The Corps’ Mississippi Valley New Orleans (MVN) District’s Lock and Waterway Status 60-Day Forecast as issued today (Friday, September 25, 2020) is here.
The updated or revised status reports are highlighted in bold and lists conditions on the Calcasieu River Saltwater Barrier and Catfish Point Control Structure, Inner Harbor Navigation Canal (IHNC), Old River, Algiers, and Bayou Beouf Locks and the East and West Calumet Floodgates.
CALCASIEU RIVER SALTWATER BARRIER:
The Saltwater Barrier are being operated during daylight hours but are expected to resume normal operations this Sunday:
“Effective Thursday 23 Sep, the Calcasieu River Saltwater Barrier gates are being operated during daylight hours only until Sunday, 27 Sep 2020 when they will resume normal manned operations, which are 6 am until 10 pm Sunday thru Thursday and 6 am until 12 am (midnight) Friday and Saturday. “
CATFISH POINT CONTROL STRUCUTRE:
Normal operations have been resumed at the Catfish Point Control Structure:
“Catfish Point Control Structure resumed normal operations on Thursday 23 Sep, operating from 6 am to 6 pm, 7 days per week.”
IHNC LOCK:
The IHNC Lock will be closed to navigation as scheduled beginning on Friday, September 4, 2020 and continuing for approximately 60-days:
“IHNC Lock will be closed to navigation around the clock, 24hrs per day beginning 04 Sep 2020 and lasting approximately 60 days while the structure is dewatered for major repair work.”
*The recurring weather systems and the spike in elevated river stages could impact the schedule for returning the IHNC Lock to operation beyond the 60-day closure estimate.
OLD RIVER LOCK:
The Old River Lock is operated under normal conditions as the load testing operations have been postponed:
“Operational tests have been postponed at Old River Lock. There is no schedule for the future load tests; the Corps will issue a new bulletin when the load tests are rescheduled and will provide as much notice as possible to mariners of the closure schedule.”
ALGIERS LOCK:
The Algiers Lock continues to operate with special restrictions in place due the unstable condition of the dolphin structure adjacent to the upstream river end guide wall:
“Effective immediately at Algiers Lock and continuing until further notice, mariners are advised to avoid the dolphin and the end of the long river end guide wall. The dolphin adjacent to the end of the upstream, river end guide wall is unstable and is a hazard to mariners. Tows in both directions are restricted to a maximum length of 600 feet.”
BAYOU BOEUF LOCK:
The replacement of the Bayou Boeuf Lock’s Chamber Guide Wall continues with daytime closures and is scheduled to be completed in October 2020 with full details reproduced below:
“As of Wednesday, 11 Sep 2019 Bayou Boeuf Lock is closed to navigation from 7 am until 7 pm (Daylight Hours), Mondays thru Thursdays until approximately 26 Oct 2020 to construct the new south side chamber guide wall.”
EAST and WEST CALUMET FLOODGATES:
The East and West Calumet Floodgates remain closed due to heavy siltation in the channel:
“Continuing until further notice, East and West Calumet Floodgate will remain closed to navigation due to heavy siltation in the channel making it unsafe for navigation.”
