The Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley New Orleans (MVN) continues responding to active shoaling in Southwest Pass (SWP) deposited by long-term high river stages (flood event).  There are four industry hopper dredges, one industry cutterhead dredge and one government hopper dredge working in SWP.  The cutterhead dredge R.S. WEEKS has commenced dredging at the Hopper Dredge Disposal Area.

TRANSIT RESTRICTIONS AT SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):

1. The Bar Pilots maximum draft recommendation remains at 44 feet (freshwater) as established at 1000 hours on Wednesday, April 17, 2019.  
2. The Crescent River Port Pilots also increased their maximum draft recommendation to 44 feet (freshwater) on Wednesday, April 17, 2019.  
3. The Federal Pilots increased their maximum draft recommendation to 44 feet (freshwater) on Wednesday, April 24, 2019 as a result of improving conditions in Southwest Pass.

 

INDUSTRY HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):

NEWPORT:  The hopper dredge NEWPORT (Manson Construction) is presently dredging from Mile 2.3 Above Head of Passes (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 Cubits Gap (Mile 3.5 AHP to Mile 3.0 AHP).  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 June 2, 2019.

BAYPORT:  The industry hopper dredge is dredging from Mile 10.5 Below Head of Passes (BHP) to Mile 11.0 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 and the BAYPORT to complete this contract).  The BAYPORT will complete this contract later today and depart SWP.

 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 11, 2019 (approximately)

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 (approximately Mile 0.8 AHP to Mile 0.5 BHP).  The WHEELER began working under Red Flag Emergency Call Out #4-2019 (30-days) on April 10, 2019 and is expected to complete this Red Flag assignment on May 10, 2019.

CUTTERHEAD DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):

 CAPTAIN FRANK: The industry cutterhead dredge CAPTAIN FRANK is presently dredging at Mile 5.45 BHP.  The cutterhead is working on assignment from Mile 4.9 BHP to Mile 6.1 BHP on the western side of the channel. The cutterhead started dredging in SWP on February 23, 2109.

 CUTTERHEAD DREDGE(S) IN THE HOPPER DREDGE DISPOSAL AREA:

R.S. WEEKS: The industry cutterhead dredge R.S. WEEKS (Weeks Marine) has resumed dredging in the Hopper Dredge Disposal Area and is beneficially using all material in the Pass A’Loutre Wildlife Management Area.  The cutterhead dredged in SWP from December 15, 2018 to April 24, 2019.

DUSTPAN DREDGE(S) ON THE CROSSINGS ABOVE NEW ORLEANS:

HURLEY: The Corps dustpan dredge is HURLEY is expected to commence dredging at Red Eye Crossing (Mile 224 AHP) on Sunday, May 3, 2019.

WALLCE McGEORGE: The industry dustpan dredge WALLCE McGEORGE is expected to commence dredging at Red Eye Crossing (Mile 224 AHP) on Sunday, May 3, 2019.  The White Castle Anchorage (Mile 191.1 AHP to Mile 190.4 AHP) will be off limits for vessel usage while dredging operations are conducted at Alhambra Crossing.  The closure of this anchorage is expected to begin on the morning of Sunday, May 3, 2019 and is tentatively expected to last two weeks.

The Carrollton Gauge (New Orleans) reading at 1300 hours was 16.43 feet, with a 24-hour change of + 0.01 feet. Extended Streamflow Predictions are reflecting increased river stages with the Carrollton Gauge now estimated to be reach 16.9 feet and the level at Baton Rouge to be 42 feet on May 11, 2019.  

The Baton Rouge Gauge reading at 1300 hours was 41.42 feet, with a 24-hour change of + 0.23 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.