Lower Mississippi River (LMR) Dredging Update 72319
The Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley New Orleans (MVN) continues dredging operations in response to active shoaling deposited by historic long-term high river stages (record flood event created by record precipitation levels). There are three hopper dredges and one cutterhead dredge working in the area of Southwest Pass and three cutterhead dredges working on the Crossings Above New Orleans. The MVN has delayed the advertisement of Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #12-2019 until next week, tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, July 30, 2019.
TRANSIT RESTRICTIONS AT SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
- The Bar Pilots maximum draft recommendation was increased to 43 feet (freshwater) at 1000 hours on Friday, July 19, 2019.
- The Crescent River Port Pilots maximum draft recommendation of 44 feet (freshwater) for their route was reestablished after Hurricane Barry.
- The Federal Pilots maximum draft recommendation was also increased to 43 feet (freshwater) on Friday, July 19, 2019.
The controlling maximum draft for all vessels transiting Southwest Pass as implemented on Friday, July 19, 2019 remains 43 feet freshwater (Bar and Federal Pilots).
INDUSTRY HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
STUYVESANT: The industry hopper dredge STUYVESANT (Dutra Group) continues dredging on assignment at the Head of Passes (Mile 1.5 Above Head of Passes [AHP] to Mile 0.5 Below Head of Passes [BHP]). The STUYVESANT began dredging under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #10-2019 on June 14, 2019 and is expected to continue dredging on this contract until October 1, 2019.
NEWPORT: The industry hopper dredge NEWPORT (Manson Construction) is dredging from Mile 0.5 BHP to Mile 1.5 BHP. The NEWPORT is now dredging under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #8-2019, this contract could be completed by the end of August but the MVN can exercise options to extend this contract.
GOVERNMENT HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
WHEELER: MVN’s hopper dredge WHEELER continues dredging at Cubits Gap (Mile 4.0 AHP to Mile 2.0 AHP) under Red Flag Emergency Call Out #5-2019. The WHEELER is expected to complete Red Flag #5 and commence dredging for 45-days under Red Flag #6-2019 by the end of the week (projected to be July 25, 2019).
CUTTERHEAD DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
C.R. McCASKILL: Weeks Marine’s cutterhead dredge C.R. McCASKILL is expected to start dredging this evening from Mile 5.0 BHP to Mile 6.0 BHP on the western side of the channel under Southwest Pass Cutterhead Dredge Rental Contract #2-2019.
CAPTAIN FRANK: Weeks Marine’s cutterhead dredge CAPTAIN FRANK is expected to start dredging from Mile 14.3 BHP to 18.0 BHP on the eastern channel toe by Saturday, July 27, 2019 under Southwest Pass Cutterhead Dredge Rental Contract #2-2019.
CUTTERHEAD DREDGE(S) IN THE HOPPER DREDGE DISPOSAL AREA (HDDA):
R.S. WEEKS: The industry cutterhead dredge R.S. WEEKS (Weeks Marine) continues dredging at the HDDA, all material is being beneficially used in the Pass A’Loutre Wildlife Management Area (PALWMA). The contract requires the removal of 12 million cubic yards (mcy) of material, approximately 5.2 mcy of material have now been beneficially placed in the PALWMA from the HDDA.
DUSTPAN DREDGE(S) ON THE CROSSINGS ABOVE NEW ORLEANS:
WALLCE McGEORGE: The industry dustpan dredge WALLCE McGEORGE continues dredging the central 250 feet of channel at Baton Rouge Front (Mile 231.5 AHP). The industry dustpan dredge commenced dredging on the Crossings on May 9, 2019.
HURLEY: The Corps dustpan dredge HURLEY resumed dredging operations on the central 250 feet of channel at Red Eye Crossing (Mile 224 AHP) at 1500 hours today. The government dustpan dredge commenced dredging on the Crossings on May 4, 2019.
JADWIN: The Corps dustpan dredge JADWIN continues dredging on the central 250 feet at Belmont Crossing (Mile 154 AHP). The government dustpan dredge commenced dredging on the Crossings on June 27, 2019.
The Carrollton Gauge (New Orleans) reading at 1600 hours was 15.41feet, with a 24-hour change of – 0.16 feet.
The Baton Rouge Gauge reading at 1700 hours was 40.15 feet, with a 24-hour change of – 0.40 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, the National Weather Service’s “Consecutive Days Above Flood Stage” table issued today is also attached.
NWS Consecutive Days Above Flood Stage 72319.pptx
| Forecast
Location |
Record
(Days/Year) |
2019
(Days/Period) |
2011
(Days) |
1973
(Days) |
1927
(Days) |
| Cairo, IL | 156
2019 |
156
Feb 8th – Jul 13th |
59 | 97 | 76 |
| Memphis, TN | 65
1927 |
39
Feb 19th – Mar 29th |
35 | 64 | 65 |
| Arkansas City, AR | 197
1927 |
94
Apr 16th – Jul 19th |
44 | 72 | 197 |
| Greenville, MS | 152
2019 |
152
Feb 17th – Jul 21st |
46 | 71 | 115 |
| Vicksburg, MS | 185
1927 |
156
Feb 17th – Today |
48 | 83 | 185 |
| Natchez, MS | 200
2019 |
200
Jan 4th – Today |
53 | 90 | 77 |
| Red River Landing, LA | 208
2019 |
208
Dec 27th – Today |
59 | 95 | 152 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 199
2019 |
199
Jan 6th – Today |
79 | 99 | 135 |
