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 four industry hopper dredges, two industry cutterhead dredges and one government hopper dredge working in SWP. The MVN plans to close the final bays on the Bonnet Carré Spillway today to bring to an end the fourth longest operation of this flood control structure. The structure’s longest required period of operation since 1973.
UPDATED: TRANSIT RESTRICTIONS AT SOUTHWEST PASS
The Bar Pilots maximum draft recommendation was increased to 43 feet (freshwater) at 1000 hours today, Thursday, April 11, 209. The official notice from the Bar Pilots is attached.
The Crescent River Port Pilots’ also increased their maximum draft to 43 feet today, making 43 feet the controlling draft for vessels transiting the Mississippi River Ship Channel.
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 area of Cubits Gap (Mile 3.5 Above Head of Passes [AHP] to Mile 3.0 AHP). The WHEELER began working under Red Flag Emergency Call Out #4-2019 (30-days) on April 10, 2019.
INDUSTRY HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
NEWPORT: The hopper dredge NEWPORT (Manson Construction) is presently dredging from Mile 2.3 AHP to Mile 1.4 AHP. 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 June 4, 2019.
GLENN EDWARDS: The industry hopper dredge is dredging on assignment at the Head of Passes (approximately Mile 0.8 AHP to Mile 0.5 Below Head of Passes [BHP]). The GLENN EDWARDS resumed dredging in SWP on Sunday, March 31, 2019 under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #7-2019. The contract should be completed around May 29, 2019.
BAYPORT: The industry hopper dredge is dredging from Mile 4.2 BHP to Mile 4.8 BHP. The hopper began working under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #6-2018 on Sunday, March 31, 2019 (Manson Construction has utilized three dredges: NEWPORT to GLENN EDWARDS now to the BAYPORT to complete this contract). The BAYPORT is now expected to complete this contract on April 29, 2019.
STUYVESANT: The industry hopper dredge STUYVESANT (Dutra Group) is dredging on the jetty end of SWP (Mile 17.8 BHP to Mile 19.6 BHP). The STUYVESANT began dredging in SWP on Thursday, March 7, 2019 under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #6-2019. This contract should keep the STUYVESANT in SWP until June 9, 2019 (approximately)
The Carrollton Gauge (New Orleans) reading at 1400 hours was 16.11 feet with a 24-hour change of + 0.01 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 41119
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 four industry hopper dredges, two industry cutterhead dredges and one government hopper dredge working in SWP. The MVN plans to close the final bays on the Bonnet Carré Spillway today to bring to an end the fourth longest operation of this flood control structure. The structure’s longest required period of operation since 1973.
UPDATED: TRANSIT RESTRICTIONS AT SOUTHWEST PASS:
The Bar Pilots maximum draft recommendation was increased to 43 feet (freshwater) at 1000 hours today, Thursday, April 11, 209. The official notice from the Bar Pilots is attached.
The Crescent River Port Pilots’ also increased their maximum draft to 43 feet today, making 43 feet the controlling draft for vessels transiting the Mississippi River Ship Channel.
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 area of Cubits Gap (Mile 3.5 Above Head of Passes [AHP] to Mile 3.0 AHP). The WHEELER began working under Red Flag Emergency Call Out #4-2019 (30-days) on April 10, 2019.
INDUSTRY HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
NEWPORT: ThehopperdredgeNEWPORT(MansonConstruction)ispresentlydredgingfrom Mile 2.3 AHP to Mile 1.4 AHP. 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 June 4, 2019.
GLENN EDWARDS: The industry hopper dredge is dredging on assignment at the Head of Passes (approximately Mile 0.8 AHP to Mile 0.5 Below Head of Passes [BHP]). The GLENN EDWARDS resumed dredging in SWP on Sunday, March 31, 2019 under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #7-2019. The contract should be completed around May 29, 2019.
BAYPORT: The industry hopper dredge is dredging from Mile 4.2 BHP to Mile 4.8 BHP. The hopper began working under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #6-2018 on Sunday, March 31, 2019 (Manson Construction has utilized three dredges: NEWPORT to GLENN EDWARDS now to the BAYPORT to complete this contract). The BAYPORT is now expected to complete this contract on April 29, 2019.
INDUSTRY HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP): (continued)
STUYVESANT: TheindustryhopperdredgeSTUYVESANT(DutraGroup)isdredgingonthe jetty end of SWP (Mile 17.8 BHP to Mile 19.6 BHP). The STUYVESANT began dredging in SWP on Thursday, March 7, 2019 under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #6- 2019. This contract should keep the STUYVESANT in SWP until June 9, 2019 (approximately)
CUTTERHEAD DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
R.S. WEEKS: The industry cutterhead dredge R.S. WEEKS (Weeks Marine) is presently dredging at approximately Mile 1.70 BHP. The cutterhead is working 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 17.53 BHP on the eastern channel edge. The cutterhead began working on this assignment from Mile 10.5 BHP to Mile 17.8 BHP on February 23, 2019 (R.S. WEEKS initial assignment). The CAPTAIN FRANK is expected to complete this assignment by Saturday and relocate to an assignment from Mile 4.9 BHP to Mile 6.1 BHP on the west half of the channel.
RE: SOUTHWEST PASS, RECOMMENDED TRANSIT DRAFT
BAR Pilots draft recommendation 4.11.19.pdf
The Bar Pilots for the Port of New Orleans recommend that vessels transiting Southwest Pass from the Sea Buoy (Entrance Lighted Whistle Buoy “SW”) to Mile 1.5 above Head of Passes should not have a deep draft in fresh water greater than Forty-Three feet (43 feet).
This draft recommendation, which may be increased or decreased at any time as conditions warrant, becomes effective at 1000 hours CST on April 11, 2019.
Nothing in the recommendations should be construed as limiting a pilot in the exercise of their judgement.
