling at the Head of Passes on the evening of Monday, March 4, 2019. This is the controlling draft for all vessels transiting Southwest Pass.
The Crescent River Port Pilot Safe Navigation Committee set a maximum recommended draft of 41 feet for their area of responsibility on March 11, 2019.
The Bar and Federal Pilots have both now rescinded their flocculation-based transit restriction for all inbound vessels arriving Southwest Pass with a freshwater draft of 38-feet or greater. The official Notice from the Bar Pilots is attached.
GOVERNMENT HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP): RED FLAG EMERGENCY CALL OUTS:
WHEELER: MVN’s hopper dredge WHEELER is presently dredging in the area of the Head of Passes (Mile 0.7 AHP to Mile 0.2 AHP). The WHEELER began working under Red Flag Emergency Call Out #3-2019 (30-days) on March 1, 2019.
INDUSTRY HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
STUYVESANT: The industry hopper dredge STUYVESANT (Dutra Group) is dredging in the area of Cubits Gap (Mile 3.5 Above Head of Passes [AHP] to Mile 3.0 AHP). The STUYVESANT began dredging in SWP on Thursday, March 7, 2019 under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #6-2019.
TERRAPINISLAND: TheindustryhopperdredgeTERRAPINISLAND(GreatLakesDredge & Dock) is dredging on assignment at the Head of Passes (Mile 0.2 AHP to Mile 1.1 Below Head of Passes [BHP]). The hopper dredge is expected to take on fuel tomorrow. The TERRAPIN ISLAND began dredging under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #5-2019 on February 17, 2019.
NEWPORT: ThehopperdredgeNEWPORT(MansonConstruction)ispresentlydredgingfrom Mile 4.4 BHP TO Mile 5.4 BHP. The NEWPORT is working 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 in SWP until early June.
GLENN EDWARDS: The industry hopper dredge is expected to resume dredging in SWP on March 27, 2019 in order to complete Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #6-2018.
BAYPORT: The industry hopper dredge is expected to begin working under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #7-2019 on March 27, 2019.
CUTTERHEAD DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
R.S. WEEKS: The industry cutterhead dredge R.S. WEEKS (Weeks Marine) continues to undergo repairs but is expected to return to dredging at approximately Mile 0.73 BHP by March 25, 2019. The cutterhead will continue the 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 15.55 BHP. The cutterhead resumed working on assignment from Mile 10.5 BHP to Mile 17.8 BHP (R.S. WEEKS initial assignment) on February 23, 2019.
RE: SOUTHWEST PASS, RECOMMENDED DRAFT LIMITATION
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
Effective immediately , the restriction dated January 31, 2019, is rescinded immediately.
“Effective 10:00 hrs, March 17, 2019, The Associated Branch Pilots rescind the high tide restriction for vessels with a deep freshwater draft of 38′ or greater, dated January 31, 2019.”
