RE: CORPS’ MISSISSIPPI RIVER MAINTENANCE FORUM MEETING NOTES
LAMA Corps Mississippi River Maintenance Forum Meeting Notes 8719.pdf
The Corps’ Mississippi Valley New Orleans (MVN) holds monthly meetings to discuss channel conditions and related issues directly with the maritime industry. These meetings are usually scheduled for 0900 hours on the first Wednesday of the month. LAMA encourages our members to attend these meetings, which are open to the public (with advanced notice of attendance provided to MVN). The agenda for this meeting as provided by the MVN is attached.
Maintenance Forum Notes August 7, 2019
1) Introductions
2) Southeast Waterways Update:
Tiger Pass: The MVN received $9.5 million for the dredging of Tiger Pass through the Corps Fiscal Year 2019 (FY 19) Work Plan. Channel surveys of Tiger Pass identified that approximately 2.7 million cubic yards (mcy) of material must be removed to restore the shallow-draft channel to near full channel dimensions. The funding is not expected to be sufficient to restore fully authorized channel dimensions. The last round of surveys indicated the most deficient reach of the channel is from Mile 7 to Mile 13 on the jetty end. The MVN expects the dredging of Tiger Pass to begin in early October.
Baptiste Collette: The Corps previously received $13.9 million in supplemental funding to perform dredging operations ($6.5 million) and rock work to fortify the jetties and channel boundaries ($7.4 million) of Baptiste Collette. The MVN then received an additional $3 million from the Corps FY 19 Work Plan and awarded a cutterhead dredge contract to the CROSBY DREDGER (Crosby Dredging). The cutterhead began dredging on July 29, 2019 and is presently working at Mile 9.3 within the area of the heaviest shoaling (Mile 8.0 to Mile 9.7). The MVN intends to advertise a contract for the rock work in late September and for the work of the rock placement to begin by early October.
3) Mississippi River Conditions Update:
Current Stage New Orleans (Carrollton Gauge): 12.9 feet
• Projections indicate a steady fall to 10.5 feet by September 3, 2019.
Current Stage Baton Rouge: 42.3 feet
• Projections indicate a steady fall to 26.2 feet by September 3, 2019.
A. Crossings Between Baton Rouge and New Orleans:
The latest surveys for the Crossings Between Baton and New Orleans are included in the attached agenda. The surveys identify considerable shoaling on the Crossings and the Corps continues dredging with all three dustpan dredges: HURLEY, JADWIN and the WALLACE McGEORGE.
The WALLACE McGEORGE’s is expected to move from Baton Rouge Front to the next assignment at Alhambra Crossing later this week. The White Castle Anchorage (Mile 191.1 AHP to Mile 190.4 AHP) will be off limits for vessel usage while the cutterhead dredge is working at this location. The dredging of the Crossings will continue into Fiscal Year 2020, the new fiscal year begins on October 1st.
B. New Orleans Harbor:
The Corps advertised a cutterhead dredge contract for an assignment in the New Orleans Harbor on August 1, 2019 and did not receive any bids from the dredge contractors. The MVN is performing market research in an effort to secure a cutterhead dredge to respond to the shoaling in the New Orleans Harbor.
C. Southwest Pass (SWP):
The MVN continues the effort to restore channel dimensions in SWP with two industry hopper dredges (NEWPORT and STUYVESANT) and the government hopper dredge WHEELER working under a Red Flag Emergency Callout. The cutterhead dredges C.R. McCASKILL and CAPTAIN FRANK are also dredging in SWP.
D. Head of Passes, Hopper Dredge Disposal Area (HDDA):
The R.S. WEEKS has now removed approximately 6.5 mcy of material from the HDDA and is beneficially placing this material in the Pass A’Loutre Wildlife Management Area. The ongoing scope of work for this contract requires a total of 12 mcy to be removed from the HDDA.
E. Southwest Pass Stone Foreshore Dike & Jetty Repair:
A contract was awarded to EFT Diversified, Inc. on July 16, 2018 to make repairs to the foreshore rocks that protect the deep-draft channel in Southwest Pass. The rock placement operations continue, and the contractor is working closely with the Pilot Associations to assist in maintaining navigational safety around the rock placement operations.
F. Fiscal Year 2019 Funding Update:
The MVN had previously received a total of $235,829,000, a record amount of funding for FY 19 based on the combined allocations from the President’s Budget Request, U.S. Corps Work Plan and Supplemental Funding from Public Law 115-123 (PL 115-123). Based on the historic flood event and record amount of shoaling the MVN recently received an additional $8,574,976 from PL 115-123. Increasing the total allocation from PL 115-123 for FY 2019 to $96,574,976. The total allocation to MVN for FY 19 is $244,403,976. In an average fiscal year the MVN dredges a total of approximately 42 mcy, to date in FY 19 the MVN has dredged more than 64 mcy form the Crossings and Southwest Pass not including the 6.5 mcy that has been removed for the HDDA.
|
FISCAL YEAR |
PRESIDENT’S BUDGET REQUEST |
WORK PLAN |
SUPPLEMENTAL PL 115-123 |
TOTAL ALLOCATION |
|
2019 |
$89,169,000 |
$58,660,000
|
$96,574,976 |
$244,403,976 |
4) Next Meeting:
The next Forum meeting is scheduled for 0900 hours on Wednesday, September 4, 2019, at the MVN District Assembly Room A.
