Lower Mississippi River (LMR) Dredging Update 9319
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). The MVN is now concentrating efforts on the Crossings Above New Orleans as the channel is Southwest Pass has mostly been recovered. There are two dustpan and two hopper dredges working on the Crossings and one cutterhead dredge working on the channel in Southwest Pass. The Corps’ dustpan dredge JADWIN was released to assist on the shallow-draft channel but is expected to return to the Crossings in mid-September.
TRANSIT RESTRICTIONS AT SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
- The Bar Pilots maximum draft recommendation was increased to 46 feet (freshwater) at 1000 hours on August 28, 2019. The official notice is attached.
- The Crescent River Port Pilots maximum draft recommendation was also increased to 47 feet (freshwater) on August 28, 2019.
- The Federal Pilots maximum draft recommendation remains 45 feet (freshwater).
CUTTERHEAD DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
C.R. McCASKILL: Weeks Marine’s cutterhead dredge C.R. McCASKILL is dredging at Mile 17.35 Below Head of Passes (BHP) on assignment from Mile 14.3 BHP to Mile 18.0. BHP on the eastern side of the channel. The cutterhead began dredging on July 24, 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 is to remove 12 million cubic yards (mcy) of material, approximately 8.0 mcy of material have now been beneficially utilized in the PALWMA.
CUTTERHEAD DREDGE(S) IN THE NEW ORLEANS HARBOR:
CAPTAIN FRANK: Weeks Marine’s cutterhead dredge CAPTAIN FRANK is dredging on assignment in the New Orleans Harbor at Mile 95.86 Above Head of Passes (AHP) in the area of the Julia Street Cruise Terminal. The dredge began working on New Orleans Harbor Cutterhead Dredge Rental Contract #1-2019 on August 30, 2019.
DUSTPAN DREDGE(S) ON THE CROSSINGS ABOVE NEW ORLEANS:
HURLEY: The Corps dustpan dredge HURLEY is presently undergoing repairs but is expected to resume dredging operations on the central 250 feet of channel at Red Eye Crossing (Mile 224 Above Head. Of Passes. [AHP}) tonight. The government dustpan dredge commenced dredging on the Crossings on May 4, 2019.
WALLCE McGEORGE: The industry dustpan dredge WALLCE McGEORGE continues dredging the central 250 feet of channel at Alhambra Crossing (Mile 191 AHP). The White Castle Anchorage (Mile 191.1 AHP to Mile 190.4 AHP) is off limits for vessel usage while the WALLACE Mc GEORGE is working at Alhambra Crossing. The NOBRA and Federal Pilots will not anchor any ships in White Castle Anchorage until dredging operations are completed. The dustpan is now expected to complete dredging at Alhambra Crossing until approximately September 15, 2019. The industry dustpan dredge commenced dredging on the Crossings on May 9, 2019.
HOPPER DREDGE(S) ON THE CROSSINGS ABOVE NEW ORLEANS:
NEWPORT: The industry hopper dredge NEWPORT (Manson Construction) commenced dredging at Missouri Bend (Mile 222 AHP) this morning (September 3, 2019). The NEWPORT is dredging under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #8-2019, this contract was extended and the hopper dredge will remain on the Ship Channel until early November 2019.
STUYVESANT: The industry hopper dredge STUYVESANT (Dutra Group) is dredging the central 300 feet of channel at Granada Crossing (Mile 205 AHP). 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.
WHEELER: MVN’s hopper dredge WHEELER completed dredging operations at Medora Crossing (Mile 2112 AHP) under Red Flag Emergency Call Out #6-2019 (45-days) at 0700 hours on Saturday, August 31, 2019. The WHEELER is at the MVN dock in New Orleans and scheduled to begin shipyard repairs later this month (September).
The Carrollton Gauge (New Orleans) reading at 1100 hours today was 6.56 feet, with a 24-hour change of + 0.01 feet.
The Baton Rouge Gauge reading at 0800 hours today was 19.74 feet, with a 24-hour change of + 0.19 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 reports in pdf format, the final days above flood stage document as provided by our colleagues at the National Weather Service is also attached. The effects of the Great Flood of 2019 are still being felt across the Mississippi River Basin.
Bar Pilot Draft Recommendation 46 Feet 82819.pdf
NWS Consecutive Days Above Flood Stage 81219.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 | 155
2019 |
155
Feb 17th – Jul 21st |
46 | 71 | 115 |
| Vicksburg, MS | 185
1927 |
162
Feb 17th – July 28th |
48 | 83 | 185 |
| Natchez, MS | 215
2019 |
215
Jan 4th – August 6th |
53 | 90 | 77 |
| Red River Landing, LA | 227
2019 |
227
Dec 27th – August 10th |
59 | 95 | 152 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 211
2019 |
211
Jan 6th – August 4th |
79 | 99 | 135 |
