The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is focusing channel maintenance efforts on the Crossings Above New Orleans as Southwest Pass has mostly been restored to authorized channel dimensions. The dustpan dredges: HURLEY, JADWIN and WALLACE McGEORGE and the hopper dredge BAYPORT are all working on the Crossings Above New Orleans. The USACE hopper dredge WHEELER continues dredging in Southwest Pass.
TRANSIT RESTRICITIONS FOR SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
The Bar Pilots enacted a high tide transit restriction that went into effect immediately on July 31, 2020 for all vessels with freshwater drafts of 46 feet or greater. This restriction was put in place after at least two vessels bumped bottom while transiting SWP. Specifically, all vessels with freshwater drafts of 46 feet or greater must transit 3 hours before or after the daily high tide.
DUSTPAN DREDGE(S) ON THE CROSSINGS ABOVE NEW ORLEANS:
The USACE continues dredging to restore or maintain at least the central 250 feet of the channel (authorized width is 500 feet) on the Crossings Above New Orleans as river stages continue to fall.
WALLACE McGEORGE: The industry dustpan dredge is temporarily dredging on the shallow-draft project and working on the Port Allen Lock Forebay. The dustpan is expected to resume dredging the central 250 feet of the channel at Baton Rouge Front (Mile 232.0 AHP) over the weekend. The WALLACE McGEORGE commenced dredging on the Crossings on Thursday, May 21, 2020.
HURLEY: The government dustpan dredge HURLEY continues dredging the central 250 feet of channel at Red Eye Crossing (Mile 224 AHP). The HURLEY commenced dredging on the Crossings on June 29, 2020 departed for Victoria Bend on July 18 and resumed dredging on the Crossings on August 3, 2020.
JADWIN: The government dustpan dredge continues dredging full channel width (500 feet) at Belmont Crossing (Mile 154.0 AHP). The JADWIN began dredging on the Crossings on Thursday, May 21, 2020
INDUSTRY HOPPER DREDGE(S) ON THE CROSSINGS ABOVE NEW ORLEANS:
BAYPORT: The hopper dredge BAYPORT (Manson Construction) is dredging the central 250 feet of channel at Medora Crossing (Mile 212.0 AHP). The BAYPORT’s contract was recently extended an additional 30 days. The hopper dredge is now expected to complete this contract on approximately September 15, 2020. The BAYPORT commenced dredging on the Crossings on July 9, 2020.
GOVERNMENT HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN THE AREA OF SOUTHWEST PASS:
WHEELER: The USACE’s hopper dredge WHEELER is dredging on assignment at the Head of Passes (Mile 1.0 AHP to Mile 2.0 Below Head of Passes). The WHEELER is scheduled to work in SWP under Readiness Exercise #2-2020 until September 1, 2020.
The Carrollton Gauge (New Orleans) reading at 1500 hours today was 5.45 feet with a 24-hour change of – 0.14 feet.
NOAA’s National Weather Service’s Extended Streamflow Prediction (28-Day) for the Carrollton Gauge issued today indicates the stages will remain steady over the next week and then resume a slow fall to 2.9 feet on September 17, 2020.
The Baton Rouge Gauge reading at 1600 hours today was 16.05 feet with a 24-hour change of – 0.91 feet.
NOAA’s National Weather Service’s Extended Streamflow Prediction (28-Day) for the Baton Rouge Gauge issued today indicates a slow steady fall to 10.3 feet on September 17, 2020.
