The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is focusing channel maintenance efforts to the Crossings Above New Orleans as Southwest Pass has been restored to authorized channel dimensions. The dustpan dredges: HURLEY, JADWIN and WALLACE McGEORGE and the hopper dredges BAYPORT and GLENN EDWARDS are all working on the Crossings Above New Orleans. The long-term river stage levels are projected to recede sharply after a short and ongoing rise. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service’s Extended Streamflow Prediction (28-Day) issued today for the Baton Rouge Gauge predicts a drop from 26.0 feet to 15.8 feet on August 7, 2020 – a difference of 10.2 feet.
DUSTPAN DREDGE(S) ON THE CROSSINGS ABOVE NEW ORLEANS:
The MVN is dredging to restore or maintain the central 250 feet of the channel (authorized width is 500 feet) on the Crossings Above New Orleans as river stages fall.
HURLEY: The government dustpan dredge HURLEY continues dredging the central 250 feet at Red Eye Crossing (Mile 224 AHP). The HURLEY commenced dredging on the Crossings on June 29, 2020.
WALLACE McGEORGE: The industry dustpan dredge is dredging the central 250 feet of the channel at Alhambra Crossing (Mile 192 AHP). The White Castle Anchorage (Mile 191.1 AHP to Mile 190.4 AHP) remains off limits for vessel usage as noted in the attached Marine Safety Information Bulletin issued by the U.S. Coast Guard. The WALLACE McGEORGE commenced dredging on the Crossings on Thursday, May 21, 2020.
JADWIN: The government dustpan dredge continues dredging the central 250 feet of channel at Belmont Crossing (Mile 154.2 AHP). The JADWIN began dredging on the Crossings on Thursday, May 21, 2020.
INDUSTRY HOPPER DREDGE(S) ON THE CROSSINGS ABOVE NEW ORLEANS:
GLENN EDWARDS: The industry hopper dredge GLENN EDWARDS (Manson Construction) commenced dredging the central 250 feet at Medora Crossing (Mile 212 AHP). The GLENN EDWARDS began dredging in Southwest Pass on March 20, 2020 under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #13-2019. This contract has been extended and the hopper dredge is now expected to complete this contract around July 23, 2020.
BAYPORT: The hopper dredge BAYPORT (Manson Construction) has moved upriver to the Crossings from Southwest Pass. The BAYPORT started working to restore the central 250 feet at Fairview Crossing (Mile 116 AHP) earlier this morning. The MVN has begun the process to extend the present contract to keep the BAYPORT working on the Mississippi River Ship Channel. The BAYPORT commenced dredging on the Crossings on July 9, 2020.
CUTTERHEAD DREDGE(S) AT THE NEW ORLEANS HARBOR:
CAPTAIN FRANK: Weeks Marine’s cutterhead dredge CAPTAIN FRANK is dredging from Orange Street to the area in front of the Jax Brewery in the New Orleans Harbor after completing work at the Harvey Lock forebay. The cutterhead commenced work under New Orleans Harbor and Baptiste Collette Cutterhead Rental Contract #4-2019 on June 26, 2020.
The Carrollton Gauge (New Orleans) reading at 1200 hours today was 8.26 feet with a 24-hour change of + 0.22 feet.
NOAA’s National Weather Service’s Extended Streamflow Prediction (28-Day) for the Carrollton Gauge issued today indicates a rise of approximately another 6 inches over the next five days before beginning a steady fall to 6.0 feet on August 7, 2020.
The Baton Rouge Gauge reading at 1200 hours today was 25.52 feet with a 24-hour change of + 0.66 feet.
NOAA’s National Weather Service’s Extended Streamflow Prediction (28-Day) for the Baton Rouge Gauge issued today indicates a rise of approximately 6 inches over the next four days before beginning a slow fall to 15.8 feet on August 7, 2020.
