Lower Mississippi River (LMR) Dredging Update 11419.pdf

The Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley New Orleans (MVN) continues dredging operations in response to record shoaling deposited by historic long-term high river stages (record flood event created by record precipitation levels). The MVN continues to recover authorized channel dimensions on the Crossings Above New Orleans and in Southwest Pass. All three dustpan dredges are working on the Crossings and a cutterhead and hopper dredge are working on the channel in Southwest Pass.

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

 HURLEY: The Corps dustpan dredge HURLEY completed the assignment at Missouri Bend (Mile 222 Above Head of Passes [AHP]) and moved downriver to commence dredging full channel dimensions (500 feet by 45 feet) at Sardine Point Crossing (Mile 219 AHP). The government dustpan dredge originally commenced dredging on the Crossings on May 4, 2019.

 WALLCE McGEORGE: The industry dustpan dredge WALLCE McGEORGE continues dredging full channel dimensions at Alhambra Crossing (Mile 192 AHP). The industry dustpan dredge commenced dredging on the Crossings on May 9, 2019.

While the WALLACE McGEORGE is dredging at Alhambra Crossing the White Castle Anchorage (Mile 191.1 AHP to Mile 190.4 AHP) will be off limits for vessel usage. The NOBRA and Federal Pilots will keep the White Castle Anchorage cleared of vessels until dredging operations are completed.  The estimated date of completion at Alhambra is now November 8, 2019. 

 JADWIN: The Corps dustpan dredge continues dredging full channel dimensions at Smoke Bend (Mile 175 AHP).  The government dustpan dredge commenced dredging on the Crossings on June 27, 2019.

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

NEWPORT:  The industry hopper dredge NEWPORT (Manson Construction) continues dredging at the Head of Passes (Mile 1 AHP to Mile 1.5 Below Head of Passes [BHP]) on the eastern side of the channel.  The NEWPORT is dredging under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #8-2019 and is expected to remain on the Ship Channel until mid-November (2019).

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

 J.S. CHATRY: Weeks Marine’s newly christened cutterhead dredge J.S. CHATRY is dredging at Mile 2.28 AHP  working on assignment from Mile 3.5 AHP to Mile 0 (Head of Passes) on the western side of the Ship Channel.  The cutterhead is working to complete Southwest Pass Cutterhead Dredge Rental Contract #2-2019.

 C.R. McCASKILL:  Weeks Marine’s cutterhead dredge C.R. McCASKILL was relieved by the J.S. CHATRY on assignment from Cubits Gap (Mile 3.5 AHP) to the Head of Passes (Mile 0).   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) has departed the HDDA and the contract is presently idle.  The J.S. CHATRY will resume work on the HDDA contract after completion of the present assignment at the Head of Passes.  All material will be beneficially used in the Pass A Loutre Wildlife Management Area (PALWMA).  The MVN was recently able to extend this contract, the original contract was to remove 12 million cubic yards (mcy) of material from the HDDA. An increase in funding was utilized to extend this contract and increase the amount of material to be removed by approximately 3.0 mcy, increasing the contract to remove a total of 15.3 mcy of material.  The cutterhead dredges have now beneficially utilized more than 10.5 mcy of material from the HDDA and restored approximately 840 acres in the PALWMA.

The Carrollton Gauge (New Orleans) reading at 1700 hours today was 9.58 feet, the 24-hour change feature was not available.

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.